TSX REPORT: Cortina sliding track build starts; new long jump take-off “zone” to be tested; IOC says no to Pacquiao for Paris

February 20, 2024

tsx pix 2024-219-LJ board (Santeri Viinamaki-wiki) — On the way out? A well-used long and triple jump board (Photo: Santeri Viinamaki via Wikipedia)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Work begins on Cortina sliding track amid protests
2. Long jump take-off board to be replaced by “zone”
3. IOC stays the course, says no to 45-year-old Pacquiao
4. Western Australia spending A$1.35 million for 2024 athlete support
5. FIS and Swiss now arguing over 2027 Alpine Worlds guarantees

● Monday marked the start of the construction effort on the new sliding track in Cortina d’Ampezzo for the 2026 Winter Games. Protesters were ready, too, but the site had already been secured.

● World Athletics is trying upgrade the long jump by experimenting with the elimination of the take-off board and measuring from a take-off “zone” rather than from a set line. Only an experiment so far, but if successful, could be used starting in 2026.

● The International Olympic Committee told the Philippine Olympic Committee that no exceptions will be made to allow star boxer Manny Pacquiao to compete at Paris 2024. He’s 45, over the age limit of 40 and the Philippines does not qualify for a special added quota spot.

● The government of Western Australia, an enormous state with a modest population, just approved A$1.35 million in public money for direct athlete support and contributions to the Australian Olympic and Paralympic Committees. Individual payments to Olympians and Paralympians from the state will be A$5,000 apiece.

● The International Ski & Snowboard Federation has not finalized an agreement to hold the 2027 Alpine Worlds at Crans-Montana in Switzerland as no financial guarantees were provided. FIS is ready to move elsewhere, but the two sided said Monday there would be further discussions.

● Panorama: Athletics (3: Ikeda scares world record in 20 km walk; Katir accepts two-year ban; Kamau gets four years for Testosterone) = Football (Mexico appeals FIFA fines for anti-gay chant) = Modern Pentathlon (UIPM says fencing changing, but doesn’t say how) = Shooting (Nicotra di San Giacomo elected ISSF Secretary General) = Snowboard (Foley’s suspension upheld in arbitration) = Taekwondo (U.S. and Turkish Worlds winners star at U.S. Open) = Weightlifting (IWF chief says anti-doping progress must continue) ●

● Errata: One of the things that often comes with a shocking result is insufficient research time and that’s what happened after American Gus Schumacher’s stunner in the men’s 10 km Mass Start at the FIS Cross Country World Cup in Minneapolis, Minnesota. One report stated it was the first World Cup win ever for an American man, and another said it was the first since Bill Koch in 1973, 41 years ago. Turns out it’s the first since Noah Hoffman (15 km Pursuit) and Simi Hamilton (Sprint) won World Cup races in December 2013, a little more than 10 years ago. So now you know. ●

1.
Work begins on Cortina sliding track amid protests

Monday marked the beginning of the race to build the bobsled, luge and skeleton track in Cortina d’Ampezzo (ITA), in time for pre-Olympic testing in March 2025 ahead of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

The saga of the replacement for the Eugenio Monti track from the 1956 Cortina Winter Games is well known, but the contract signed with Parma-based Impresa Pizzarotti to avoid moving the events out of Italy means there is no room for delay.

But environmental groups were readying protests in the construction area, including against the removal of several hundred trees. But as noted by the Rome daily Il Fatto Quotidiano:

“Pizzarotti, Simico and the Municipality were ahead of the game. On Sunday 18th they took steps to fence off the four and a half hectare area of the Ronco area, at the foot of the Tofane. No access for all and road signs prohibiting stopping or parking cars, under penalty of removal. There will be a large deployment of law enforcement waiting for the environmentalists .

“Yet the groups do not give up and announce a peaceful demonstration , without denying that creativity can be manifested in various ways, starting with chaining to the trunks of the 500 [trees] that will have to be felled to make way for the construction site.”

The story also noted that International Olympic Committee will have inspectors on-site on Tuesday (20th). In the meantime, just in case the project does not get completed in time, the Milan Cortina organizers confirmed that they are keeping discussions alive with possible “rescue” venues including Innsbruck (AUT), St. Moritz (SUI), Koenigssee (GER) and Lake Placid in the U.S., all of which said they could handle the events if desired.

Isn’t this exciting? Maybe not.

2.
Long jump take-off board to be replaced by “zone”

Expanding the details on a concept already signaled by World Athletics President Sebastian Coe (GBR), World Athletics chief executive Jon Ridgeon (GBR) explained to the British podcast “Anything But Footy”:

“If you take the long jump, at the World Championships, a third of all the jumps were no-jumps. That doesn’t work. That’s a waste of time.

“So we are testing a take-off zone rather than a take-off board. We will measure from where the athlete takes off to where they land in the pit.

“That means every single jump counts. It adds to the jeopardy and drama in the competition. At the same time, we are working out ways we can get instant results so you don’t have to wait 20 to 30 seconds before the result pops up. We get it instantly.

“It’s about making what we have got already even more entertaining for the future.”

The technology for this certainly exists, with Ridgeon noting that it will have to be tested at multiple levels of competition, but could be used for elite athletes as soon as 2026, when World Athletics is going to create a three-day event to showcase the top stars in an as-yet undisclosed format.

“This is not about next year, but making sure we have got a sport that is fit for purpose for another 150 years.

“We will spend this year testing it in real life circumstances with very good athletes. If it doesn’t pass testing, we will never introduce it. We are not going to introduce things on a whim because one of us thinks it is a good idea.

“In terms of a global level, a lot of these ideas may not be even introduced until 2026. We really want to spend the next two years thoroughly working them through and then we will introduce them.”

Using just the 2023 World Championships in Budapest (HUN) for inspection, the situation Ridgeon describes is quite real for both the long jump and the triple jump finals:

● Men/Long Jump: 60 attempts, 20 fouls
● Men/Triple Jump: 60 attempts, 22 fouls

● Women/Long Jump: 60 attempts, 20 fouls
● Women/Triple Jump: 60 attempts, 15 fouls

Some attempts were not taken due to injury; these are not counted as fouls. But for the two events combined, for men and women, there were 240 attempts in the four finals last summer and 77 fouls, or 32.1%. One assumes this will also be implemented for the triple jump as well.

Now, how are Coe & Co. going to make the decathlon and heptathlon livelier?

3.
IOC stays the course, says no to 45-year-old Pacquiao

The idea of retired Philippine superstar boxer Manny Pacquiao entering the Paris 2024 Olympic boxing tournament had been gently rejected by the International Olympic Committee last year, as the age limit of 40 in boxing had been noted.

But the request for a place for Pacquiao came up again from the Philippine Olympic Committee and was formally brushed aside by the IOC over the weekend.

Philippine Olympic officials asked for an exemption for Pacquiao, who retired in 2021, to be granted a “universality place” in the men’s Olympic tournament, a procedure to give athletes from countries which are not usually able to qualify an Olympic spot. As it did for the Tokyo 2020 Games, the IOC is running the 2024 Olympic boxing tournament itself as there is – at present – no IOC-recognized international federation for boxing.

In response to a request from Philippine Olympic Committee chief Abraham Tolentino, the IOC replied:

“Universality places are not allocated to [teams] with an average of more than eight athletes in individual sports/disciplines at the last two editions of the Olympic Games. This is the case for the Philippine Olympic Committee.”

Pacquiao won 12 professional world titles in eight weight classes – from Flyweight to Light Middleweight – during his brilliant career, but never participated in the Olympic Games.

Tolentino told Agence France Presse in a text message, “What a waste, it could have been a sure podium or first ever [boxing] gold for the country.”

Pacquiao said in a statement, “While I am very saddened and disappointed, I understand and accept the age-limit rules.”

4.
Western Australia spending A$1.35 million for 2024 athlete support

Imagine a state that is 147% the size of Alaska, with a population of just 2.8 million, of which about 80% is concentrated into one metropolitan area. And it just approved giving its athletes about $883,000 to prepare to compete at the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games.

That’s what Western Australia announced on Sunday, with A$1.35 million allocated by the state government – this is public money – to athletes through three channels:

“● $333,250 via the Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS) for athlete qualification and performance optimisation initiatives involving athletes, coaches and support staff;

“● $270,000 for direct payments to WA athletes selected to the Australia team for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games to assist with costs; and

“● $750,000 to be distributed to the Australian Olympic and Paralympic Team Appeal, with $375,000 to go to the Australian Olympic Committee, and $375,000 to Paralympics Australia.”

This is about $882,704 U.S. at A$1 = $0.65 U.S. The athlete-direct payments will be of A$5,000 amounts and are only for actual Olympic or Paralympic team members and will be distributed by the Western Australia Institute for Sport.

Western Australia is an enormous expanse, taking up about a third of the total land mass of the continent, with 80% of the population in and around the state capital of Perth. Among those who will benefit: women’s pole vault co-World Champion Nina Kennedy, who will be a second-time recipient of this program:

“I was grateful to receive one of these grants for Tokyo 2020 and I know firsthand how appreciative Western Australia athletes are that this support is continuing. Grants of $5,000 will help to cover costs associated with travel to France, and helps Olympians and Paralympians focus on doing what we need to do – which is to perform to the best of our abilities.”

5.
FIS and Swiss now arguing over 2027 Alpine Worlds guarantees

The late Don Ohlmeyer, who was highly respected as NBC’s sports division head and then chief of its West Coast division in the 1970s-80s-90s, once told then-Washington Post sports columnist Tony Kornheiser that “the answer to all of your questions is money.”

So is the latest tug-of-war over the 2027 FIS Alpine World Championships in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, where the Swiss national federation – Swiss-Ski – has not provided the financial guarantees to the Swiss-based International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS) as required, and the hosting agreement for the championships has not been executed.

FIS received a inquiry from the Zurich-based Neue Zurcher Zeitung and posted its answer on Friday, including:

● “All candidates for the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2027 were required to give undertakings relating to financial guarantees, which are necessary to ensure that the parties to the contract are able to meet its contractual obligations. In its bid response, Swiss-Ski stated that financial guarantees had already been given by The Swiss Confederation, The Canton of Valais and The Association of Communes of Crans-Montana, a statement which FIS relied on.

● “Swiss-Ski has now stated to FIS that it is not possible for the Swiss Confederation, the Canton of Valais and the Association of Communes of Crans-Montana to give the required financial guarantees without referenda and has asked to be exempted from giving the financial guarantees.

● “Consequently, it is clear that the confirmation in the bid submission by Swiss-Ski that the financial guarantees by the Swiss Confederation, the Canton of Valais and the Association of Communes of Crans-Montana had already been given, was indeed entirely false.”

So, if the guarantees are not resolved, FIS will go elsewhere; Crans-Montana hosted the 1987 FIS Alpine Worlds.

Both the FIS and Swiss-Ski posted soothing messages on Monday with further discussions to follow; the Swiss note read:

“‘Swiss-Ski and the World Cup organizing committee are happy that the basis for an early solution and signing of the hosting agreement has been restored,’ says Diego Zuger, co-CEO of Swiss-Ski. ‘We will continue to fully meet our obligations and feel strengthened in our belief that we can bring the negotiations to a good conclusion.’”

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Athletics ● Japan’s Koki Ikeda, the silver medalist in the Tokyo 2021 Olympic and 2022 Worlds 20 km race walks, scared the world record with a 1:16:51 win at the national walk championships in Kobe (JPN) on Sunday.

Ikeda’s prior best was 1:17:25 for third at the 2019 Asian Championships, but moved to no. 3 all-time on Sunday and was close to the world mark of 1:16:36 by countryman Yusuke Suzuki at the 2015 Asian Championships. It’s the fastest race since Suzuki’s record.

Ryo Hamanishi also got a huge lifetime best in second, but was well back at 1:17:42, now no. 6 on the all-time Japan list.

Spanish distance star Mohamed Katir, the men’s 1,500 Worlds bronze winner in 2022 and 5,000 m runner-up in 2023, has been suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit for two years due to three “whereabouts” failures in a 12-month period:

“Katir admitted to three Whereabouts Failures in 12 months, beginning on 28 February 2023, specifically: a Filing Failure on 28 February 2023; a Missed Test/Filing Failure on 3 April 2023; and a Missed Test/Filing Failure on 10 October 2023. His two-year period of ineligibility will start from the date of his Provisional Suspension and will therefore run from 7 February 2024 until 6 February 2026.”

His results since 10 October 2023 are nullified, which do not include his Worlds medals. He would have been a contender in Paris in both the men’s 1,500 (3:28.76 best) and 5,000 m (12:45.01 best).

The Athletics Integrity Unit also announced a four-year ban on Kenyan distance runner Charles Karanja Kamau (13:16.91, 27:30.44, 60:22, 2:06:37) for using Testosterone, with the suspension dated from 21 May 2023.

● Football ● The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) filed an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport against FIFA fines of CHF 100,000 for fans yelling what are considered anti-gay slurs at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. (CHF 1 = $1.13 U.S.)

FIFA slapped the Mexican federation with a CHF 50,000 fine for fan conduct at group-stage matches against Poland and Saudi Arabia, with an additional 50,000 levied for educational programs. FIFA has been trying to curb this behavior since 2014, with the FMF appealing on the basis that it cannot control fans in matches it does not organize.

● Modern Pentathlon ● The Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) announced that new formats for the fencing segment for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles will be tried this spring, all based on a single-elimination format.

This will replace the ranking round and change the scoring program dramatically, but none of the three formats to be tested were disclosed.

● Shooting ● Italian Alessandro Nicotra di San Giacomo was elected by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Executive Committee as the federation’s new Secretary General on Monday.

Already a special advisor to the ISSF, he will report to President Luciano Rossi (ITA). He replaces Willi Grill (GER), who was dismissed in December.

● Snowboard ● Former longtime U.S. Snowboard team coach Peter Foley had his 10-year suspension by the U.S. Center for SafeSport upheld by an arbitrator last Thursday (15th). He was sanctioned following sexual abuse allegations from national team members.

Foley was the head coach of the Snowboard team since 1994, but was fired by U.S. Ski & Snowboard in March 2022 after multiple allegations surfaced – going back decades – and suspended by SafeSport in August 2023, with Foley filing an appeal. ESPN reported that his suspension for 10 years will be followed by a five-year probation period.

● Taekwondo ● Some of the sport’s big stars were in action at the U.S. Open Championships in Reno, Nevada, with American star Anastasia Zolotic and two Turkish World Champions taking top honors.

Tokyo Olympic champ Zolotic, still just 21, blasted through the women’s 67 kg field, winning two rounds to none in the round of 16, then the quarterfinals, won by walkover in her semi and then defeated Brazil’s Sandy Macedo, 2-1, in the final.

Turkey’s World women’s 49 kg gold medalist Merve Dincel moved up to the women’s 53 kg division to win over Camila Bezerra (BRA) in the final by two rounds to none, and Nafia Kus, the +73 kg Worlds winner defeated American Naomi Alade to win her class, 2-1.

Turkey’s 2023 Worlds bronze medalist Hatice Ilgun got to the final for a possible third women’s title at 57 kg, but was defeated by two-time Worlds medal winner, Kimia Alizadeh, now competing as a refugee from Iran, 2-1.

The U.S. got one men’s win, from Jonathan Healy at +87 kg, defeating Icaro Matins Soares (BRA) in the final, with Turkey’s Worlds bronze winner Emre Atesli taking one of the bronzes. Worlds 80 kg silver winner Carl Nickolas of the U.S. took the bronze in his class, with Geon-woo Seo (KOR) taking the title over Henrique Rodrigues (BRA).

● Weightlifting ● The sport won confirmation for its place at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, but International Weightlifting Federation President Mohammed Jalood (IRQ) told the European Weightlifting Federation Congress on Sunday that its future is hardly secure.

He noted that there had been no doping positives among 719 athletes at the 2023 IWF Worlds in Saudi Arabia, “Then at Asian Games zero, World Junior Championships in Mexico zero, Grand Prix in Qatar zero.

“This shows that the culture in weightlifting is changing, we are going in the right direction. Let’s hope there are zero in Paris. We will all be happy if weightlifting’s presence is increased in the Olympic Games in future. If there is doping in Paris that will be difficult.”

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TSX REPORT: Canada to appeal 2022 Russian Team bronze; smallest Russian team in 116 years in Paris? U.S.’s Schumacher stuns in Minneapolis!

Rich Perelman

February 19, 2024

tsx pix 2024-218 schumacher, gus (usski) — Joy for the first FIS Cross Country World Cup win by an American man in more than 10 years: Gus Schumacher (Photo: U.S. Ski & Snowboard)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Skate Canada to appeal 2022 Olympic Team Event decision
2. World Aquatics’ Nowicki: no change on Russia, Belarus
3. IOC’s Oswald: maybe 50-60 Russians at Paris 2024
4. Shiffrin might return to Alpine World Cup in March
5. Downtown L.A. “gondola” project includes 2028 Olympic concern

● Canada’s national federation for skating will appeal the International Skating Union decision to place Russia third in the 2022 Olympic Winter Games figure skating Team Event to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. No surprise whatsoever, as it appears that the ISU did not follow its own rules.

● Brent Nowicki, the Executive Director of World Aquatics, said in an interview that no change is expected in the rigorous criteria for Russian or Belarusian athletes to compete at Paris 2024, even though some top swimmers will be impacted.

● International Olympic Committee veteran member Denis Oswald of Switzerland said that the IOC’s rules on Russian and Belarus are a correct response to the situation and that only 50-60 Russians can be expected in Paris, a fraction of their usual team size.

● A proposal to install a gondola in Los Angeles with service to Dodger Stadium has met with multiple conditions from the area’s transit authority, including specific guarantees relative to the 2028 Olympic Games!

● Spotlight: A link to our special coverage of the USATF Indoor Nationals, with three world records, world leads in eight events and Lyles vs. Coleman!

● World Championships: Aquatics (2: Armstrong wins seven medals, Curzan wins six to lead U.S. to top the swimming medal table; U.S. women and Croatian men win polo golds) = Biathlon (Norway and France dominate) = Speed Skating (Stolz and Schouten star at World Single Distance Champs) ●

● Panorama: Alpine Skiing (2: Hintermann and Kreichmayr win in Norway; Gut-Behrami, Bassino and Vernier take speed races in Crans-Montana) = Athletics (3: Bol gets world 400 m record, Tebogo gets world 300 m best; Geleta’s world-leading 2:03:27 wins Seville) = Bob & Skeleton (Germany wins six of seven in Altenberg) = Cross Country Skiing (big crowds see Schumacher’s “Miracle in Minneapolis”) = Freestyle Skiing (Ferreira and Gu take Halfpipe season titles) = Gymnastics (three medals for Ukraine in Apparatus World Cup opener) = Judo (three Azerbaijan wins in Baku Grand Slam) = Luge (Germany and Austria sweep Oberhof World Cup) = Short Track (seasonal World Cup title for U.S.’s Santos-Griswold!) = Ski Jumping (2: Kraft stays ahead of Kobayashi in men’s World Cup; women’s jumping canceled) = Weightlifting (U.S.’s Reeves “wins” at European Champs) ●

1.
Skate Canada to appeal 2022 Olympic Team Event decision

To the surprise of absolutely no one, Skate Canada announced Friday that it would appeal the decision of the International Skating Union to award the 2022 Olympic Winter Games Team Event bronze medal to Russia:

“Skate Canada, together with the Canadian athletes from the team figure skating event at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games and the Canadian Olympic Committee, have made the decision to formally appeal the International Skating Union’s (ISU) decision in respect of the bronze figure skating team medal. Our appeal is rooted in a commitment to fairness, transparency, and the integrity of the sport.

“Skate Canada believes that it is crucial for the integrity of competitive figure skating that rules and regulations are upheld consistently and fairly. While we respect the decisions made by the ISU, we disagree with the conclusion they have reached and believe that an independent review will provide much needed clarity for all impacted parties.

“While we pursue this appeal, we want to express our full support and admiration for the gold and silver medallists from the United States of America and Japan. Their hard work, dedication, and exceptional performances deserve to be recognized, and we sincerely hope that they receive their well-deserved medals in a timely manner.”

After the Court of Arbitration for Sport imposed a four-year doping sanction on Russian skater Kamila Valieva and disqualified her from the Olympic figure skating Team Event in 2022, the ISU re-scored the event, subtracting Valieva’s 20 points. But it did not, as its own Technical Rule 353 (4) indicates, move the other competitors up one place each, which would have given Canada the bronze medal. Instead, Russia was left with 54 points – in third place – to 53 for Canada.

The ISU also did not implement Rule 11.2.2 of the ISU Anti-Doping Rules, which would allow for the entire Russian team to be disqualified. And it posted a weak explanation, without details, that noted that “For the sake of clarity Rule 353 para 4 in the ISU Special Regulations is not applicable in this case.”

So, instead of bringing closure to the Valieva matter as regards the results of the 2022 Team Event, the ISU opened the door to a certain Canadian appeal, which will take even more time to resolve.

2.
World Aquatics’ Nowicki: no change on Russia, Belarus

In September of 2023, World Aquatics adopted a seven-page Criteria for the Participation of Russian and Belarusian Athletes in World Aquatics Competitions which spelled out the conditions under which Russian or Belarusian athletes could participate in events that would include the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

These included, “No contract with the Russian or Belarusian military or with any other national security agency” and “No support for the war in Ukraine,” which was further defined. A maximum of one entry per event per country was authorized for individual events only, flags or anthems, white uniforms and no media contact or interviews.

Reuters spoke with World Aquatics Executive Director Brent Nowicki (USA) about the continued use of the regulations, in view of the Russians refusing to send any athletes to the just-concluded World Aquatics Championships in Doha (QAT), although Belarus did send four.

Nowicki was resolute:

“As I sit here right now, I’m standing by the policy 100%. I don’t think it’s too restrictive. I think it’s a policy that reflects the voice of our community, and whether or not they want to do it is up to them. …

“You always want the best swimmers in the pool, right?

“Everybody wants to have the best competition possible, but sometimes you have to make sacrifices. In the interest of the sporting competitive balance that we’re trying to strike and fairness, sometimes it means the best swimmers out there …. won’t be in the water.”

Multiple Russian swimmers have been at least tangentially involved in pro-war events, and several have said publicly that they will not swim in Paris if not able to perform with full national identification, flag and anthem.

3.
IOC’s Oswald: maybe 50-60 Russians at Paris 2024

Swiss Denis Oswald has been in the middle of the Olympic Movement for parts of six decades now and is one of the most respected members of the International Olympic Committee. And he is especially sensitive to the issue of Russian participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as he chaired the IOC’s Disciplinary Commission that considered Russia’s state-sponsored doping program in 2016-17.

The “Oswald Commission” as it became known, banned 43 Russian athletes for life and rescinded 13 medals won at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. Although 30 of the 43 had their bans overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Oswald and his team were commended for their thorough approach.

The FrancsJeux.com site interviewed Oswald on current issues before the IOC, especially on the question of Russian and Belarusian participation at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. In part (computer translation from the original French):

“[T]he criteria we have defined are strict enough so that the delegation of neutral athletes will be small in number at Paris 2024. According to our estimates, there should not be more than 50 or 60 Russians, compared to the usual 350.

“Vladimir Putin said he would not prevent their participation, but his speech is political. In the end, I think we found the right balance. Rejecting athletes based solely on possession of a passport was in contradiction with the Olympic values and [the Olympic] Charter.”

Oswald made his comments prior to the TASS report of Russian Deputy Minister of Sports Alexey Morozov, who said last week:

“Up to 100 people can qualify for the Olympic Games. But the criteria for admitting Russians to international tournaments are changing, so this number may change. Our athletes participated in tournaments in eight sports around the world.”

Under the current edicts of the International Olympic Committee, Russian qualifiers will only be able to compete as neutrals, and their “neutrality” will be reviewed by the IOC independent of any approvals by the International Federations.

Surprise Ukrainian men’s 50 m Free gold medalist Vladislav Bukhov told reporters at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha (QAT):

“It’s hard. It’s really hard for us. We train while Russian rockets fly around swimming pools or other training buildings [in Kyiv]. So you never know if you’ll be alive or dead. So it’s difficult for all the Ukrainians. To be here and speak is very important for all Ukrainians, for me, and I want to say that Russia is dangerous, and they’re not supposed to be in the competitions; they should be banned from Paris too. It’s good when you can talk about this and let people know about it.”

It’s worth noting that since the Soviet Union first sent athletes to the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, the smallest Russian or USSR delegations were 282 athletes for Rio 2016 – in the aftermath of the RUSADA doping scandal – and 283 at the 1956 Melbourne Games.

To find a smaller Russian delegation, you have to go back to the Russian Empire entries for Paris 1900 (5), London 1908 (6) and 159 for the 1912 Stockholm Games. So if either Oswald or Morozov are correct on their projections, the Russian entries for Paris 2024 will be the fewest in 116 years.

4.
Shiffrin might return to Alpine World Cup in March

U.S. alpine superstar Mikaela Shiffrin continues to recover from her late January crash in Cortina d’Ampezzo (ITA) and indicated to NBC Sports last week that she might be able to make it back in early March:

“We knew Are was *likely* going to be the target, but didn’t rule out a shorter timeline in case my symptoms and load tolerance improved quicker. …

“One of the most important elements to returning to on-snow training and racing safely, is ensuring I have symmetrical power and quickness, which is simply not there yet.”

The NBC Sports story added that a message from Shiffrin’s team explained:

“We are working on a 4-6 week timeline from the crash, given what the injuries are: MCL sprain, Tib-Fib ligament sprain at both the knee and the ankle, and bone bruising.”

Shiffrin was leading the women’s overall World Cup at the of her crash, but Swiss Lara Gut-Behrami has taken over and has a 1,414-1,209 lead with four stops left:

● 24-25 Feb.: Val di Fassa (ITA): Downhill, Super-G
● 02-03 Mar.: Kvetfjell (NOR): Downhill, Super-G
● 09-10 Mar.: Are (SWE): Giant Slalom, Slalom
● 16-23 Mar.: Saalbach (AUT): Slalom, Giant Slalom, Super-G, Downhill

Shiffrin’s best races are the Slalom and Giant Slalom, while Gut-Behrami excels in the Downhill, Super-G and Giant Slalom. Shiffrin has won five seasonal titles while Gut-Behrami won in 2016.

5.
Downtown L.A. “gondola” project includes 2028 Olympic concern

The latest demonstration that the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles is never far from the mind of local politicians came on Friday with the release of a detailed list of requirements being discussed about a proposed “gondola” that would ferry spectators from Union Station in downtown L.A. to and from Dodger Stadium. The project is described:

● “In April 2018, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) received an Unsolicited Proposal from Aerial Rapid Transit Technologies LLC (ARTT), a private entity, to fund/finance, design, construct, operate, and maintain the Los Angeles Aerial Rapid Transit (LAART or Project), a gondola connecting Union Station and the Dodger Stadium.”

● “The proposed gondola, stretching roughly 1.2 miles between Union Station and Dodger Stadium and including an intermediate station near Metro’s Chinatown A (Blue) Line Station, would include a maximum capacity of approximately 5,000 people per hour in each direction.”

What does this have to do with the 2028 Olympic Games, which would be only an incidental event in a long-term transit concept? Yet the Games was specifically mentioned, as the gondola – if approved – is expected to be in operation by mid-2028:

“If the Project is non-operational or experiences issues during the 2028 Games, ZET will compensate Metro for any and all transportation costs that the Agency would not have incurred but for LAART’s non-operation or issues”

The gondola project is up for initial approval by the Metro Board on Thursday, and the organization now promoting the project, Zero Emissions Transit – ZET – is being asked to ensure that no public funds will be used for it at any time, and that Metro staff study alternatives to the gondola to determine what its impact would be vis-a-vis other options.

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

Special coverage here of the USA Track & Field Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, including world-leading marks in eight events and indoor world records from Tia Jones in the women’s 60 m hurdles, Grant Holloway in the men’s 60 m hurdles and Daniel Haugh in the weight throw. And Noah Lyles vs. Christian Coleman!

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Aquatics ● The 21st World Aquatics Championships concluded in Doha (QAT) with China leading the medal count thanks to its domination – as usual – of diving. Seven countries won 10 or more medals, with China at 33 (23-8-2), followed by Australia (24: 7-12-5), the U.S. (23: 9-6-8) and then Italy (19), Great Britain (18), Canada (11) and Spain (10).

In contrast, in 2023, the U.S. won 44 medals to 40 for China, and 30 for Australia. But given the schedule, many countries and especially the U.S., saw many top swimmers stay home so as not to interrupt their training for their Olympic Trials and possibly the Olympic Games in Paris.

The swimming finished with its usual rush, with 21 finals in the last three days – half of the schedule – and the U.S. somehow finishing with the most medals again: 20 (8-6-6) to 16 for Australia (3-9-4), 12 for Italy (2-5-5) and 11 for China (7-3-1).

American Claire Curzan made history by completing a backstroke triple with her victory in the 200 m Back in 2:05.77, ahead of 17-year-old Jaclyn Barclay (AUS: 2:07.03) and Belarus’ Anastasiya Shkurdai (2:09.08). Curzan is only the third to win all three backstrokes, as Kaylee McKeown (AUS) and China’s Haiyang Qin did it in 2023.

Moreover, Curzan added a 100 m Fly silver and a Mixed 4×100 m Free relay bronze for six total medals. That was second to fellow American Hunter Armstrong, who won seven total medals (3-1-3), including the men’s 100 m Back. Australian Freestyle stars Shayna Jack (1-3-2) and Brianna Throssell (1-3-2) also won six medals. Three others – Nic Fink and Luke Hobson of the U.S. and Abbey Harkin of Australia – won five.

Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom, now 30, won the 50 m Butterfly gold for the sixth time, her 13th career Worlds gold and her 23rd career Worlds medal. She dazzled in 24.63 – the no. 3 performance all-time – with Melanie Henrique (FRA: 25.44) taking silver and Egypt’s Farina Osman (25.67) getting her third career bronze in this event, but her first since 2019!

Sjostrom finished on Sunday with another win, in the 50 m Free in 23.69, her third in a row in the event and fourth overall, with the equal-fourth performance in history. More history came behind her as Kate Douglass of the U.S. took the silver in 23.91, breaking Simone Manuel’s 2017 American Record of 23.97; Douglass is now no. 8 all-time in the event.

The shocker of the meet had to be the 50 m Freestyle, where Ukraine’s Vladyslav Bukhov won in 21.44 after setting a national record of 21.38 in the semis. He beat defending champ Cameron McEvoy (AUS: 21.45) by 0.01 and 2022 Worlds winner Ben Proud (GBR: 21.53), and American Michael Andrew (21.71).

Highlights of the rest of the weekend action:

● Men/1,500 m Free: Ireland’s Daniel Whiffen completed the 800-1,500 double with a dominating win in 14:34.07, now no. 5 all-time. German Florian Wellbrock, the 2019 World Champion in this event, was second (14:44.61) and David Aubry (FRA: 14:44.85) took the bronze.

● Men/50 m Back: Twenty-year-old Isaac Cooper (AUS) was a clear winner over the U.S.’s Armstrong, 24.13 to 24.33, with fellow American Andrew eighth (24.86). It’s Cooper’s first individual Worlds medal.

● Men/200 m Back: Spain’s Hugo Gonzalez moved up from the silver in the 100 Breast to win with a fast final lap in 1:55.30 to overtake Roman Mityukov (SUI: 1:55.40) while South Africa’s Pieter Coetze (1:55.99) moved up from eighth with a lap to go to get the bronze. American Jack Aikins faded on the final lap to finish fourth in 1:56.21.

● Men/200 m Breast: Another fast close, this time for China’s 18-year-old Zhihao Dong, who got his first Worlds medal with a victory in 2:07.94, coming from sixth to first on the final lap. Caspar Corbeau (NED: 2:08.24) was passed, but still won silver ahead of Americans Fink (2:08.85) – who medaled in all three Breaststroke races – and Jake Foster (2:09.31).

● Men/100 m Fly: Portugal’s Diogo Ribeiro followed up his 50 m Fly victory with the 100 in 51.17, clear of Simon Bucher (AUT: 51.28) and Jakub Majerski (POL: 51.32). Zach Harting of the U.S. was sixth in 51.68.

● Men/400 m Medley: Lewis Clareburt of Australia came on during the Freestyle leg to pass American Carson Foster and win in 4:09.72, bettering his Worlds bronze in this event in 2019. Britain’s Max Litchfield won the silver for his first Worlds medal (4:10.40) and six-time winner Daiya Seto (JPN) passed a fading Foster for third, 4:12.51 to 4:12.62. David Johnston of the U.S. tied for fifth (4:13.05).

● Men/4×200 m Free: The U.S. got out well with Hobson and Carson Foster building a big lead, but China moved up thanks to 100 m Free record-setter Zhanle Pan, who closed some of the gap on Armstrong. Zhanshuo Zhang overcame David Johnston on the final leg for the win (7:01.84), and Korea’s Sun-woo Hwang stormed past Johnston as well for the silver (7:01.94). The U.S. settled for the bronze (7:02.08).

● Men/4×100 m Medley: The U.S. was a clear winner in 3:29.80 with Armstrong, Fink, Harting and Matt King, with King’s 47.32 the difference in the margin over the Netherlands (3:31.23). Italy got third at 3:31.59.

● Women/100 m Free: Dutch star Marit Steenbergen won her first individual Worlds gold with a lifetime best of 52.26 to move to no. 8 all-time and beat Siobhan Haughey (HKG: 52.56), Australian Shayna Jack (52.83) and American Kate Douglass (53.02).

● Women/800 m Free: Italy’s Simona Quadarella won her second gold of the meet in 8:17.44, just ahead of 1,500 m bronzer Isabel Gose (GER: 8:17.53) and New Zealand’s 400 m Free winner, Erika Fairweather (8:22.26). Gose won medals in all three distances races, with 400/1,500 bronzes and the 800 silver. It’s Quadarella’s third career Worlds gold.

● Women/50 m Breast: Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) defended her 2023 Worlds gold in 29.40 over Qianting Tang (CHN: 29.51) and Italian Benedetta Pilato (30.01). American Piper Enge was sixth in 30.69. It’s the fifth career Worlds gold for Meilutyte and eighth career Worlds medal.

● Women/200 m Breast: Tes Schouten (NED) was third in this race at the 2023 Worlds, got the gold with a lifetime best of 2:19.81, becoming the ninth-fastest swimmer ever in this race. She was a clear winner over Douglass of the U.S. in second (2:20.91) and Canada’s Sydney Pickrem (2:22.94).

● Women/400 m Medley: Britain’s Freya Colbert won her first Worlds individual medal with a 4:37.14 win over Anastasia Gorbenko (4:37.36), who won Israel’s first-ever Worlds swimming medal in second. Sara Franceschi (ITA) was third in 4:37.86, also winning her first career Worlds medal.

● Women/4×100 m Medley: Australia won in 3:35.98 with Jack anchoring the win over Sweden’s Michelle Coleman on the final lap, with the Swedes holding off Canada, 3:56.35 to 3:56.43.

● Mixed 4×100 m Free: China won again, with Pan starting in 47.29 and Yiting Yu finishing in 53.37 for a 3:21.18 total. Australia was second in 3:21.78 with the U.S. third in 3:22.28, with Curzan picking up another medal on the third leg and Douglass (52.85) on anchor.

The U.S. women’s water polo squad reclaimed the World title with an 8-7 win over Hungary. The Americans took a 3-2 lead at the quarter mark and it was 5-4 at half and tied, 5-5 at the end of three. The U.S. scored three times in the fourth, with goals from Maggie Steffens and Rachel Fattal for a 7-5 lead and Ryann Neushul scored what turned out to be the winner for an 8-5 lead. The Hungarians scored two more, but Ashleigh Johnson’s 12 saves made the difference.

It’s the eighth Worlds gold for the American women – the most ever – with Fattal scoring three times and Steffens twice. Krisztina Garda and Rita Keszthelyi both scored twice for Hungary.

Steffens, Fattal and Maddie Musselman won their fifth Worlds golds and coach Adam Krikorian led his squad to a sixth title. Spain won the bronze over Greece, 10-9.

The men’s final between Italy and Croatia was tied at 11 at the end of regulation and went to a shoot-out, with Croatia winning, 4-2. Andrea Fondelli led all scorers with five goals for Italy. Spain won the men’s bronze as well, 14-10, over France.

● Biathlon ● The IBU World Championships in Nove Mesto (CZE) finished on Sunday, with Norway and France finishing with outstanding performances in the men’s and women’s divisions.

In Saturday’s relays, Sweden pulled an upset in the men’s 4×7.5 km as Sebastian Samuelsson passed Norway’s Vetle Christiansen on the anchor, thanks to two penalties vs. three for Christiansen, and won 1:16:22..6 (9) to 1:16.34.4 (11). France won the bronze at 1:16.35.4 (13), and the U.S. was an encouraging fifth, with Vincent Bonacci, Sean Doherty, Campbell Wright and Jake Brown (1:17:44.8/8).

France continued its domination of the women’s events, winning in 1:15:00.8 (11) to 1:15:39.1 (12) for Sweden, with Germany third (1:16:15.0/9). The U.S. was lapped.

The men’s 15 km Mass Start was the third win of the championships for Norway’s Johannes Thingnes Boe, who won in 34:50.2 (1) over surprise Latvian runner-up Andrejs Rastorgujevs (35:05.3/0) and Quentin Fillon Maillet (FRA: 35:23.2/1). Wright was the top American, in 18th (36:56.4/4). Boe, 30, now has a career total of 38 Worlds medals, including 20 golds. Wow.

France won its fourth event of five for women in the 12.5 km Mass Start, with Olympic champ Justine Braisaz-Bouchet getting her first Worlds individual gold in 34:37.2 over Italy’s Lisa Vittozzi – the 15 km winner – and French teammate Lou Jeanmonnot, 35:08.4 and 35:33.9 (1).

The medal table showed France with 13 total (6-1-6) and Norway with 12 (4-5-3); Italy (1-3-0) was next with four.

● Speed Skating ● The 2024 ISU World Single Distance Championships were in Calgary (CAN), with American teen sensation Jordan Stolz showing his triple world title performance from 2023 was no fluke.

On Friday, he dominated the men’s 500 m again, winning with a lifetime best of 33.69, moving to no. 2 on the all-time list. Canada’s 2021 World Champion Laurent Dubreuil was second in 33.95.

On Saturday, Stolz won in 1:06.05, a time only he and Russian Pavel Kulizhnikov have ever achieved. China’s Zhongyan Ning was second (1:06.53) and 2018 Olympic champ Kjeld Nuis (NED: 1:06.80) got the bronze.

In the men’s 1,500 on Sunday, Stolz skated in the 10th of 12 pairs and rocketed to the lead in 1:41.44, almost a second-and-a-half faster than the rest of the field. Only 2018 Olympic runner-up Patrick Roest (NED) had a chance to catch him – skating in the final pair – but ended up 13th. Nuis was second in 1:42.66, just 1000ths ahead of Peder Kongshaug (NOR: 1:42.66). American Emery Lehman was seventh (1:44.14).

Stolz, still 19, has now won back-to-back 500-1000-1500 triples; no other male skater has ever done that once. Next up: the ISU Allround and Sprint Championships at Inzell (GER) on 7-10 March.

Defending 5,000 m World Champion Roest defended his crown in 6:07.28, ahead of Davide Ghiotto (ITA: 6:08.81) and then Ghiotto defended his 10,000 m title in 12:38.82, ahead of Canadian Ted-Jan Bloemen, the 2018 Olympic gold medalist (12:47.01).

Belgium’s Olympic winner Bart Swings took the Mass Start for the second straight year, trailed by Canada’s Antoine Gelinas-Beaulieu (63 to 40) with Livio Wenger (SUI: 20) in third.

In the men’s team events, Canada repeated as champions in 1:17.17 with Dubreuil, Gelinas-Beaulieu and Anders Johnson, ahead of the Netherlands (1:17.17) and Norway (1:17.31); the U.S. was sixth (1:17.40).

Italy took the men’s Team Pursuit in 3:35.00, beating Norway (3:36.07), Canada (3:36.72) and the U.S. in fourth (3:38.64).

The Dutch dominated the women’s racing, except for Japan’s nearly-unbeatable Miho Takagi, the 2022 Olympic 1,000 m champ, who won in 1:12.83 for her first Worlds gold, after two bronzes. China’s Han Mei took the silver in 1:13.27, with Olympic runner-up Jutta Leerdam (NED) third (1:13.28). American Kimi Goetz was fifth (1:13.68) and Brittany Bowe was 11th (1:14.84).

Takagi also won the 1,500 m in 1:52.29 from Mei (1:52.72) and Dutch star Joy Beune (1:52.91) with Americans Goetz seventh (1:53.98), Bowe in 11th (1:55.73) and Mia Manganello in 12th (1:55.78).

Dutch star Femke Kok won her third straight Worlds 500 m gold in 36.83 from Min-sun Kim (KOR: 37.19) and Goetz (37.21), who won her first individual Worlds medal. Olympic champ Erin Jackson of the U.S. was fifth (37.25).

Beijing 2022 Olympic 3,000-5,000-Mass Start winner Irene Schouten (NED) won her first Worlds 3,000 m title in 3:57.10 from Canada’s Isabelle Weidemann (3:58.01) and six-time champ Marina Sabilkova (CZE: 3:58.33) in third.

Schouten also took her third Worlds Mass Start gold with 60 points to 42 for Canadian Ivan Blondin and 21 for Marijke Groenewoud (NED); Manganello finished eighth. But Schouten had to settle for silver in the 5,000 m as Beune won in 6:47.72 for her first individual Worlds medal, with Schouten at 6:48.98 and the 36-year-old Sabilkova third (6:51.88).

Canada won the Team Sprint in 1:25.14, beating the U.S. (Bowe, Jackson and Sarah Warren: 1:26.04), with Poland third (1:26.53). The Dutch – with Schouten aboard – took the Team Pursuit in 2:51.20 over Canada (2:54.03) and Japan (2:54.89); the U.S. was fourth in 2:57.80 with Bowe, Manganello and Giorgia Birkeland.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Alpine Skiing ● Surprises were in order at the FIS World Cup in Kvitfjell (NOR), starting on Saturday with a win for Swiss Niels Hintermann in the Downhill in 1:44.62, ahead of Vincent Kreichmayr (AUT: 1:44.70) and Canada’s Cameron Alexander (1:44.81). Hintermann scored his third career win and first of the season; his only other Downhill win came in Kvitfjell in 2022.

The U.S.’s Bryce Bennett was fourth (1:44.91) and Ryan Cochran-Siegle finished tied for seventh (1:45.37).

Then Kreichmayr, the 2021 World Champion in the Super-G, got just his second medal of the season, but also his second win, in Sunday’s Super-G in 1:09.23, ahead of Jeffrey Read (CAN: 1:09.40) with Dominik Paris (ITA) and seasonal leader Marco Odermatt (SUI) tied for third at 1:09.42. Cochran-Siegle was the top U.S. finisher, in 11th (1:09.65) with Kyle Negomir 12th (1:09.67).

The women’s World Cup stop was in Crans-Montana (SUI) for two Downhills and a Super-G, with seasonal leader Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI) taking Friday’s Downhill in 1:19.11, with a 0.21 margin over runner-ups Jasmine Flury (SUI) and Cornelia Huetter (AUT). Jacqueline Wiles was the top U.S. finisher in 13th (1:19.93). It’s the seventh win of the season got Gut-Behrami.

Saturday’s Downhill was an Italian 1-2 for 2023 World Super-G champ Marta Bassino (1:26.84) and Federica Brignone (1:27.38) with Gut-Behrami third (1:27.95). Wiles was 13th again (1:28.72). It was Bassino’s first medal of the season and first win since December of 2022.

She didn’t wait long for another, as Brignone (1:16.56) and Bassino (1:16.67) went 2-3 in the Super-G, behind Stephanie Venier (AUT: 1:16.52), who got her second win of the season. Isabella Wright had the top American finish, in 17th (1:18.10).

● Athletics ● Dutch star Femke Bol did it again, improving her own women’s 400 m indoor world record from 49.26 to 49.24 at the national indoor championships in Apeldoorn. She won easily over countrywoman Lieke Klaver, who improved to 50.10 and now no. 9 all-time.

Bol had already run 49.69 and 49.63 this season and now has six of the 14 indoor performances ever under 50 seconds and half of the top 12.

Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, 20, crushed the world best in the rarely-run outdoor 300 m at the Simbine Curro Shoot-Out in Pretoria (RSA) on Saturday, winning by more than a second in 30.69. That’s a big improvement on the 30.81 mark by 400 m world-record holder Wayde van Niekerk (RSA) in 2017.

A world-leading 2:03:27 for Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta to win the Zurich Maraton de Sevilla in Spain on Sunday, well ahead of France’s Morhad Amdouni (2:03:47) and Israel’s Gashau Ayale (2:04.53) as they ran the top three performances of the year.

Amzera Gebru (ETH) won the women’s race in 2:22:13.

● Bobsled & Skeleton ● The seventh of eight stops on the IBSF World Cup was held in Altenberg (GER), despite a bad crash of Michael Vogt’s Swiss four-man sled earlier in the week that resulted in serious injuries to brakeman Sandro Michel.

Germany’s Adam Ammour won his second straight two-man World Cup race, this time with Costa Laurenz, in 1:51.41, ahead of teammates (and twice Olympic champs) Francesco Friedrich and Thorsten Margis (1:51.59), who finished second for the fifth time in seven races! Americans Frank Del Duca and Manteo Mitchell finished eighth in 1:52.57.

Friedrich has done better with the four-man sled and won for the fourth time this season – and with medals in all seven – at 1:48.55, in a tie with Latvia’s Emils Cipulis, twice a bronze medalist earlier in the season. Swiss Simon Friedli was third (1:49.08).

The women’s Monobob went to 2023 World Champion Laura Nolte, who won for the first time this season in 2:01.29, ahead of American legend Elana Meyers Taylor (2:01.52), who won a medal for the second straight race. Lisa Buckwitz (GER), the 2023 Worlds bronze winner, took third (2:01.55), and American Kaysha Love was 10th (2:02.87).

Nolte, the 2022 Olympic two-woman gold medalist, won for the fourth time this season, this time with Deborah Levi (1:52.53), ahead of teammates Kim Kalicki (the 2023 World Champion) and Anabel Galander (1:53.17).

In the Skeleton races, China’s Yin Zheng got his second straight win in the men’s race in 1:52.49, ahead of 2022 Olympic champ Christopher Grotheer (GER: 1:52.58) and 2023 World Champion Matt Weston (GBR: 1:52.61). Austin Florian was eighth for the U.S. (1:53.12).

Four-time World Champion Tina Hermann (GER) won her second race of the season in 1:56.46, ahead of teammate Susanne Kreher (1:56.56) and American Mystique Ro (1:56.70), who won her third medal of the season (0-2-1).

Germany’s Kreher and Axel Jungk won the Mixed Team race in 2:00.92, with the U.S. pair of Katie Uhlaender and Florian third (2:01.66).

● Cross Country Skiing ● The first FIS World Cup in the U.S. since 2001 was in Minneapolis, celebrating the success of American star Jessie Diggins. And celebrate they did, with crowds of up to 20,000 reported at Theodore Wirth Park for the Stifel Loppet Cup, and an unexpected star of the weekend.

Diggins was good, finishing fourth in the Freestyle Sprint, won by Sweden’s Jonna Sundling in 3:06.40 – her first win after two silvers and three bronzes this season – ahead of teammate Linn Svahn (3:07.35) and Kristine Skistad (NOR: 3:09.08). Diggins finished in 3:11.29.

The crowd was wild for Diggins in Sunday’s Freestyle 10 km Interval Mass Start and she was game, but Sundling claimed a second win by 15.4 seconds over teammate Frida Karlsson, 22:38.9 to 22:54.3, with Diggins a solid third in 23:10.7.

Norway’s two-time defending World Cup overall champ Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo won the men’s Sprint in 2:54.24, ahead of Italy’s two-time Olympic silver winner Federico Pelligrino (2:54.51) and Haavard Taugboel (NOR: 2:55.45). It was Klaebo’s ninth win of the season, six in sprints.

But no one was ready for Sunday’s men’s Freestyle 10 km Interval Mass Start, with seasonal leader Harald Amundsen (NOR) in front early, but then American Gus Schumacher, 23, coming on by midway and storming to the finish in a stunning 20:52.7 for a 4.4-second victory over Amundsen (20:57.1), and Paal Golberg (NOR: 20:58.5).

What? Gus Schumacher? Who hadn’t ever finished higher than fourth in any World Cup race?

Yep! The FIS online report was headlined, “Miracle in Minneapolis: dream World Cup return for USA as Schumacher wins 10 km” and he said afterwards:

“I felt really good and the cheering just got louder and louder, which I think helped the pacing. The second-to-last hill the fans coordinated in a ‘U-S-A’ chant and I couldn’t feel my body. I knew I was going fast, and I knew I could go faster, but I didn’t know I was going to win. …

“It’s hard to believe. I’m just so grateful for this whole team and everyone being here. It’s just feels like it represents such a big thing for our team. I really love doing it with these guys and I hope this is the first of many. Thanks everybody for coming, this has been the best day ever.

“I gave everything I could like I do every day, and everything just went perfectly. Thank you, Minneapolis!”

/Updated/He’s the first American cross-country skier to win a FIS World Cup race since Noah Hoffman (15 km Pursuit) and Simi Hamilton (Sprint) won in December 2013, more than 10 years ago!

● Freestyle Skiing ● The FIS World Cup circuit was in Calgary (CAN) for the final two events in the Halfpipe season, with two-time Olympic medal winner Alex Ferreira of the U.S. taking his fourth straight win on the season at 96.50. Brendan MacKay (CAN) was second (94.25) and Finn Jon Sallinen was third (92.00).

And Ferreira finished off a perfect season on Saturday, winning again at 95.50, ahead of Sallinen (94.50) and Korea’s 18-year-old Seung-hun Lee (94.00), who won his first career World Cup medal. Ferreira’s 400 points (top four finishes) was well ahead of fellow American Hunter Hess, runner-up on the season at 265.

China’s Olympic champ Eileen Gu won the first two events of the season, then finished second to Canada’s Amy Fraser at Mammoth Mountain on 2 February, but rebounded to win both events in Calgary and take the seasonal title.

She won on Thursday at 93.25 to Fraser’s 89.25 with Britain’s Zoe Atkin third (88.00), and on Saturday with an impressive 97.00 to Atkin’s 92.00 and 90.25 for American Svea Irving, 21, who won her first World Cup medal (90.25). Gu scored 400 points on the season (top four finishes) to 290 for Fraser and 260 for Atkin.

● Gymnastics ● The season opener of the FIG Apparatus World Cup was in Cairo (EGY), with Ukrainian stars Ilia Kovtun – a two-time Worlds All-Around medalist – and 2016 Olympic champ Oleg Verniaiev going 1-2 on Parallel Bars at 15.600 and 15.233. Countryman Nazar Chepurnyi, the 2023 Worlds Vault bronze winner, was second on Vault at 14.899 to Armenia’s 2022 World Champion, Artur Davtyan, 14.933 to 14.899.

Korea’s Sung-hyun Ryu (14.066) won on Floor; Ahmad Abu Al-Soud (JOR: 15.066) was the Pommel Horse winner; North Korea’s Ruong-il Jong topped the Rings (14.600), and Chia-hung Tang (TPE: 14.500) won on Horizontal Bar.

Tokyo Olympic Uneven Bars gold medalist Nina Derwael (BEL) won the Balance Beam gold in Baku at 13.633, while China’s Zhuofan Huang won on Uneven Bars at 14.233. North Korea’s Chang-ok An took the Vault at 14.233 and Japan’s Mana Okamura won on Floor (13.066), ahead of Emma Malabuyo (PHI, who competes at UCLA) at 12.666.

● Judo ● The home team led the medal parade at the Baku Grand Slam in Azerbaijan, with three golds and eight total medals, including by 2023 European Champion Hidayat Heydarov in the men’s 73 kg class, Zelim Tckaev in the men’s 81 kg and Murad Fatiyev in the men’s 90 kg division.

Romance Dicko (FRA), the 2022 World Champion, took the women’s +78 kg class; Dutch star Guusje Steenhuis, the 2022 Worlds runner-up, won at 78 kg; two-time Worlds gold medalist Barbara Matic (CRO) prevailed at 70 kg and Canada’s 2023 Worlds winner Christa Deguchi triumphed at 57 kg.

● Luge ● The seventh of nine FIL World Cup stops in the 2023-24 season was in Oberhof (GER), with German and Austrian sleds winning all eight races.

Jonas Muller (AUT), the 2023 World Champion, won the men’s Singles at 1:26.033 over 2024 World Champion Max Langenhan (GER: 1:26.109) and two-time Olympic winner Felix Loch (GER: 1:26.131). Tucker West was the top American, in 10th (1:26.712). Langenhan came back to win the Sprint (33.562) over Muller (33.586) and 2022 Beijing Olympic runner-up Wolfgang Kindl (AUT: 33.595).

Beijing bronze winners Thomas Steu and Kindl (AUT) won the men’s Doubles in 1:23.333 over triple Olympic champs Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt (GER: 1:23.406), with Hannes Orlamunder and Paul Gubitz (GER: 1:23.452) in third. Orlamunder and Gubitz came back to take the Sprint (26.027) over Steu and Kindl (26.049) and Wendl and Arlt (26.123).

German Julia Taubitz, the 2021 World Champion and 2024 runner-up, continued her march toward the seasonal women’s Singles title, winning the Singles event in 1:24.426 over teammate Anna Berreiter (1:24.477) and Austria’s Worlds bronze winner Madeleine Egle (1:24.542), with Ashley Farquharson of the U.S. in seventh (1:24.757). Taubitz took the Sprint, too, in 25.864, over Natalie Maag (SUI: 25.958) and Berreiter (26.014), with Emily Sweeney of the U.S. sixth (26.094).

Dajana Eitberger and Saskia Schirmer (GER) got their first Doubles win of the season at 1:25.889, beating Worlds runner-ups Andrea Voetter and Marion Oberhofer (ITA: 1:25.897) and World Champions Jessica Degenhart and Cheyenne Rosenthal (GER: 1:25.898). American pairs Chevonne Forgan and Sophia Kirkby and Maya Chen and Reannyn Weiler were 6-7 in 1:26.448 and 1:27.046. Austrians Selina Egle and Lara Kipp won the Sprint (26.425) over Eitberger and Schirmer (26.537) and Voetter and Oberhofer (26.539).

● Short Track ● The sixth and final ISU World Cup of the season was in Gdansk (POL), with a seasonal title for American Kristen Santos-Griswold!

Completing her best World Cup season ever, she won the women’s 1,000 m in 1:32.944, ahead of Korea’s Gil-li Kim (1:33.037) and fellow American Corinne Stoddard (1:33.178). It was Santos-Griswold’s third win of the season in the 1,000, and she won the seasonal title with 585 points to 540 for Kim and 372 for Stoddard.

Santos-Griswold was not in contention to win the 1,500 m title, but had won four medals on the season and broke through with a win in 2:22.820, followed by 2021 World Champion Suzanne Schulting (NED: 2:23.562) and Stoddard (2:23.600). Korea’s Kim won the seasonal title at 655 points from Belgian Hanne Desmet (504), Santos-Griswold (495) and Stoddard (419).

Dutch stars Selma Poutsma and two-time World Champion Xandra Velzeboer won the two women’s 500 m races in 43.033 and 42.684, respectively, and Velzeboer and Poutsma finished 1-2 on the season, with 650 and 610 points.

The Dutch won the women’s 3,000 m relay in 4:13.319 over Korea (4:13.394) and the U.S. (4:24.313), and took the seasonal title with 400 points to 320 for the Koreans.

The men’s 500 m races were won by Korean Yi Ra Seo (41.451) and Canada’s Olympic bronze winner Steven Dubois (40.303), with Jordan Pierre-Gilles (CAN) taking the seasonal win with 486 points to 433 for Dubois.

Korea’s Ji-won Park and Gun-woo Kim were 1-2 in Gdansk in the 1,000 m in 1:28.193 and 1:28.304, with Park an easy seasonal winner with 625 points to 399 for Dubois.

Two-time Worlds 1,500 m medalist Pascal Dion (CAN) won the 1,500 m over Sung-woo Jang (KOR) by 2:16.060 to 2:16.087, but fellow Canadian William Dandjinou won the seasonal crown (500) over Kim (KOR: 456).

Canada also won the men’s 5,000 m relay in 6:55.577 to 6:55.915 for Korea and that secured the seasonal title, 380-340.

The Dutch won the Mixed Relay at 2:40.737, ahead of Korea (2:41.357) and Canada (2:41.469), and took the seasonal title with 380 points, ahead of China (330); the U.S. was fourth (284).

● Ski Jumping ● Austria’s three-time World Champion Stefan Kraft continues to lead Japan’s Ryoyu Kobayashi in his quest for a third World Cup seasonal title. Last week in Lake Placid, New York, he was only 24th in the first event while Lovro Kos (SLO: 278.9) won his first individual World Cup gold and Kobayashi was second (278.1). But Kraft won the second competition at 281.6, with Kos second (278.4) and Kobayashi fifth (267.1).

This week’s jumping was in Sapporo (JPN) and Kobayashi was ready to make up ground on the 137 m hill. But Kraft was too good on Saturday, winning again for the ninth time this season (263.0), with Kobayashi second. And on Sunday, Slovenia’s Domen Prevc got his first win of the season (273.6), with Kobayashi second again (269.8) and Kraft fourth (260.0). For Koyabashi, it was his ninth runner-up finish of the season (with one win)!

Kraft now leads, 1,386-1,181, after 20 of 32 events.

The women’s jumping off the 97 m hill in Rasnov (ROU) had to be canceled due to bad weather and snow conditions.

● Weightlifting ● U.S. lifters had another signal day on Friday at the European Championships in Sofia (BUL), with Olivia Reeves and Meredith Alwine “winning” and “fourth” as guest competitors.

Reeves, 20, the 2023 Worlds bronze medalist at 71 kg, equaled her American Record of 115 kg in the Snatch and lifted 140 kg in the Clean & Jerk to finish at 255 kg, which was well ahead of gold medal winner Loredana Toma (ROU: 241 kg).

Alwine, the 2021 World Champion in this class, was in her first meet of the season and made only her first lift in the Snatch (98 kg), but all three in the Clean & Jerk (last: 135 kg) to total 233 kg, which was behind the first two Europeans.

The U.S. is competing at the Europeans as a guest due to security concerns at the Pan American Championships in Caracas, Venezuela. However, their results do count for Olympic qualifying points.

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TSX BULLETIN: World records for Holloway, Haugh, Jones, eight world leads and Lyles edges Coleman at USATF Indoors!

Rich Perelman

February 17, 2024

tsx pix 2023-821 holloway, grant wch (stephen pond getty4wath) — Look at this: another indoor world record for Grant Holloway! (Photo: Stephen Pond/Getty Images for World Athletics)

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≡ USATF INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

Altitude has its advantages and athletes know it. So in the thin air of the Albuquerque Convention Center – 4,959 feet above sea level – American stars went wild at the USA Track & Field Indoor Championships with world and American records and world leading performances in eight events:

● Men/60 m: 6.43, Noah Lyles
● Men/60 m hurdles: 7.27, Grant Holloway ~ World Record
● Men/Shot: 22.80 m (74-9 3/4), Ryan Crouser
● Men/Weight: 26.35 m (86-5), Daniel Haugh ~ World Best

● Women/60 m hurdles: 7.67 (=), Tia Jones ~ equals World Record
● Women/Long Jump: 7.18 m (23-6 3/4), Tara Davis-Woodhall
● Women/Shot: 20.02 m (65-8 1/4), Chase Jackson
● Women/Weight: 25.73 m (84-5), Erin Reese

The top two finishes in most events will move on to the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow (GBR) from 1-3 March.

The first strike came on Friday afternoon from Pan Am Games hammer silver medalist (and defending national indoor champ) Daniel Haugh, who exploded with the no. 9 performance in history in the first round of the men’s Weight at 25.32 m (83-1), then wrote his name in the record books with a fourth-round 26.35 m (86-5) throw that eclipsed Lance Deal’s 1995 toss of 25.86 m (84-10 1/4) for a world best and an American Record. Isaiah Rogers was a distant second with a lifetime best of 24.41 m (80-1).

Just after 5:30 p.m. was the second heat of the women’s 60 m hurdles and Tia Jones, who was third at the Millrose Games when Devynne Charlton (BAH) set the world mark of 7.67, ran 7.67 herself to equal her mark. In the final – after two false starts – Jones, 23, ran 7.68 to win easily over Jasmine Jones (7.78) and Masai Russell (7.80), for the equal-third performance ever.

About 15 minutes after Jones’s world-record equaler came hurdles superstar Grant Holloway, who had already scared his own world mark of 7.29 from 2021 with a 7.32 win in Lievin, France on 10 February. This time, he left no doubt, winning heat one by a huge margin in a new world record of 7.27! Already qualified for the World Indoors by winning the World Indoor Tour title last year, he skipped the final, with 2022 Worlds silver medalist Trey Cunningham coming from behind to win in 7.39, no. 2 on the world list for 2023. Cameron Murray got second (7.45) and Worlds 110 m hurdles bronze winner Daniel Roberts was third (7.48).

Holloway is the only one to run under 7.30 (three times) and owns 11 of the top 14 performances of all time.

Those were the records, but not all of the excitement. While Jones and Holloway were lighting up the straight, women’s World Shot Champion Chase Jackson (nee Ealey) took the world indoor lead at 20.02 m (65-8 1/4) in the third round for her fourth career USATF indoor title and second in a row. It’s also the no. 4 throw in U.S. indoor history (she has three of the four). Maggie Ewen, the 2022 U.S. indoor winner, was second 19.14 m (62-9 1/2).

And then there was long jump star (and Worlds silver winner) Tara Davis-Woodhall, in a fight with seven-time NCAA long jump and triple jump champ Jasmine Moore at 6.81 m (22-4 1/4) after round one. Moore took the lead at 6.93 m (22-9) in round five and then Davis-Woodhall unloaded with a sensational lifetime best of 7.18 m (23-6 3/4), moving her to no. 6 all-time indoor and with the second-best indoor jump in American history, behind only Olympic star Brittney Reese’s 7.23 m (23-8 3/4) in 2012. Yes! Moore stayed at 6.93 m and Davis-Woodhall underscored her big jump with a 7.01 m (23-0) finale.

The vertical jumps were going on during all this, and were almost lost. Vashti Cunningham won the women’s high jump – her eighth straight U.S. indoor title – at 1.92 m (6-3 1/2) and co-world leader Shelby McEwen defended his 2023 title at 2.28 m (7-5 3/4).

The men’s vault was a duel between Olympic silver winner Chris Nilsen and two-time World Champion Sam Kendricks, with Nilsen gaining the edge at 6.00 m (19-8 1/4), while Kendricks made another U.S. team at 5.95 m (19-6 1/4).

Chris Carter, the U.S. indoor triple jump champ in 2014 and 2016, got his third on his final jump of 16.49 m (54-1 1/4), just ahead of Chris Benard, who got out to 16.42 m (53-1 1/2) in the sixth round to move up from third.

The 3,000 m walk titles were to Nick Christie for the men (11:56.06, his sixth U.S. indoor title in a row and seven career) and Miranda Melville for the women (13:55.24, third career title and second consecutive).

Two important distance races – the 3,000 m for women and men – were won by the favorites: Elle St. Pierre and Yared Nuguse. St. Pierre ran away from the field by the halfway mark and won in 8:54.40 for her second career championship in this event (also in 2022); Josette Andrews was second in 9:03.10. Nuguse’s race was closer, as he took the lead on the final lap to win in 7:55.76 to 7:56.22 for surprise runner-up Olin Hacker and 7:56.70 for Morgan Beadlescomb.

Would Saturday be even better?

Early on, Erin Reese won her first U.S. national Weight title, with a superb second-round throw, a world-leading 25.73 m (84-5), moving her to no. 2 on the all-time world list, with the no. 3 throw ever. Brooke Andersen, the 2022 World hammer champ, got second at 24.35 m (79-10 3/4).

Shot world-record holder Ryan Crouser opened his season here, taking the lead right away at 21.73 m (71-3 1/2) in round one, then improved to 22.15 m (72-8) and to a world-leading 22.40 m (73-6) in round four. He had more in the tank, reaching 22.80 m (74-9 3/4) in round five before finishing at 22.15 m (72-8) in round six. Roger Steen got a lifetime best of 21.47 m (70-5 1/4) in round five to secure second. For Crouser, it’s his fourth USATF Indoor crown after wins in 2019-20-22.

In the much-anticipated men’s 60 m final, world-record holder Christian Coleman got his patented excellent start and had a clear lead at 40 m, 50 m and 55 m. But triple World Champion Noah Lyles came on hard – from fifth – and got to the lead right at the tape to win with a world-leading 6.43 to 6.44. It’s Lyles’ first-ever win over Coleman indoors (now 1-3) and a lifetime best indoors, now equal-9th all-time. It’s Lyles’ first USATF Indoor championship. Ronnie Baker got third at 6.51.

The other events were ultra-competitive, forming a powerful U.S. squad for Glasgow:

The men’s 400 m started as a match between former SEC stars Matthew Boling (Georgia) and Jacory Patterson (Florida), but in the final straight, unheralded Brian Faust – an NCAA semifinalist last year for Kentucky – came on and out-leaned Patterson at the line, 45.47 to 45.48. Faust tied Boling for no. 6 on the 2024 world indoor list with his first national title.

Bryce Hoppel, the World Indoor bronze medalist in 2022, was right behind Abraham Alvarado at the bell of the men’s 800 m and then Hoppel pushed down the back straight and into the lead. Isaiah Harris, seventh at the 2022 World Indoors, blew past everyone else, but ended up just short of Hoppel at the tape, 1:46.67 to 1:46.78. Hoppel won his third straight USATF Indoor title and fourth career in the event.

Cole Hocker, an Olympic finalist in 2021 and Worlds finalist in the 2022 men’s 1,500 m led with two laps left and ran hard to break everyone with 100 m to go and winning easily at 3:37.51. It’s Hocker’s second national title – also in 2022 – and World Road Mile champ Hobbs Kessler held on for second against Henry Wynne, 3:38.76 to 3:38.81.

The men’s long jump saw Jarrion Lawson, the 2017 Worlds silver winner and 2018 and 2022 U.S. Indoor champ, taking the lead at 8.04 m (26-4 1/2) in round three, just ahead of Trumaine Jefferson (8.03 m/26-4 1/4). But former Florida State All-American Isaac Grimes popped into the lead, matching Lawson’s 8.04 m in round five, but with a better second jump. Lawson responded immediately at 8.05 m (26-5) to re-take the lead. But out of nowhere – well, seventh place – jumped USC’s Johnny Brackins in round six with an absolute lifetime best of 8.23 m (27-0) to take the lead! Grimes improved to 8.06 m (26-5 1/2) for second and that’s how it ended. Brackins now ranks no. 3 in the world for 2024. Wow.

The 2022 World Indoor 60 m silver winner Mikiah Brisco got out best in the women’s 60 m final, but Aleia Hobbs took over in the final 5 m to get the win in 7.02, with Brisco at 7.06 and Celera Barnes at 7.09. Hobbs defended her 2023 indoor title and now ranks equal-third on the 2024 world list, while Brisco stands sixth.

Alexis Holmes, who memorably ran down Dutch star Femke Bol in the Worlds Mixed 4×400 m last year, stormed into the lead at the bell of the women’s 400 m and ran away from the field in 50.34 to move to no. 2 in the world this season. She’s now also equal-third all-time U.S. in the event! Talitha Diggs was a distant second in 51.23.

Addy Wiley, the NAIA champ for Huntington in 2023, had the lead in the women’s 800 m for most of the race and stayed there at the 795 m mark, but 2023 USATF Indoor runner-up Allie Wilson pushed hard down the final straight to win her first national title in 2:00.63 (no. 11 in the world for 2024), with Wiley at 2:00.70. Defending champ Nia Akins waited too long to move up and had to settle for third in 2:00.90.

Wiley came back 25 minutes later in the 1,500 m final, but dropped out after 700 m. Defending champ Nikki Hiltz took the lead at the bell, and handled Emily Mackay on the final lap, 4:08.35 to 4:08.70. It’s the third straight USATF Nationals win for Hiltz, after the 2023 indoor and outdoor.

The women’s vault was settled at 4.75 m (15-7) with Olympic champ Katie Moon over on her first try and World Indoor winner Sandi Morris making it on her first and Gabriela Leon getting third with a lifetime best of 4.70 m (15-5). Moon sailed over 4.80 m (15-9) on her first, with Morris passing to 4.85 m (15-11) and missing three times to settle for second. Moon moved to try a world-leading 4.90 m (16-0 3/4), but also missed three times.

Keturah Orji took the lead in the women’s triple jump at 14.35 m (47-1) on her first try, with long jump runner-up Moore into second in the fourth round at 14.07 m (46-2). Then Moore took over in round five at 14.43 m (47-4 1/4) and Orji countered at 14.50 m (47-7) going into the final stanza. Neither could improve and Orji won her fourth U.S. indoor title – also in 2019, 2022 and 2023 – and moved to no. 3 on the 2024 world list, with Moore at no. 4.

There was prize money in Albuquerque for the top five finishers: $6,000-4,000-2,500-1,500-1,000.

Beyond Albuquerque, U.S. 10,000 m distance star Grant Fisher – fifth at the Tokyo Games – ran a sensational, specially-arranged 5,000 m at the Boston University DMR Challenge on Friday, winning in 12:51.84, the no. 5 performance all-time indoors and just short of Woody Kincaid’s 2023 U.S. mark of 12:51.61!

Britain’s Patrick Dever was second in 13:04.05 and Jack Rowe was third in 13:04.75.

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TSX REPORT: USATF Indoors pits Lyles vs. Coleman; report claims “Olympic shift” from Colorado Springs? distance icon Rono passes at 72

Rich Perelman

February 16, 2024

tsx pix 21818 coleman christian 60 m 750 — Christian Coleman set the world 60 m indoor record in 2018. Can he beat Noah Lyles this weekend?

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Lyles vs. Coleman highlights USATF Indoors
2. Report: “Olympic shift” away from Colorado Springs? What?
3. Norway asks for prison time for ex-IBU chief Besseberg
4. Kenya’s five-time record setter Henry Rono passes at 72
5. British bobsled star Hall calls for better safety at tracks

● The USA Track & Field National Indoor Championships are in Albuquerque on Friday and Saturday, with world indoor 60 m record man Christian Coleman facing 2023 World 100 m champ Noah Lyles as the headliner. But there is a lot more, including qualifying for the World Indoors in Scotland in March.

● A wild television report from a Colorado Springs station, claiming a “shift” of U.S. athletes to North Carolina. Turns out there’s more to the story, mostly about a Colorado Springs effort to market itself as “Olympic City USA.”

● The corruption trial of former International Biathlon Union President Anders Besseberg, 77, concluded in Norway with the prosecution asking for 3 1/2 years in prison, a fine of NOK 1,000,000 and return of excessive gifts. Besseberg said taking a few gifts does not mean he was corrupted.

● Kenyan distance star Henry Rono, who set four world records in 81 days while a Washington State sophomore in 1978, and another world mark in 1981, passed away at age 72. Beyond his brilliant running, he suffered from alcoholism, but recovered to be a teacher and coach.

● The British four-man bob team led by Brad Hall withdrew from the IBSF World Cup races in Altenberg (GER) in protest of what they called unsatisfactory safety conditions that led to significant injuries to Swiss brakeman Sandro Michel during a Tuesday crash.

● World Championships: Aquatics (2: Pan, Curzan win Doha titles; Italy vs. Croatia in men’s polo final) = Biathlon (France completes sweep of Mixed relays) ●

● Panorama: Russia (Sadulaev turned away from Euros by Romania) = Cricket (ICC men’s U-19 World Cup ends quietly after initial protests against Teeger) = Cross Country Skiing (great FIS feature on U.S. star Jessie Diggins at home for a Minneapolis World Cup) = Gymnastics (FIG sets up pay-per-view for World Cups and World Challenge Cups) ●

1.
Lyles vs. Coleman highlights USATF Indoors

Two men’s 100 m World Champions are expected to line up against each at high altitude in Albuquerque, New Mexico at this weekend’s USA Track & Field Indoor Championships: Christian Coleman and Noah Lyles.

Coleman won the outdoor Worlds 100 m in 2019 and owns the world indoor record for 60 m at 6.34 in Albuquerque in 2018. Lyles won the outdoor Worlds last season and is the world leader at 60 m this season at 6.44 from the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix.

Coleman holds an 8-4 edge on Lyles at 100 m and has won four of their last five meetings. Indoors, Coleman is 3-0 against Lyles at 60 m, including the heats and semis of the 2018 Nationals, where Coleman set the current world record.

The top two finishers in each event will be eligible to go on to the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow (GBR) from 1-3 March, and both Coleman and Lyles have their eyes on that prize.

That’s only one of the storylines for what should be an entertaining championships on Friday and Saturday, with online coverage by USATF on RunnerSpace.com (subscription required) on the first day and the Saturday events on NBC from 4 p.m. Eastern time.

There are seven American world leaders entered in the meet:

● Men/60 m: 6.44, Noah Lyles
● Men/1,500 m: 3:33.43, Yared Nuguse (entered in 3,000 m)
● Men/60 m hurdles: 7.32, Grant Holloway
● Men/High Jump: 2.33 m (7-7 3/4), Shelby McEwen (tied)
● Men/Pole Vault: 6.01 m (19-8 1/2), Chris Nilsen

● Women/Mile: 4:16.41, Elle St. Pierre (entered in 1,500 m)
● Women/Weight: 25.26 m (82-10), Erin Reese

In addition, 2022 World Indoor gold medalist Sandi Morris will be trying to qualify to defend her title, men’s shot put world-record holder Ryan Crouser will open his season in Albuquerque, and 2023 women World Shot Champion Chase (Ealey) Jackson will try to win a fourth national indoor title, and her third in Albuquerque. St. Pierre will be trying for a 1,500-3,000 m double.

There’s prize money in Albuquerque for the top five finishers: $6,000-4,000-2,500-1,500-1,000.

2.
Report: “Olympic shift” away from Colorado Springs? What?

A Wednesday report from Colorado Springs television station KRDO13, an ABC affiliate, was headlined:

“Olympic City Identity Crisis: teams are leaving Colorado Springs for North Carolina”

The report, from Heather Skold, started this way:

“There’s a quiet, but significant, Olympic shift to North Carolina that’s gaining momentum — and it’s at the expense of an Olympic presence in Colorado Springs.

“So felt, that insiders describe the Springs-based Olympic and Paralympic Training Center, which now houses a fragment of Olympic hopefuls, as a ‘ghost town.’
“Three National Governing Bodies, which are divisions of each Olympic sport, that previously based their full-time training in Colorado Springs, have moved to train at the U.S. Performance Center, based in Charlotte: USA Archery, USA Field Hockey, and USA Taekwondo.”

And she reported that other NGBs are considering a move as well. What is all this about?

It centers around an agreement between the privately-developed U.S. Performance Center in Charlotte and the city of Kannapolis, North Carolina, a Charlotte suburb, which entered into a 2019 partnership to attract Olympic athletes to the area. The agreement was apparently ended due to the Covid pandemic in 2020, but in 2021, a national training center for USA Field Hockey was opened, followed by a 2022 opening for USA Taekwondo. The USA Archery National Elite Program is also there.

KRDO followed up with another story less than an hour later, headlined “City of Colorado Springs spends millions every year to be branded Olympic City USA,” and noting that the city agreed with the USOPC in 2009 to extend its economic development agreement, providing 80,881 sq. ft. of city-owned office space in a downtown building, fund improvements to the U.S. Olympic Training Center and provide 40,000 sq. ft. of office space for use by National Governing Bodies.

The cost of the 25-year agreement was listed as $42.336 million, with the City of Colorado Springs financing $33.461 million and the rest coming from various other partners, including $3.5 million from the El Pomar Foundation.

The City refinanced the project in 2022 to take advantage of better interest rates and will pay from $1.891 million in principal and interest in 2024 to $2.364 million at the end of the term in 2039.

There was every indication in the story that the City and the USOPC both expect to be together then and beyond. USOPC chief executive Sarah Hirshland said in a statement:

“The USOPC is proud to call Colorado Springs home, and proud that our presence here has grown so significantly over time. With more than 40 years at the Olympic & Paralympic Training Center, the headquarters in downtown, the world-class Olympic & Paralympic Museum, and as home to many NGBs, Colorado Springs truly is Olympic City USA.“

The KRDO story sparked a response posting on NBC affiliate KOAA, which pointed to the long history of the USOC/USOPC in Colorado Springs and that no one is planning a move.

Observed: This was a strange story by KRDO in that no cash payments are being made to the USOPC and the deal was essentially a marketing agreement to allow Colorado Springs to promote itself.

What got lost in all this is that Colorado Springs isn’t an isolated village at the edge of the Rocky Mountains. It’s the second-largest city in Colorado with a population of more than 486,000 and an annual budget of $1.018 billion (yes, billion).

Against that backdrop, $2 million a year to keep the USOPC in town as a marketing effort seems pretty reasonable.

Moreover, only half of the U.S. National Governing Bodies are headquartered in Colorado Springs and most of the highest-profile federations are elsewhere. USA Gymnastics and USA Track & Field have been in Indianapolis for decades and the U.S. Soccer Federation is in Chicago, on the way to Atlanta.

But it was a provocative headline.

3.
Norway asks for prison time for ex-IBU chief Besseberg

The nearly six-week criminal corruption trial of former International Biathlon Union President Anders Besseberg concluded in Hokksund, Norway, with the prosecution asking for a prison sentence of three years and seven months, a fine of NOK 1 million (about $94,948 U.S.) and the return of gifts he received valued at NOK 1.45 million (~$137,743 U.S.), plus court costs.

Besseberg, now 77, the head of the IBU from 1993 until resigning in 2018, was charged with gross corruption dating back to 2009, accepting gifts such as expensive watches, a free car, hunting trips and more and in return, is accused of working to cover up doping violations by Russian athletes and the removal of IBU competitions from Russia.

Co-prosecutor Marianne Djupesland told the court (computer translation from the original Norwegian), “It is because if it is the case that the person who has received a bribe has actually been influenced in the way that person carries out their position of trust, then it is clearly a point that the court can look into in connection with sentencing.”

Co-prosecutor Marthe Stomner Smestad further explained, “Then we have taken particular account of what we have visited. His fixed and long-term intention of corruption over twelve years. And even if the value of individual benefits is not great or it is difficult to value, these violations, when they form part of a pattern like here, are to be considered gross overall.”

Defense attorney Christian Hjolt said the case “is complicated because the decisive legal questions are based on discretionary assessments, and the line between right and wrong is unclear. And complicated because the legal assessments must then be applied to an extensive and complex fact which partly took place far back in time and under conditions that are foreign to most people.”

And Hjolt told the judges:

“You don’t have to go far back in time, where partly-exclusive travel, events and gifts in a representational context were something that took place to a large extent and were seen as legal and an important part of a company’s relationship building.”

The attorney insisted that even if such practices are considered improper today, events and gifts are still part of relationship building, not bribery.

Djupesland said in reply:

“We wouldn’t be standing here with this case if it was the case that Besseberg had had three dinners with [friend] Volker Schmid. We wouldn’t be standing here if someone in the Russian federation had given Besseberg an advantage on one occasion. Our case is in a completely different range.”

Besseberg was given the final chance to comment and told the court he will always be known as a scandalous President:

“Although I received expensive gifts and was invited hunting by many, I must emphasize that I have never allowed myself to be corrupted. …

“After having devoted more or less my whole life to this sport, and doing what I thought was right, it is bitter to feel like the wild boar in Norway. An unwanted species in our fauna, and can be freely shot all year round.”

The verdict is expected to be read on 12 April.

4.
Kenya’s five-time record setter Henry Rono passes at 72

“Athletics Kenya is saddened to announce and notify the public of the demise of former Athlete Mr. Henry Rono which occurred today at 10.30am. He had been hospitalized at the Nairobi South Hospital for the past 10 days.”

Thursday’s sad news is balanced against the memory of one of the most astonishing athletes in history, who rewrote the distance record books in 81 memorable days in 1978, while at Washington State:

● 08 Apr.: 13:08.4 world record for 5,000 m at Berkeley
● 13 May: 8:05.4 world record for the 3,000 m Steeple at Seattle
● 11 Jun.: 27:22.47 world record for 10,000 m at Vienna
● 27 Jun.: 7:32.1 world record for 3,000 m at London

As a Washington State sophomore, Rono won the NCAA Steeple, the Commonwealth Games Steeple and 5,000 m and All-Africa Games Steeple and 10,000 m. Amazing wasn’t the word for it.

In Bruce Blizard’s 2023 biography of Washington State coach John Chaplin, Man of the Oval, it was explained that Chaplin was the architect of Rono’s record season after seeing him crush fellow Cougar (and Kenyan) and 10,000 m world-record holder Samson Kimombwa in a training session:

“After watching him demolish Samson on the Snake River Canyon run, Chaplin remembered, ‘I brought Henry into my office and said, ‘Henry, I think that you could be the first man in history to hold the world record in all three Olympic distance races.’ …

“’But,’ Chaplin remembered, ‘Henry replied, ‘Do you really think I can do this?’ Chaplin, in his inimitable style, didn’t hesitate because he’d already had a vision, and he had formed a plan.

“’I suck myself up, like any coach would, to answer that question and said, ‘Yes. But we will have to first look at the schedule, then work out a program where you run a race to prepare, and, in the second race at that distance, correct any problems, and then you’ll run for the record.’ And that’s what he did!’”

Rono was denied Olympic glory due to the African boycott at the 1976 Montreal Games and as Kenya was part of the U.S.-led boycott of the 1980 Moscow Games. He had already faded from the scene by the time the 1984 Los Angeles Games came around, although he set a fifth world record in 1981, breaking his own 5,000 m mark at 13:06.20.

After his running career ended, Rono fell victim to alcoholism, but rebounded to become a high school coach in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and later returned to his native Kenya.

Chaplin and Washington State have a statue of Rono in the works for the Mooberry Track & Field Complex to remember him and his achievements.

5.
British bobsled star Hall calls for better safety at tracks

“As we all know there was a terrible accident this week in training resulting in one of our best athletes getting badly injured. This was an avoidable accident based on sub-par safety protocols at the Altenberg [GER] track.

“This needs to change. There are tracks like Whistler [CAN] and Sigulda [LAT] who have exceptional staffing to make sure sleds are caught and athlete safety is adhered to insofar as it is possible to do so. Why is this not the case at every track?

“This is not a witch-hunt or finger pointing exercise. It is simply to show how seriously we take it, and how necessary an overhaul of safety protocols is.

“As far as we’re concerned, Team Vogt and other Swiss sliding members cannot race this weekend due to factors outside of their control. As such, we are uncomfortable competing in, and potentially benefitting from their absence this weekend. Most importantly, our withdrawal seeks to show solidarity with our Swiss Sliding family whilst they process this difficult moment.”

That’s from British driver Brad Hall, whose sled won the 2023 European Four-Man title and the 2023 World Championships silver, in response to the training crash of the Michael Vogt (SUI) sled that badly injured brakeman Sandro Michel.

The Telegraph (GBR) reported that Michel, 27 – a former shot putter – “had to undergo emergency hip and thigh surgery and remains in hospital” after the Tuesday crash as Vogt’s four-man sled slide back down the track and injure him. Vogt suffered a concussion and the other two brakemen, Dominik Hufschmid and Andreas Haas, suffered only minor injuries.

The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation said the Altenberg races will be held as scheduled, but that an inquiry into the incident is being undertaken. Hall said that an athlete’s meeting was being organized for Friday to consider safety measures that should be adopted by the IBSF.

Jens Morgenstern (GER), the head of the Altenberg World Cup event, said in a statement:

“Unfortunately, crashes are part of this sport, and all athletes are aware of that. The fact that the Swiss bobsleigh team’s training crash resulted in such serious injuries is a tragedy that leaves us deeply shocked and saddened.

“But I must emphasize, as World Cup organisers and track operators, we have always done everything in our power to ensure the safety of the athletes – and will continue to do so in the future.

“We firmly reject the accusation that there were inadequate safety precautions. All safety measures taken and adhered to in Altenberg comply with the regulations of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation.”

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Aquatics ● The 21st World Aquatics Championships will roar to its close on Sunday, with the conclusion of the swimming and water polo competitions, with China looking secure to finish with the most total medals.

In the pool, China’s new world-record holder in the men’s 100 m Freestyle, Zhanle Pan, took the individual title in 47.53, well off from his record lead-off (46.80) in the 4×100 Free relay. But he touched clear of Italy’s Alessandro Miressi (47.72) and Nandor Nemeth (HUN: 47.78) for the other medals. American Matt King faded late and tied for seventh at 48.06.

Claire Curzan, 19, of the U.S. doubled up on her 100 m Backstroke win and took the 50 m Back in 27.43 from Australian teen Iona Anderson (27.45) and Canada’s Ingrid Wilm (27.61), repeating the 100 Back medal winners exactly! Curzan now owns a career total of nine Worlds medals (5-1-3), four in Doha (3-1-0).

American Carson Foster won the men’s 200 m Medley Worlds silver last year and looked to be well positioned to win this time, but was passed by Canada’s Finlay Knox, who won his first-ever Worlds medal with a gold in 1:56.64 to Foster’s 1:56.97. Alberto Razzettli took his second medal – he won the 200 m Fly silver – with a bronze in 1:57.42. Shaine Casas of the U.S. faded on the final lap and ended up fifth in 1:57.73.

Laura Stephens (GBR: 2:07.35), Helena Rosendahl Bach (DEN: 2:07.44) and Lana Pudar (BIH: 2:07.92) pulled away to win their first career Worlds medals in the women’s 200 m Butterfly final, with American Rachel Klinker fading on the final lap and finishing fourth (2:08.19).

China won the women’s 4×200 m Free relay in 7:47.26, ahead of Great Britain (7:50.90) and Australia (7:51.41). The U.S. did not qualify for the final.

Three more days remaining in the pool, with the U.S. leading the swimming medal count with 12 (6-3-3) to 10 for Australia (1-6-3).

The men’s water polo final will pit Italy and Croatia after two tight semifinals. The Italians, five-time Worlds winners (last in 2019), edged returning bronze medalists Spain by 8-6, with a 3-1 second period for a 4-2 halftime lead that proved to be enough.

The Croatia-France semifinal was tied at 11 after the French made a big comeback with a 5-2 final-period surge. But Croatia won the tense shoot-out at 6-5 and will be looking for its third title after 2007 and 2017.

The medal matches will be played Saturday (17th). The U.S. eliminated in the quarterfinals, finished ninth after a 13-9 win against Romania.

● Biathlon ● France ruled Thursday’s Single Mixed Relay at the 2024 IBU World Championships in Nove Mesto (CZE), winning by more than 24 seconds in 36:21.7 for a sweep of the mixed relays.

This time it was twice Olympic gold medalist Quentin Fillon Maillet and Lou Jeanmonnot who stormed to the lead and had only three penalties between them to win easily, after Fillon Maillet had also contributed to the Mixed 4×6 km victory.

Italy, with Tommaso Giacomel and 15 km Individual winner Lisa Vittozzi, managed to beat Norway for the silver by 36:46.3 (5) to 35:49.1 (7). The U.S., with Campbell Wright and Deedra Irwin, finished seventh at 37:29.0 (4).

Friday is a rest day, then more relays on Saturday and the Mass Start races on Sunday to conclude the championships.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Russia ● Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and especially since the International Olympic Committee recommended allowing some Russian and Belarusian individual to compete as “neutrals” last year Russian athletes have sometimes been in limbo as to whether they can participate in an event.

For Olympic 97 kg Freestyle wrestling gold medalist Abdulrashid Sadulaev, trying to compete at the European Championships in Bucharest (ROU), it was out, then in and finally, out. According to Russian Wrestling Federation chief Mikhail Mamiashvili:

“Abdulrashid flew from the country for which he received a visa. He flew to Barcelona, from there to Bucharest, but in Romania the customs officers did not let him in, they had doubts about him, and a decision was made to deny him entry. It’s hard to imagine what motivates this.”

It’s actually pretty clear and everyone knows it.

● Cricket ● The ICC men’s U-19 World Cup finished in South Africa last Sunday, with Australia defeating India, 253-174, in the final. Pakistan (5-1) finished third and South Africa, the tournament host and center of controversy in fourth (4-2).

The protests against David Teeger, removed as the captain of the South African team in response to his support for Israel at an awards events last October – he is Jewish – subsided after a modest gathering of protesters at the team’s opening match. He scored 107 runs in six matches.

Cricket has been added to the program for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

● Cross Country Skiing ● Terrific feature by the International Ski & Snowboard Federation on on U.S. star Jessie Diggins, whose Olympic and World Cup heroics led to the FIS Cross Country World Cup coming back to the U.S. for the first time since the 10-14 January 2001 races at Soldier Hollow, Utah, in advance of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

A Freestyle Sprint and Freestyle 10 km race for men and women are scheduled in Minneapolis on Saturday and Sunday – Diggins is from St. Paul – with the hometown hero leading the seasonal World Cup standings with nine events left.

She was especially brilliant in a come-from-behind win in Goms (SUI) in late January in a 20 km Mass Start, one of her most memorable races:

“It’s funny because I’m an athlete who makes the sport look really hard.

“I don’t always have the most graceful technique, I’m usually in a lot of pain and it usually looks like I’m falling apart even if there’s still some energy buried deep down that I’m ready to dig up.

“I’ve been working for a very long time to work up a strong-enough brain to override a tired body. So when you see a sprint finish like at the end in Goms, I am tired. I couldn’t feel my legs and I felt like I was going to throw up. And at the same time, I’m just so focused on crossing the finish line with every little bit of power that I have.”

And she is on the road, of course, for months at a time. Now 32 and married, she misses home:

“But at the same time, I could retire whenever I want, but I’m still here and still racing because I love what I do, so clearly the love for the sport outweighs the inconveniences of being on the road.”

● Gymnastics ● The Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) unveiled a new, pay-per-view live streaming service for its World Cup and World Challenge Cup events in Artistic, Rhythmic and Trampoline gymnastics beginning with this weekend’s Artistic Apparatus World Cup in Cairo (EGY).

This project allows FIG to open its events to viewers in countries without a rights agreement on a pay-per-view basis. For example, the Saturday session of the Cairo Artistic Apparatus World Cup is listed at $5.50 U.S. Prices were not yet listed for future events; the list of countries in which this service will not be available was, unfortunately, also not listed.

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TSX REPORT: Will the IOC simply organize future Olympic Games itself? It’s moving in that direction

Rich Perelman

February 15, 2024

tsx pix 2021-515 olympic rings at IOC 750 — Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland, home of the International Olympic Committee

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● The IOC may be moving toward organizing future Olympic Games itself, as FIFA is doing with the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. Moves have already been made to take over specific aspects.

● World Championships: Aquatics (2: U.S. wins Mixed Medley relay and Haughey gets 200 m Free gold; U.S. and Hungary in women’s polo final) = Biathlon (Boe and Boe 1-2 in 20 km Individual) ●

● Panorama: Sarajevo 1984 (Torvill and Dean return to mark 40 years) = Paris 2024 (PacificAus Sports announces grants to 13 island nations) = Russia (Deputy Sports Minister says 100 Russians could qualify for Paris) = Aquatics (Kuwait government asked to investigate World Aquatics chief regarding Kuwait NOC funds use) = Athletics (third passenger in Kiptum’s car released from hospital after treatment) = Bobsled (Swiss brakeman seriously injured in four-man training crash) = Cross Country Skiing (Klaebo & Svahn take Sprints in Canmore World Cup finale) ●

LANE ONE:
The IOC must be thinking it should organize future Olympic Games itself

Organizing an Olympic Games is difficult, significantly due to the sheer number of athletes, events, sports and facilities being used. For this summer’s Games of the XXXIII Olympiad in Paris, there will be 10,500 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees, 329 events in 32 sports, spread out from Paris to Tahiti. And it gets bigger in Los Angeles in 2028, with more than 11,000 athletes now expected to contest 36 sports, the most ever.

And nothing is easy.

Following the headaches of the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the reputation of the Games took a hit from two major scandals that have led to criminal prosecutions in Japan for insider bribes to acquire sponsorships and the rigging of bids for test-event management and then for venue management during the Games.

That was followed by questions over the holding of the 2022 Winter Games in China under the heavy hand of the Chinese Communist Party – which asserted itself during a couple of news conferences during the Games – and now to public hand-wringing about Paris and whether the organizing committee will be able to meet its budget (which it apparently will) and public access around the city come July.

That doesn’t count the IOC’s ongoing tug-of-war with Italian politicians over where to hold the bobsled, luge and skeleton events for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan Cortina, with the IOC asking to use an existing facility and Italy opting to build a new track after years of delay, which may or may not be ready in time for the 2026 Games.

And the brouhaha in Brisbane, site of the 2032 Games, over whether the government-planned redevelopment of the famed Brisbane Cricket Ground – The Gabba – should be undertaken at an expanded cost of A$2.7 billion (about $1.75 billion U.S.). That answer appears now to be “no,” as the IOC suggested in its evaluation of the Brisbane bid, with existing facilities to be used instead.

Wouldn’t it just be easier for the IOC, now with more than 500 staff members, to just do the Games themselves?

Well, they are going to get a chance to see if this can work, courtesy of FIFA.

After more than 90 years of trusting its men’s World Cup to an organizing committee in the host country (countries), FIFA has scrapped the idea, and is staging the expanded 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States itself.

Staff members are being moved from the FIFA headquarters in Zurich (SUI) to offices in Coral Gables, Florida, and an energetic hiring program is underway for directors and managers to put together the biggest World Cup event, with 48 teams and 104 matches spread across 16 stadia in three countries.

There will be a huge staff, but it will be FIFA’s staff, not that of a temporary organizing committee formed specially to put the event on. FIFA has all the responsibility, all the headaches … and will keep all the money. And there is a lot of money coming into FIFA, which may surpass the IOC as the biggest single earner in international sports for its 2023-26 quadrennial, with a budget projection of $11 billion in revenue.

Could this translate to the Olympic Games?

Well, the IOC is already on that path, slowly taking over functions from the in-country organizers, piece by piece. Today, the IOC already has control of:

● Broadcasting, through its Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) subsidiary in Spain.

● Doping control, through the International Testing Agency, which it helped to create in 2018.

● Results, provided through its agreement with French technology giant Atos.

● Sports registration, now handled by the IOC’s sports department in-house.

● Tickets, now being overseen by the IOC in coordination with Paris 2024, as well as hospitality, under a recent agreement with U.S.-based OnLocation.

The IOC took control of worldwide television rights sales and created its worldwide sponsorship (TOP) program quickly after the financial success of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, but did not immediately take further steps to begin organizing the event themselves. The staff was too small, the depth of experience far too shallow. But the IOC has grown and has a deep professional staff that could take over. And FIFA is providing a free-to-view test of the concept.

The IOC also gives away a lot of its money from television and sponsorships to local organizing committees. According to its own figures, it provided and will provide cash and in-kind support (U.S. dollars):

● $1.531 billion to Rio 2016
● $1.892 billion to Tokyo 2020/2021 (including pandemic support)
● $1.700 billion to Paris 2024 ($1.265 billion in cash)
● $1.800 billion to Los Angeles 2028 ($1.335 billion in cash)
● $1.800 billion to Brisbane 2032 ($1.335 billion in cash)

Smaller amounts go to Winter Games hosts, stated as $887 million for PyeongChang 2018, $970 million for Beijing 2022 (including pandemic support) and $925 million for Milan Cortina 2026.

What the experiences over the sliding venue in Cortina and the Gabba in Brisbane demonstrate is that, under transformational chief Thomas Bach (GER), the IOC has committed itself through his Olympic Agenda 2020 and Olympic Agenda 2020+5 to a “no-build” philosophy as regards the sports venues, although it still prefers to have an all-in-one Olympic Village if possible.

By sticking to this requirement, the number of locations which can host an Olympic Games or Winter Games shrinks considerably, but the event becomes easier to manage. By planning and staging the Games itself, the IOC could hire local talent – as FIFA is doing – to manage the functions which need local knowledge and do the rest itself, building up the experience of its managers from event to event.

It’s a lot to chew, but it’s cheaper, much more controllable – no Italian politicians to deal with – and a strictly business proposition for a host city or country. The IOC discusses the possibilities with interested countries, regions and cities, determines the best, friendliest and most dependable option and then contracts for the services it wants and the promises made by the selected host.

Not personal. Strictly business.

This idea has been in discussion, in some form, for nearly 40 years, since the end of the 1984 Los Angeles Games. But it seems much more real now, with the question of whether Bach’s successor is willing and able to make the leap.

And it is a considerable leap. But if the IOC is to realize the full value of the Games, it will have to obtain fuller control of its enterprise, as FIFA is doing now and as the National Football League has so brilliantly demonstrated with its annual Super Bowl. And in order to be effective, such a management scheme will require placing future Games in countries with strong contract law systems to allow the IOC to enforce its agreements with national, regional and local governments.

If Bach does decide to stay on for an additional term as President to 2029, as suggested by some IOC members at last October’s IOC Session in India, he could start moving in this direction. But the IOC is contractually committed to in-country organizing of the Olympic Games through 2032 and the Winter Games through 2034 when Salt Lake City is formally approved this summer.

That means a decision on a full takeover will come from the next IOC President, whoever that will be. If FIFA succeeds with its do-it-yourself program for the 2026 World Cup and beyond, look for the braintrust in Lausanne to begin thinking about how this could work for a 2036 Olympic Games, wherever it might be held.

Rich Perelman
Editor

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Aquatics ● At the World Aquatics Championships in Doha (QAT), the U.S. dominated the Mixed 4×100 m Medley relay to close the Wednesday evening program with three of the four members of the team that won this race in 2022!

Two years ago, Hunter Armstrong, (Back), Nic Fink (Breast), Torri Huske (Fly) and Claire Curzan (Free) defeated Australia, 3:38.79 to 3:41.34. In 2024, the result was about the same, although a little slower.

Armstrong led off again and stormed to a solid lead over Poland, and Fink extended the lead with Italy moving into second. Curzan finished her leg with a nearly three-second edge on Australia and then Kate Douglass took over with the fastest Free leg among the seven women anchors for a 3:40.22 final, the no. 5 performance in American history.

Australia, with Shayna Jack on anchor, was second in 3:43.12 and Great Britain was third at 3:45.09. The U.S. has medaled all six times that this race has been held at the Worlds, with three wins, two silvers and a bronze. Fink has been on three in a row (2-0-1).

Australia’s Elijah Winnington, the 400 m World Champion in 2022, had the early lead in the men’s 800 m Free final, but gave way to Italian star Gregorio Paltrinieri, the 2019 Worlds gold medalist in this race in mid-race. But Ireland’s Daniel Whiffen came on late, took the lead going into the final lap and won his first Worlds medal – a gold – in 7:40.94, with Winnington getting a second silver (also in the 400 m Free) in 7:42.95 and Paltrinieri third in 7:42.98.

The 50 m Breaststroke final was ultra-close, with the top seven within 0.65 seconds and Australian Sam Williamson touching first for his first individual Worlds medal in 26.32, that was 0.07 better than Nicolo Martinenghi (26.39) and 0.17 up on the U.S.’s Fink (26.49), the 100 m Breast winner. Martinenghi won the silver in both the 50 and 100 races, giving him two career Worlds silvers in each (also the 50 in 2022 and 100 in 2023) to go along with his 2022 gold in the 100.

The men’s 200 m Butterfly belonged to Japan’s Olympic silver winner Tomoru Honda, who pulled away from Alberto Razzetti (ITA) late for a 1:53.88 to 1:54.65 victory, with Martin Espernberger (AUT: 1:55.16) getting the bronze.

Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey, the two-time winner of the women’s 200 m Free in the Short Course Worlds, got the long-course gold in 1:54.89, beating New Zealand’s 400 m Free winner Erika Fairweather (1:55.77) and Australian Brianna Throssell (1:56.00).

The men’s 100 m Free and 200 m Medley finals come Thursday, along with the women’s 50 m Back, 200 m Fly and 4×200 m Free.

The U.S. and Hungary advanced to Friday’s final of the women’s water polo tournament, after close wins in their semifinals.

The U.S. faced Spain and jumped to a 3-1 lead in the first quarter and had a 6-4 lead at the half. The American women scored two more in the third to one for Spain for an 8-5 lead going into the final quarter and held on for an 11-9 victory. Jenna Flynn scored three for the U.S., and Maddie Musselman, Ryann Neushul and Jewel Roemer each had two. Elena Ruiz and Isabel Piralkova each scored three goals for Spain, but U.S. keeper Ashleigh Johnson made 11 crucial saves.

Hungary and Greece played won to the wire after a 6-6 first half and then each scored one goal in the third and two in the fourth for a 9-9 tie. In the shoot-out, Hungary won 4-2 for the 13-11 final. Rebecca Parkes led the winners with three scores.

The final will be a re-match of the fifth-place game from the 2023 Worlds,, where the sides were tied, 11-11, and went to a penalty shoot-out, won by the U.S., 4-2. The U.S. won four Worlds golds in a row from 2015-22 and has won seven times in all, while Hungary won its lone women’s Worlds title in 1994.

● Biathlon ● Not only did Norway continue its domination of the 2024 IBU World Championships in Nove Mesto (CZE), but so did the Boe family.

Superstar Johannes Thingnes Boe won his second race at the Worlds – he won the 12.5 km Pursuit earlier – but led a 1-2 with his older brother Tarjei Boe in 45:49.0 (1 penalty) and 46:47.9 (1), with Germany’s Benedikt Doll breaking up the sweep in third at 47:42.3 (1).

Campbell Wright was again the top American, in 20th place (50:58.01/3), followed by Sean Doherty in 23rd (51:13.5/2).

J.T. Boe’s victory not only was a successful defense of his 2023 title victory, but upped his astonishing Worlds career medal count to 35, with 19 golds, 10 silvers and four bronzes. Old brother Tarjei – he’s 35 and J.T. is 30 – won this race in 2011 and has a career haul of 25 Worlds medals (11-6-8).

Norway has now won eight of the nine men’s medals at this year’s Worlds. Thursday brings the Single Mixed Relay, and the championships will conclude on Sunday.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 1984: Sarajevo ● British stars Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, icons for their magnificent, gold-medal-winning Free Dance performance to Ravel’s “Bolero” in 1984, returned to Sarajevo (BIH) for a performance to mark 40 years since their Winter Games triumph.

They appeared Wednesday evening at the opening of a figure skating tournament held as part of the 40-year anniversary program.

Torvill, now 66, and Dean, now 65, retired from competitive skating after their 1984 gold-medal performance – and four straight World Championships golds in 1981-82-83-84 – then came back when the rules against professional skaters were relaxed and won a bronze at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Games. They plan to retire from performing in ice shows in 2025.

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● The Australian government announced its 2024 PacificAus Sports grants that will provide funding to 250 athletes from 13 Pacific island nations to help them qualify for and compete at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The project funds programs in 15 sports, as part of the Australian Sports Diplomacy 2030 strategy launched in 2019. This is Australian public funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, with delivery coordinated by the Australian Olympic Committee and the Oceanian National Olympic Committees (ONOC), and continues the direct support project that was started for the Tokyo 2020 Games.

Observed: This is an interesting project that is welcomed by the International Olympic Committee. The PacificAus Sports program is not unique; other countries – including the U.S. – have active sports diplomacy programs, but Australia’s project is noteworthy for its high profile and direct cash infusion to foreign athletes.

● Russia ● Alexey Morozov, the Russian Deputy Minister of Sports gave an upbeat projection of possible Russian qualifiers for Paris 2024 on Wednesday:

It would be surprising if as many as 100 Russian athletes were able to compete in Paris, but they have had strong results in judo, taekwondo and wrestling, federations which have admitted a significant number of Russians back into international competitions. Ukrainian officials have sent notices to the IOC about specific athletes they consider should be ineligible in view of support for the invasion of Ukraine that began in February 2022.

● Aquatics ● Veteran German investigative journalist Jens Weinreich reported Wednesday that the Kuwait Public Authority for Sport has asked for a criminal inquiry over the use of funds allocated for the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] Games, held in Kuwait City in June 2022.

Weinreich’s Inquisitor Magazine site explained that the request for inquiry is about funds allocated for the event that were provided to one or two companies controlled by Kuwait Olympic Committee Secretary General Husain Al-Musallam, also the current President of World Aquatics and the former long-time Secretary General of the Olympic Council of Asia.

● Athletics ● The third passenger in the vehicle driven by marathon world-record holder Kelvin Kiptum (KEN) which crashed near Eldoret (KEN) late Sunday evening and resulted in his death and that of his coach, Gervais Hakizamana (RWA), was treated and released.

The Kenyan daily The Nation said the passenger was Sharon Kosgey, who was in the back seat and suffered only minor bruises as well as trauma.

Investigators said Kiptum’s Toyota Premio showed no evidence of mechanical failure and may simply have been going too fast and veered off the road, landed in a ditch and then smashed into a tree.

The Kenyan trials for the African Games – to be held in March in Ghana – were scheduled for this weekend in Nairobi have been postponed.

● Bobsled ● A frightening injury to Swiss brakeman Sandro Michel, 27, during a training crash in Altenberg (GER) on Tuesday; the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation statement explained:

“During the official bobsleigh World Cup training in Altenberg, Germany, on February 13th, 2024, the 4-man bobsleigh of the Swiss pilot Michael Vogt crashed. As a result, the brakeman Sandro Michel fell of the sled and was run over by the bobsleigh which was uncontrollably sliding back from the finish area. The medical team on-site took the necessary steps to take care of the injured athletes.”

The Associated Press noted:

“Michel lost consciousness in the crash and was airlifted from the track to a hospital about 75 miles (120 kilometers) away in Dresden because of the severity of injuries he suffered to his leg, hip, thigh and chest, team and IBSF officials said.”

Driver Vogt suffered a concussion and brakemen Dominik Hufschmid and Andreas Haas had minor injuries.

Vogt and Michel are a successful two-man team, bronze medalists at the 2023 Worlds and standing third in the IBSF World Cup after six of eight stages, and Vogt’s four-man team ranks fourth this season.

Bob, luge and skeleton sleds moving backwards on the track are not uncommon and pose a significant safety threat, especially at high speeds.

● Cross Country Skiing ● The big FIS World Cup program at Canmore (CAN) concluded on Tuesday with the men’s and women’s Classical Sprints, and wins for Norway and Sweden.

Reigning World Cup champ Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo won the men’s Sprint for his eighth World Cup victory of the season in 3:01.29, trailed by Richard Jouve (FRA: 3:01.76) and Erik Valnes (NOR: 3:01.90). Norwegian men have now won eight World Cup races in a row, half of them by Klaebo.

Swede Linn Svahn won her fifth World Cup Sprint in a row in the women’s final in 3:12.20, with Norway’s Kristine Skistad second (3:14.33) and fellow Swede Jonna Sundling third (3:15.73). In the eight Sprint races held so far this season, Svahn started out fifth, then third, then second and now five straight wins.

The World Cup circuit moves on to Minneapolis, Minnesota, hometown of the seasonal leader Jessie Diggins of the U.S. for a Freestyle Sprint on Saturday and a 10 km Free race on Sunday. She has a 2,103 to 1,843 lead on Svahn after 25 of 34 races, trying for a second World Cup seasonal title.

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TSX REPORT: Millrose Games draws 1.087 million on TV; Macron protects Seine booksellers; anti-doping pioneer Catlin passes at 85

Rich Perelman

February 14, 2024

tsx pix 2024-213 morris, hampton ECh (USAW) — Eight American Records in six lifts for 61 kg teen star Hampton Morris! (Photo: USA Weightlifting on Instagram)

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Millrose Games draws million-plus on TV; Lyles wants more
2. Paris 2024: Macron intervenes to save booksellers along Seine
3. Paris 2024: Balconies along the Seine the newest worry
4. Francophone Games 2027 to Armenia (yes, Armenia)
5. Anti-doping pioneer Dr. Don Catlin passes at 85

● The Millrose Games drew more than one million television viewers on NBC on Sunday, an 11% increase over 2023, but not as strong as the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix a week earlier. But Noah Lyles wants more.

● French President Emmanuel Macron decided that the famed booksellers boxes along the Seine River will not be moved for the Olympic opening on 26 July. The security folks will have to work around them.

● The newest worry in Paris is overcrowding on balconies that overlook the Seine, as two people were hurt in a balcony break last year.

● The 2027 Jeux de la Francophonie was awarded to Armenia, which has just 10,000 French speakers among 3.2 million people. But when you need a host, anyone who wants to do it is welcome, right?

● Anti-doping pioneer Dr. Don Catlin, who headed the UCLA laboratory created for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, passed away at 85, leaving a legacy of achievement on which today’s anti-doping protocols are based.

● World Championships: Aquatics (2: Curzan and Armstrong sweep 100 m Back titles) = Biathlon (Vittozzi stops French sweep at women’s Worlds) ●

● Panorama: Paris 2024 (French ministry confirms IOC will decide on Russia and Belarus) = Los Angeles 2028 (Russian Olympic Committee SecGen says U.S. wants Russia at L.A.) = World Anti-Doping Agency (2: 241 sanctions so far in Russian LIMS cases; WADA pursuing Nigeria and Venezuela at CAS) = Russia (Sadulaev allowed at European wrestling champs) = Athletics (long doping suspensions for Chepchirchir and Rachna) = Shooting (Hancock and Rhode win World Cup Mixed Team Skeet) = Weightlifting (Morris scores European Champs “win” for U.S.) = Wrestling (UWW re-admits Indian federation, with conditions) ●

1.
Millrose Games draws million-plus on TV; Lyles wants more

In a difficult scheduling environment on Super Sunday, the Millrose Games on NBC drew 12% more viewers than in 2023, with an average audience of 1.087 million from 1-3 p.m. Eastern time.

That’s up from 972,000 in 2023, on a Saturday at 4 p.m. Eastern, a bit better time slot, and continued an improved audience situation for both major indoor meets on NBC so far:

● 2023: 866,000 for the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix (4 Feb.)
● 2024: 1.197 million on 4 February (+38.2%)

● 2023: 972,000 for the Millrose Games (11 Feb.)
● 2024: 1.087 million on 11 February (+11.8%)

● 2023: 954,000 for the USATF Indoor Nationals (18 Feb.)
● 2024: Coming up on Saturday (17 Feb.: 4 p.m. Eastern)

The Millrose Games itself was spectacular, with a world record in the women’s 60 m hurdles, a world best in the men’s Two Mile and three American Records. One interested viewer who wanted more was triple World Champion Noah Lyles, who tweeted:

“Really wish there was a post show to watch [so] we can talk about everything that happened at @MillroseGames like they had at @NBIndoorGP”

NBC’s Millrose broadcast ranked fourth in its time slot, behind a CBS pre-Super Bowl show (3.11 million), the Iowa-Nebraska women’s basketball game on Fox (1.772 million) and the first two hours of the Waste Management Phoenix Open golf on the Golf Channel (1.243 million). The first hour of the Boston-Miami NBA game at 2 p.m. Eastern on ABC was also ahead of Millrose at 2.131 million.

The Millrose telecast again showed weakness among younger fans in the 18-34 range at 88,000, which was out-drawn by all of the events against it. However, this was up from 69,000 in the 18-34s for the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix the week before.

NBC had Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding on prior to the Millrose, from Mammoth Mountain in California, drawing an average of 618,000 from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern. Interest in the 18-34 demographic was again quite weak, at 44,000.

The NFL Super Bowl on CBS, Univision and Nickelodeon from 6:30 p.m. Eastern set an all-time U.S. viewing record at 123.45 million, with 120.25 million on CBS alone.

2.
Paris 2024: Macron intervenes to save booksellers along Seine

The picturesque second-hand book stalls along the Seine River will not be moved for the 26 July Olympic opening, with French President Emmanuel Macron ending the issue with a Tuesday statement that “has asked the interior minister and the Paris prefect’s office that all of the booksellers are preserved and that none of them are forced to move.”

Paris police had ordered most of the bookstalls along the Seine to be removed for security and access control purposes: initially 604 of the 932 “boxes” and then revised down to 428 boxes as a compromise.

In reply, the Cultural Association of Booksellers of Paris filed a court action on 19 January against the planned removals, with a test removal already completed to show that the boxes could be taken away. The Paris police said their plan was to restore them in place within a few days (and still during the Games).

Macron’s statement characterized the “bouquinistes” – who have been along the river for as many as 150 years – as a “living heritage of the capital.”

The Olympic opening was originally expected to have as many as 600,000 spectators, with 100,000 ticket buyers on the riverside, lower quays and up to 500,000 on the upper quays. The upper-quay capacity has been cut to 200,000 for a 300,000 total, all of whom will have tickets, with those for the upper quays distributed free by the authorities. That crowd will now have to be managed with the bookstalls staying in place.

3.
Paris 2024: Balconies along the Seine the newest worry

The alarm has been sounded on overcrowding on apartment balconies with a view of the Olympic opening on the Seine River. Per Agence France Presse:

“The National Real Estate Federation (FNAIM) has alerted local authorities to the risk of collapses and accidents unless balconies that are often designed for two or three people are checked beforehand for their structural soundness.”

The state of the elegant apartment complexes which make Paris so beautiful could be an issue on 26 July, when the Olympic Games open, as two people were significantly injured in May 2023 when their fifth-floor balcony failed.

Olivier Princivalle, the FNAIM head in the Paris area, told AFP, “We need to be absolutely sure that the balconies can take the weight and that handrails are well sealed in to avoid any sort of incident.” Apartment balconies in private residences are not under the jurisdiction of any government authority, but the building owners are responsible for the safe upkeep of the structures, some of which are centuries old.

A technical brief from the French Board of Architects has been requested. There is little doubt that terraces and windows will be jammed on the day of the opening.

4.
Francophone Games 2027 to Armenia (yes, Armenia)

Most people have never heard of the Jeux de la Francophonie, an event started in 1989 as a competition for athletes from French-speaking countries, somewhat in parallel to the English-themed Commonwealth Games that began in 1930.

It was held on a regular schedule through 2017, but funding issues caused Moncton and Dieppe in New Brunswick (CAN) to return the 2021 event in 2019, and it was subsequently awarded to Kinshasa (COD). But the 2021 date was moved to avoid a clash with the Tokyo Olympic Games and then moved again to 2023, where it was held from 28 July-6 August, amid some controversies, notably over organization and costs.

What, then, for 2027? The Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) had been casting around for a host and, finally, on 8 February, voted by videoconference to award the 10th edition to Yerevan, Armenia. About 4,000 athletes will compete in seven sports and a wide cultural program.

Armenia?

It only joined the OIF in 2012 and has a little more than 10,000 French speakers among a population of 3.165 million. English is far more widely spoken in this former Soviet Republic, which became independent in 1991.

So how does it end up hosting the Jeux de la Francophonie?

Because it wants and the Armenian government will pay for it. The OIF was in no position to be picky, as Armenia was the only bidder.

Observed: While the Jeux de la Francophonie is not a high-profile event on the level of the Asian Games or Pan American Games, this episode underscores the difficulty in finding hosts for events of this type.

Putting the Francophone Games in Armenia is not terribly different from awarding the Commonwealth Games to Mexico. As of now, there is no host for the 2026 Commonwealth Games after Victoria pulled out in mid-2023, and the event may be delayed to 2027 or broken into pieces until a future host wants to bring it back together. None are on the horizon, although discussions about 2034 are being held in New Zealand.

Credit to the OIF for being flexible, but it now has to try to find a host for 2031 … who could step in to host 2027 if tensions between Armenia and neighboring Azerbaijan take a turn for the worse.

5.
Anti-doping pioneer Dr. Don Catlin passes at 85

One of the pioneers in the U.S. anti-doping movement, Dr. Don Catlin, passed away at age 85 on 16 January 2024 in Los Angeles after suffering from dementia and ultimately a stroke.

Catlin was a key player in the development of the U.S. anti-doping movement, after serving in the U.S. Army at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and then coming to UCLA as an Assistant Professor in Pharmacology.

When Los Angeles was selected to host the 1984 Olympic Games, the anti-doping movement was in its infancy and Catlin was called on to assist in the creation of the Ziffren Olympic Analytical Laboratory at UCLA, the first such lab in the United States. Paid for by the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee, Catlin was in charge of the analytical testing of all of the Olympic doping samples during the 1984 Games.

The quality of the lab’s work was so high that Catlin was instantly in demand to assist other organizations in their anti-doping work, including the National Football League, the NCAA and various leagues in professional baseball.

The lab eventually separated from UCLA, with Catlin continuing as a Professor Emeritus of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, and the Chief Science Officer of the private-sector Banned Substances Control Group, Inc.

In 2003, Catlin was asked to decipher an unknown substance from a used syringe provided to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency by a “high profile” track coach. It turned out to be a manufactured steroid called tetrahydrogestrinone (THG: “The Clear”) and the discovery eventually led to the BALCO scandal, named for the Bay Area lab that distributed the steroid to athletes that included Olympic sprint star Marion Jones and many others.

Said Travis Tygart, the head of the USADA, “He was the pioneer of anti-doping, and I think having someone with his stature and academic background with a lab at one of the finest universities of the world, UCLA, brought credibility to the scientific side” of the anti-doping effort.

While gregarious and inquisitive, Catlin had a no-nonsense approach to his anti-doping work, believing most importantly that lives could be saved if athletes would refrain from using these dangerous drugs.

Catlin was a long-time member of the IOC Medical Commission and retired from UCLA in 2007. He said in a National Public Radio interview of sports and doping, “You’ll never get all the drugs out of it. The rewards are too huge. [M]y hope is, and I think it’s not unrealistic, that you should be able to watch a track and field final and be satisfied that nobody is doping.”

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Aquatics ● The U.S. swept the men’s and women’s 100 m Backstroke titles on the third day of swimming at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha (QAT).

Nineteen-year-old Claire Curzan got a big start in the women’s 100 m Back final and was never headed, winning in a lifetime best of 58.29 and moving to no. 10 on the all-time list and no. 4 among Americans. She moved up from the bronze in this race in 2022 to defeat Australian teen Iona Anderson (59.12) and Canada’s Ingrid Wilm (59.18). It’s Curzan’s seventh career Worlds medal (3-1-3) and she’ll be busy the rest of the week.

The men’s 100 Back final had 2022 and 2023 Worlds bronze winner Hunter Armstrong of the U.S. and he added to his medal collection with a gold to go with his 50 m Back win in 2023, and three relay golds. He had to pass Spain’s Hugo Gonzalez on the final lap to win by 52.68 to 52.70, with Greek Apostolos Christou third in 53.36. Fellow American Jack Aikins finished eighth in 54.60.

In the men’s 200 m Free final, Korea’s Sun-woo Hwang completed his move up the podium from silver in 2022 to third in 2023 and now to gold in 1:44.75, just ahead of two-time European champ Danas Rapsys (LTU: 1:45.05) and American Luke Hobson (1:45.26), who won his first Worlds individual medal. It was the first U.S. medal in this event at the Worlds since 2017.

With U.S. distance superstar – and five-time winner – Katie Ledecky skipping the meet, Italy’s Simona Quadarella returned to the top of the podium in the women’s 1,500 m Free. She had won in 2019 in Gwangju when Ledecky was ill and won the 2017 bronze and 2023 silver in this event, and now a second gold in 15:46.99. That was almost 10 seconds up on Bingjie Li (CHN: 15:56.62), with Isabel Gose (GER: 15:57.55) third.

In the women’s 100 m Breaststroke final, China’s 19-year-old Qianting Tan followed up her 2021 World short-course gold with the Worlds 50 m gold in 1:05.27, ahead of fast-closing Tes Schouten (NED: 1:05.82) and Hong Kong star Siobhan Haughey (1:05.92). Haughey swam this race just minutes after her 200 m Free semi, taking her first Worlds medal outside of the freestyle stroke.

The U.S. double by Curzan and Armstrong isn’t new, as it’s been done four times before in the 100 m Back, by Bob Jackson and Linda Jezek in 1978, by Lenny Krayzelburg and Lea Maurer in 1998, by Aaron Peirsol and Natalie Coughlin in 2007 and Matt Grevers and Missy Franklin in 2013.

The men’s 800 m Free, 50 m Breast and 200 m Butterfly come on Wednesday, along with the women’s 200 m Free and the Mixed 4×100 m Medley relay.

In the men’s water polo quarters, Spain edged Montenegro, 15-12, and will meet Italy, an 11-10 winner over Greece. Croatia won another tight match with Serbia, 15-13, and France got by Hungary, 11-10, to advance to Thursday’s semifinals.

● Biathlon ● The IBU World Championships continued in Nove Mesto (CZE), with Italian star Lisa Vittozzi breaking up the French parade in the women’s events with her first career Worlds individual-event gold in the 15 km Individual race.

She shot clean in all four stops and won in a runaway in 40:02.9 to 40:23.4 (0 penalties) for Germany’s Janina Hettich-Walz, with France’s Julia Simon – who had won the Sprint and Pursuit – third in 40:32.5 (1). American Deedra Irwin was a very creditable 11th in 42:57.3 (1).

Vittozzi, 29, now owns 10 Worlds medals from 2015 on (2-4-4) and got her second gold, after a relay win in 2023. The men’s 20 km Individual race comes on Wednesday.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed during a Tuesday briefing that the International Olympic Committee will be responsible for deciding if and which Russian and Belarusian athletes will compete as neutrals at the Paris 2024 Games:

“The IOC allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the 2024 Games under a neutral flag. France respects the autonomy of the sports community and takes note of the committee’s decision. …

“It is up to the national federations and the IOC to identify athletes who comply with the criteria of neutrality and, accordingly, can participate in the Games. France will ensure that these criteria are strictly observed before and during the Olympics.”

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● The Secretary General of the Russian Olympic Committee, Rodion Plitukhin, told reporters at a Moscow sports forum on Tuesday that the organization is looking ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Games:

“Both podiums and home Olympic Games, the biggest sporting events, are still ahead of us.

“The state of affairs in the Olympic movement allows us to set a goal for the Russian Olympic team to participate with the flag and anthem at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. Our sworn friends [the U.S.] can’t afford to just win their home Games without competing with the strongest, they won’t forgive themselves.”

Observed: Plitukhin might want to consult the history books; the U.S. team at the 1984 Los Angeles Games had no trouble winning with joy in the absence of the USSR and the other countries that boycotted.

● World Anti-Doping Agency ● The continuing prosecution of cases of Russia’s state-sponsored doping program from 2011-15 has yielded 241 sanctions so far. In a statement to the Russian news agency TASS, WADA noted:

“WADA’s ‘Operation LIMS’ investigation has been a significant success with 241 sanctions having been imposed to date by 18 Anti-Doping Organizations. An additional 41 cases have been charged with another 119 remaining under investigation. A number of further cases were investigated and were closed due to a lack of available evidence.”

WADA finally was able to retrieve the “LIMS” data from the Moscow Laboratory at the center of the doping scandal in Russia in early 2019 and has been distributing the evidence to the interested international federations, as well as pursuing cases on its own motion.

WADA has referred two non-compliance cases to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, for Nigeria and Venezuela, with both having multiple “critical requirements” of their anti-doping programs. Both have disputed the WADA finding and the matter will now head to arbitration.

The penalties for being non-compliant can include the prohibition of their flag being used at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

● Russia ● Russian Olympic 97 kg Freestyle wrestling gold medalist Abdulrashid Sadulaev will compete as a “neutral” at the European Championships in Bucharest (ROU), after not having received a visa to enter Romania as of the end of last week.

However, six other Russians had not received visas yet and were still in limbo.

● Athletics ● Two heavy doping sentences, for Kenyan marathoner Sarah Chepchirchir and Indian women’s hammer thrower Kumari Rachna.

Chepchirchir, 39, the 2017 Tokyo Marathon women’s winner (2:19:47) received an eight-year ban for use of Testosterone discovered from a test at the Chonburi Marathon in Thailand on 5 November 2023. She did not respond to the doping charge and as this was her second doping violation – she had just completed a 2019-23 suspension – was banned for eight years through 21 December 2031.

Rachna was banned for the use of multiple steroids in out-of-competition tests in September 2023 and an in-competition test in November 2023. She had been banned for four years from 2015-19 and failed to respond to any inquiries about her 2023 doping positives, leading the Athletics Integrity Unit to impose a 12-year ban to 23 November 2035!

● Shooting ● The final event of the ISSF World Cup in Shotgun was the Mixed Team in Skeet, with the all-star American pair of three-time Olympic champs Vincent Hancock and Kim Rhode equaling the world record of 149/150 to lead the qualifying.

In the final, they cruised to the gold by 45-40 over Yaroslav Startsev and Elizaveta Boiarshinova of Georgia. Said Hancock:

“We tied the world record in qualification. My goal here today was just come out and implement what I learned over the last couple of days.

“All of this competition is practice, everything is a stepping stone leading to the Olympics, and trying to get back to the place where we all dream to go.

So I’m thankful and grateful for two medals here. But now it’s home, practice and making the Olympic team hopefully next month. That’s the next competition. That’s where my focus is.”

● Weightlifting ● The USA Weightlifting squad is competing as guest competitors at the 2024 European Championships in Sofia (BUL), skipping the Pan American Championships in Caracas (VEN) due to safety concerns, and teen sensation Hampton Morris is making the most of it.

U.S. performances will count toward Olympic qualifying and 19-year-old Morris had a career day on Tuesday in the men’s 61 kg class, “winning” the class at 297 kg, although he will not get a medal as a guest.

The event was officially won by home favorite Gabriel Marinov (BUL) at 281 kg. Morris lifted 126 kg in the Snatch – equal to second in the official competition – and did 171 kg in the Clean & Jerk, the best of the day, as was his 297 kg total.

Along the way, he set eight American Records in his six lifts, including senior-level marks in his weight class for Snatch, Clean & Jerk and total. He now ranks seventh in the Olympic qualifying ranking with one more competition to go in April.

● Wrestling ● United World Wrestling lifted sanctions against the Wrestling Federation of India, imposed last year in view of actions taken against wrestlers protesting abuse by the former federation president.

The UWW Disciplinary Chamber ended the suspension with the condition that Athletes’ Commission elections be held with no discrimination against those who protested, and not later than 1 July.

The WFI, for its part, now intends to resume its role as the national federation for the sport in India.

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TSX REPORT: New Paris arena opened Sunday; will the Paris swim schedule change for Marchand? Two U.S. swim golds at Doha Worlds!

Rich Perelman

February 13, 2024

tsx pix 2024-212 ilia malinin isu awards — American teen skating star Ilia Malinin was named “Most Valuable Skater” at the ISU Skating Awards (Graphic courtesy International Skating Union)

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. New Arena Porte de la Chapelle opens in Paris
2. Will the Paris swimming schedule be modified for Marchand?
3. U.S.’s Malinin wins ISU “Most Valuable Skater”
4. Russian wrestlers refused visas; IIHF will not re-admit for 2024-25
5. Protestors gather in rain against Milan Cortina 2026

● The Arena Porte de la Chapelle, a multi-purpose arena to be used for badminton and rhythmic gymnastics at the Olympic Games, was opened to the public on Sunday. It’s the only new sports facility built for the Games inside Paris itself and will be the home of the Paris basketball club.

● French swim sensation Leon Marchand is in position to win four individual medals at Paris 2024, but the schedule is against him on 30 and 31 July with an unusual possible double in the 200 m Butterfly and 200 m Breaststroke. But he apparently has gotten some relief in the semis, with the events moved further apart within the same session. But what about the 31st?

● American teen skating star Ilia Malinin won the “Most Valuable Skater” designation at Sunday’s ISU Skating Awards honoring the 2023 season. Eight awards were distributed in all, with former Canadian star, and now coach, Brian Orser honored with a Lifetime Achievement award.

● Russia continues to be front-and-center, with seven of 10 wrestlers denied visas for the European Championships in Romania; the International Ice Hockey Federation decided not to re-admit Russia or Belarus for 2024-25, and the sports minister saying Russia will pay its WADA dues.

● A group of protestors estimated from 100 to 1,000 gathered in a rainstorm Saturday in Milan against the “unsustainable” 2026 Milan Cortina Games, notably the decision to spend public funds on the building of a new sliding track in Cortina.

● World Championships: Aquatics (2: Fink and Douglass take swimming golds; U.S. women out-last Australia to meet Spain in semis) ●

● Panorama: Beijing 2022 (Canadian Olympic Committee protests Team event bronze to Russia) = Athletics (2: Jamaican star Fraser-Pryce to retire after Paris; Semenya fund-raising for further appeal) = Fencing (France’s Thibus suspended for doping) = Football (2: USSF approves pay for President; Argentina qualifies for Paris, so will Messi play?) ●

1.
New Arena Porte de la Chapelle opens in Paris

The only new facility to be built for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games that is actually inside the city limits of Paris itself opened on Sunday, the Arena Porte de la Chapelle.

The facility seats 8,000 and will host badminton and rhythmic gymnastics during the Olympic Games and badminton and powerlifting during the Paralympic Games later this year.

The primary tenant will be the Paris Basketball Club and the venue will be known as the Adidas Arena outside of the Olympic and Paralympic period. The facility includes the main arena floor, but also two additional gymnasiums which will be available for year-round use; they will be warm-up areas for both Games.

The opening was highly political, as the arena is located in what has been a high-crime area, with significant drug activity. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo told reporters on Sunday:

“People used to talk about this area as a ‘no-go zone’ … But we made a commitment to change things. Today we have the demonstration that change is possible.”

Investment in the Porte de la Chapelle area has reached €500 million (about $538.7 million U.S. today), including new landscaping on areas which had been used for drug dealing and an effort to move migrant camps away. With a university research center expected to open in 2025, the area is hoped to be transformed with the influx of 1.2 million or more visitors a year. Construction was completed in about two-and-a-half years.

The other major new sports facility being built for the Games is the aquatics center, under construction in the Saint-Denis area north of Paris, which will seat 5,000 and host artistic swimming, diving and preliminary water polo matches.

2.
Will the Paris swimming schedule be modified for Marchand?

If you’re not already familiar with French swimming star Leon Marchand, please remember his name.

Because you will be hearing a lot about him as Paris 2024 grows closer and he becomes the face of the Games for France during the first week. At 21, he’s the two-time World Champion in the men’s 200 m Medley and 400 m Medley and the 2023 Worlds winner in the 200 m Butterfly. And the world-record holder in the 400 m Medley as well.

In 2023, he ranked first worldwide in the 200 m Fly and 400 m Medley, second in the 200 m Medley and third in the 200 m Breaststroke. Certainly a possibility for four individual medals, plus the 4×200 m Freestyle. Fantastique!

But for Paris this summer, he has a real problem: the schedule on 30 and 31 July:

● 28 July: 400 m Medley (heats and final)
● 30 July: 200 m Butterfly, 200 m Breaststroke (heats and semis)
● 31 July: 200 m Butterfly, 200 m Breaststroke (finals)
● 01 Aug.: 200 m Medley (heats and semis)
● 02 Aug.: 200 m Medley (final)

On those days, Marchand would have to swim both events in the morning and evening of the 30th, then come back and swim both finals – currently scheduled back-to-back, maybe 15 minutes apart – on the 31st.

Enter French swimming federation technical director Julien Issoulie and Marchand’s coach, famed American (and Arizona State) coach Bob Bowman, who famously guided Michael Phelps to greatness.

According to the French daily Le Monde, both are lobbying Paris 2024 to modify the schedule to allow more time between the two events:

“We asked that one of the two events are scheduled at the start of the session and the other towards the end. We all got involved, Bowman had the same discussion as us with World Aquatics.

“The international federation had never encountered this problem because until now, no very high level swimmer had done the 200 m breaststroke and the 200 m butterfly. They thought about it within the technical committee, we did everything to make them aware that it would be good to postpone the tests.”

The Le Monde story said that the two 200 m semifinals on the 30th would now be about an hour apart, but no change has been indicated in the back-to-back finals on the 31st. However, the men’s 4×200 m Free final will also be at the end of the 30 July schedule.

Issoulie said the decision on what Marchand will swim won’t be decided now:

“Indeed, it could change the situation but for the moment, we are keeping this question in suspense.

“We know very well how it happens: if we say that he is doing four [individual] races and ultimately we don’t line him up for one of them, we will hear, ‘Leon is not doing well.’ The strategy is for him to be qualified everywhere, but we leave the choice until the last moment.”

Moving events around a bit inside of a session is hardly unheard of, notably in track & field, even at the Olympic level. France will be waiting.

3.
U.S.’s Malinin wins ISU “Most Valuable Skater”

The International Skating Union Awards for 2024 were revealed on Sunday in Zurich (SUI) during a special “Art on Ice” show, with American teen star Ilia Malinin winning the Most Valuable Skater award.

This award is not for the best performance of the year, but “Honors the Single Skater or Pair or Ice Dance Couple who promoted Figure Skating – due to a successful competition season, creating (social) media attention and engagement in 2023.”

Malinin, 19, wowed the skating world by becoming the first to complete the quadruple Axel jump in competition, in 2022. He won a bronze at the 2023 World Championships and was the 2023 ISU Grand Prix Final winner. He beat out Japan’s Shoma Uno and Kaori Sakamoto, both of whom won the 2023 World Championships golds.

The announcement noted Malinin’s “impressive Instagram following of 127,000.”

There were seven more award categories, for current skaters and those who support them:

● Best Newcomer: Hana Yoshida (JPN)
● Most Entertaining Program: Adam Siao Him Fa (FRA)
● Best Costume: Loena Hendrickx (BEL)

● Best Choreographer: Benoit Richaud (FRA)
● Best Coach: Mie Hamada (JPN)
● Lifetime Achievement: Brian Orser (CAN)
● Special Achievement: Deanna Stellato-Dudek (CAN)

Siao Him Fa’s award for the best program and Richaud’s award for choreography are connected as they work together. Hamada coaches the newcomer award winner Yoshida, as well as women’s World Junior Champion Mao Shimada and 2024 Four Continents winner Mone Chiba.

Orser has starred as a two-time Olympic silver winner for Canada in 1984 and 1988, the 1987 World Champion and as a coach from 2005, with stars including Olympic gold medalists Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN) and Yuna Kim (KOR), two-time World Champion Javier Fernandez (ESP) and many others.

Stellato-Dudek was honored for coming back to skating after a 2000 World Junior Championships women’s silver for the U.S., then retiring until 2016 and returning as a Pairs skater. She transferred to skate for Canada with Maxime Deschamps in 2021 and they won the 2024 Four Continents gold at age 40!

4.
Russian wrestlers refused visas; IIHF will not re-admit Russia for 2024-25

Pushback against Russian participation continues, as the European Wrestling Championships began Monday in Bucharest (ROU), but seven of the 10 wrestlers on the Russian team – expected to compete as “neutrals” – have not received visas. Among those not receiving visas are men’s Freestyle Olympic champions from Tokyo at 57 kg (Zaur Uguev) and 97 kg (Abdulrashid Sadulaev). Per coach Khadzhimurat Gatsalov:

“Of the announced [team] composition, only three currently have visas, the rest still do not have them, our team is due to fly on February 14. If we do not receive visas, we will replace them with those who have them. At this stage there are no visas including the Olympic champions Sadulayev and Uguev. The leadership of the federation is doing everything to rectify the situation; they are contacting the embassy and the consulate.”

Uguev won a quota place for Russia (as a “neutral”) with his fifth-place finish at the 2023 World Championships; Russia does not yet have a quota spot at 97 kg. The European Championships is not an Olympic qualifying event; the final European qualifier will come in April in Baku (AZE).

The International Ice Hockey Federation announced Monday that it will not readmit Russian or Belarus for its 2024-25 season tournaments:

“Based on a thorough analysis, the IIHF Council concluded that it is not yet safe to reincorporate the Russian and Belarusian Teams back into IIHF Competitions. Therefore, Russia and Belarus will not participate in the 2024/2025 IIHF championship season. This decision will also apply to the Belarusian team regarding the Final Olympic Qualification Round that will be played in August 2024.

“As it has been done over the past years, the IIHF Council will continue to monitor the situation, with the latest date to determine if it is safe to reincorporate Russia and Belarus for the 2025/2026 Championship season in May 2025 at the IIHF Council meeting ahead of the IIHF Annual Congress.”

The IIHF suspended Russia and Belarus in February 2022 as a reaction to the invasion of Ukraine and has maintained the ban since.

Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin said Monday that Russia will pay its still-outstanding dues for the World Anti-Doping Agency for 2023:

“I will not announce the numbers, but we will pay the amount agreed with WADA. Now we are waiting for confirmation for next year, we agreed that they will establish a contribution formula, because we cannot rely on the Council of Europe, of which Russia is no longer a member. For this year, the amount will be paid in the amount that we agreed upon.”

WADA has expected Russia to pay $1.267 million U.S. for 2023 and while there is a dues amount already set for 2024 of $1.335 million, this is under review by WADA in view of Russia no longer being a member of the Council of Europe.

Russia continues to be held in non-compliance by WADA and the outstanding dues is one of the issues.

5.
Protestors gather in rain against Milan Cortina 2026

There was a protest against the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games on Saturday, with widely varying estimates of the number who showed up in the rain.

The Associated Press reported that “Around 150 people gathered in the pouring rain on Saturday outside the construction site for the Olympic Village in Milan.”

The Reuters story opened with, “Around 300 people marched in Milan on Saturday to protest over the environmental impact of the Winter Olympics that will be held in northern Italy in 2026.”

Agence France Presse’s report stated, “Around 1,000 people marched on a soaking wet day in the northern Italian city to decry the building of infrastructure for the Milan-Cortina Games.”

In any case, Saturday’s event, and other efforts like it was organized by the Comitato Insostenibili Olimpiadi – “Unsustainable Olympics Committee” – described by AFP as “a network of hiking groups, environmental activists, heritage associations and left-wing political movements.”

Their ire was directed at public spending for the controversial new sliding track in Cortina to replace the demolished Eugenio Monti track from the 1956 Winter Games and being built for more than €81.6 million (~$87.9 million U.S.) on an extremely accelerated timeframe, against the wishes of the International Olympic Committee.

Signs included protests of “concreting,” “gentrification,” “greenwashing,” “privatization” and “eviction.” One protester decried “spending more than 100 million euros of public money on a sport that is practiced by only 20 people in the whole of Italy.”

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Aquatics ● Swimming is now fully underway at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha (QAT), with the U.S. taking its first two wins in the pool.

Although many of the U.S. stars passed on Doha to concentrate their efforts on training for the U.S. Olympic Trials coming in June, some veterans sought out the Worlds and Nic Fink and Kate Douglass came up golden.

● Men/100 m Breast: Legendary world-record holder and two-time Olympic champ Adam Peaty (GBR) was back after a sabbatical following an injury-filled 2022 and is rounding into shape. But Fink, after a bronze in this event at the 2022 Worlds and silver in 2023, led at the turn and held on to win his second individual Worlds gold in a world-leading 58.57. Italy’s Niccolo Martinenghi charged up from fifth at the half to pass Peaty on the way home and got second in 58.84 with Peaty third in 59.10.

● Women/200 m Medley: Douglass came in as the defending champion and left no doubt with a lifetime best 2:07.05 victory by more than a second-and-a-half over Sydney Pickrem (CAN: 2:08.56) and China’s Yiting Yu (2:09.01), who won the Worlds bronze for the second year in a row. At age 22, Douglass already owns 10 Worlds medals (3-3-4), and she remains sixth on the all-time list (with the no. 11 performance).

● Men/50 m Free: Portugal’s Diogo Ribiero won a silver in this event at the 2023 Worlds in Japan and moved up to the top of the podium at 22.97, beating Michael Andrew of the U.S. by 0.10 (23.07) and Australian freestyle star Cameron McEvoy (23.08). It’s Andrew’s fourth Worlds medal in an individual event (0-2-2), and moved him up from his 2022 bronze in the 50 Fly.

● Women/100 m Fly: German Angelina Kohler led the race from the start and won cleanly in 56.28, ahead of American Claire Curzan (56.61) and Swede Louse Hansson (56.94). Curzan won her second career individual Worlds medal after a 2022 bronze in the 100 m Back.

The men’s 200 m Free and 100 m Back and the women’s 1,500 m Free, 100 m Back and 100 m Breaststroke finals are on tap for Tuesday.

In the women’s water polo quarterfinals, the U.S. struggled past Australia by 10-9, taking an 8-3 lead into the final quarter, but then getting outscored by 6-2! Maddie Musselman led the U.S. attack with three goals.

Meanwhile, Spain edged Canada, 12-9; Spain and the U.S. will meet in one semifinal on Wednesday. Hungary won a shoot-out to get past the Netherlands, 13-12 (5-4) and Greece defeated Italy, 14-12.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2022: Beijing ● The Canadian Olympic Committee joined in with disbelief in the International Skating Union’s award of the 2022 Olympic figure skating Team Event bronze medal to Russia and posted a brief statement on Friday:

“We don’t believe the ISU statement provides further clarity or justification and continue to believe the Canadian team should be awarded the bronze medal following the CAS decision. We are working closely with Skate Canada to explore our options for appeal.”

● Athletics ● Jamaican sprint icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, now 37, told Essence magazine that she will retire after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, but that she is certainly not burnt out:

“There’s not a day I’m getting up to go practice and I’m like, ‘I’m over this.’

“My son needs me. My husband and I have been together since before I won in 2008. He has sacrificed for me. We’re a partnership, a team. And it’s because of that support that I’m able to do the things that I have been doing for all these years. And I think I now owe it to them to do something else.”

Fraser-Pryce owns five World Championship golds in the women’s 100 m, one in the 200 m and four on relays and was the Olympic women’s 100 m gold medalist in 2008 and 2012, then third in Rio and second in Tokyo.

Her goals for Paris: “showing people that you stop when you decide. I want to finish on my own terms.”

Two-time Olympic women’s 800 m gold medalist Caster Semenya (RSA) told reporters in Johannesburg on Friday that she is asking for help in funding her continuing effort to overturn the World Athletics regulations which prevent her from competing with her naturally-high testosterone levels:

“We lack funds. We have a lot of experts that come in that we need to pay. Anything that you may contribute, it makes a huge difference.”

Her appeal to the European Court of Human Rights resulted in a directive to the Swiss Federal Tribunal to undertake a more thorough review of her case, which could result in making the Swiss court an option to review all Court of Arbitration for Sport decisions. The Swiss have asked for a review of the ECHR decision by a larger Grand Chamber panel, which will commence on 15 May in Strasbourg (FRA).

● Fencing ● The International Testing Agency announced that French star Ysaora Thibus, 32, the 2022 women’s World Foil Champion and a Tokyo Olympic Team silver medalist, has tested positive for Ostarine, a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) used to improve muscle mass and strength.

The positive came from an in-competition sample from the FIE Foil World Cup in Paris on 14 January 2024. Thibus, no. 8 in the FIE World Rankings is provisionally suspended and can ask to have her B-sample tested for confirmation.

● Football ● At the U.S. Soccer Federation Annual General Meeting in Dallas, Texas, the federation pushed ahead with its stated priorities, listed as

“World Cup 2026 legacy, the Safe Soccer clearance program, growing the number of referees, democratizing soccer knowledge, a unified sporting strategy, ecosystem partnerships and the development of the National Training Center.”

A special emphasis was confirmed on “working more closely with membership,” which has been singled out as a current weakness, especially at the community and youth levels.

The USSF National Council also passed a motion – with 80.88% in favor – to provide a salary for the USSF President, up to now a volunteer position:

“The Council approved a stipend for the U.S. Soccer president of $150,000 with a reduction to $75,000 if selected to another position within soccer as a direct consequence of their role as President.”

ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle reported:

“The thinking is that having the office of president be a volunteer position restricted the pool of available candidates to those who were wealthy enough to meet the time commitment needed to do the job.”

The two-stage pay levels reflect compensation available elsewhere; Carlisle was told that current USSF President Cindy Parlow Cone receives $125,000 per year as a member of the CONCACAF Council.

Most U.S. National Governing Body Presidents are volunteers. USSF can certainly afford it, with $171.67 million in assets as of the end of 2022. It’s by far the richest of the American NGBs.

In the South American Olympic (U-23) qualifiers, Argentina defeated Brazil, 1-0, on Sunday in Caracas (VEN) and qualified second in the tournament to advance to Paris this summer.

Paraguay (2-0-1) advanced as the tournament winner and drew (3-3) with Argentina and defeated Brazil, 1-0. The Brazilians, who won the Olympic golds in Rio and Tokyo, lost two of three matches and will not play at the Olympic Games for the first time since 2004.

With Argentina in and three over-23 players allowed for the Olympic tournament, the call has already gone out for superstar Lionel Messi – who will be 37 in June – to join the squad if he wishes. He already owns an Olympic gold from the 2008 Beijing Games.

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TSX REPORT: ISU defends Russian Team bronze; Gabba redevelopment vaporizes; marathon record man Kiptum dies in car crash

Rich Perelman

February 12, 2024

Chicago Marathon 2023 — Kelvin Kiptum won the 2023 Chicago Marathon in world-record time. On Sunday, he died in a car crash in Kenya (Photo: Bank of America Marathon/Kevin Morris)

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. ISU defends handing Russia 2022 OWG Team bronze
2. Queensland’s A$2.7 billion Gabba project suddenly dead!
3. Montreal could demolish the Stade Olympique, but for C$2 billion?
4. World indoor marks for Charlton, Kerr, three U.S. at fab Millrose
5. Marathon record holder Kiptum killed in car crash

● The International Skating Union defended its re-scoring of the Beijing 2022 Team Event in figure skating, giving Russia the bronze and leaving Canada fourth. But this isn’t over, and the drama will go on and on.

● Suddenly, all the political backing for the A$2.7 billion re-development of the Brisbane Cricket ground – The Gabba – has vaporized and the project is expected to be severely downsized once an ongoing review is completed in March.

● Montreal’s Stade Olympique, the symbol of the 1976 Olympic Games, is set for a C$870 million roof renovation …. because it would cost C$2 billion to tear it down! Really?

● Fabulous Millrose Games in New York, with world indoor records for Devynne Charlton of The Bahamas in the women’s 60 m hurdles and Britain’s Josh Kerr in the men’s two-mile. Plus three American Records!

● Tragedy: Kenyan marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum, 24, died in a car crash outside Eldoret in Kenya on Sunday night.

● World Championships: Aquatics (5: China’s Pan get 100 Free record; China sweeps Olympic diving events; China sweeps artistic team events) = Biathlon (Norway and France dominate Sprint and Pursuit) ●

● Panorama: Alpine Skiing (2: Odermatt wins sixth straight G-S; Gut-Behrami takes seasonal lead) = Athletics (eight world leaders as Lievin as Girma, Holloway, Tsegay scare records) = Basketball (U.S. women survive Olympic Qualifying Tournament) = Cross Country (Diggins wins again!) = Cycling (France and Sakakibara wins BMX season openers) = Fencing (4: Olympic champs Kiefer and Cheung win Foil Grand Prix; Olympic champ Szilagyi wins Sabre World Cup; Kong takes Epee World Cup win; Kharlan gets 14th World Cup Sabre gold) = Football (U.S. women dominate CONCACAF U-17s) = Freestyle Skiing (2: Thompson sweeps Ski Cross; China and U.S. sweep Aerials) = Ice Hockey (Canada swamps U.S. three straight to win Rivalry Series) = Luge (Aparjods and Fraebel surprise in Oberhof World Cup) = Nordic Combined (Riiber on nine-race streak in Otepaa) = Shooting (Cassandro and Scocchetti take Trap World Cup titles) = Short Track (Korea scores five wins at Dresden World Cup) = Snowboard (Hirano and Ono win seasonal Halfpipe tiles in Calgary) ●

1.
ISU defends handing Russia 2022 OWG Team bronze

The International Skating Union’s confusing award of the bronze medal to Russia in the re-score of the 2022 Olympic Winter Games Team Event in figure skating following the 29 January disqualification of Russian skater Kamila Valieva was compounded with an even more cryptic statement on Friday. It included:

“The decision of the ISU Council with regard to the consequences to the official results of the Team event of Beijing 2022, clearly expressed in the ISU Statement of January 30, 2024, was based on a comprehensive evaluation from legal experts. This evaluation was, in turn, founded on the applicable rules and principles that are specific to this OWG Team event and is, therefore, the only decision that complies with the CAS Panel’s award. For the sake of clarity Rule 353 para 4 in the ISU Special Regulations is not applicable in this case.

“In any complex and extraordinary situation like this, the reallocation of points could negatively affect the relative team ranking, adversely impacting teams that had nothing to do with the incident in question. Therefore, we have to abide by the rules and principles. In light of this case, we will further clarify the rules and principles moving forward to ensure any such cases are dealt with more efficiently in the future.

“The CAS decision itself may be subject to appeal, therefore the ISU will not be discussing this matter in further detail in public at this stage.”

Others will be discussing it, however. It was noted in the TSX Report for 31 January that:

● Rule 353 of the ISU’s Special Regulations for Technical Rules for Singles, Pairs and Ice Dance, in section 4 – titled “Publication of Results” – the text is clear about scoring for disqualified competitors:

“Disqualified Competitors will lose their placements and be officially noted in the intermediate and final results as disqualified (DSQ). Competitors having finished the competition and who initially placed lower than the disqualified Competitor(s) will move up accordingly in their placement(s).”

● Moreover, Rule 11.2.2 of the ISU Anti-Doping Rules is in a section titled “Consequences to Teams” and states:

“An anti-doping rule violation committed by a member of a team, including substitutes, occurring during or in connection with an Event may lead to Disqualification of all of the results obtained by the team in that Event with all Consequences for the team and its members, including forfeiture of all medals, points and prizes, except as provided in Article 11.2.3.”

The key phrase here is “in connection with an Event,” which in the Valieva case would indicate that her doping positive, revealed literally minutes after the Team Event finished on 7 February 2022, would appear to apply here. If so, the entire Russian team should be disqualified, and the Canadians awarded the bronze medal.

The ISU makes only a blanket statement and gives no explanation for its ruling, other than its reference to “legal experts.”

Skate Canada protested the initial re-scoring and reserved its rights to take this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and once any appeal to the Court of Arbitration decision in the Valieva case proper is made (and if made, dealt with), there can be little doubt a filing will be made on behalf of the Canadian team which finished fourth.

Which means that this long-running drama, at least for the Canadian and Russian skaters, is likely not close to being finalized any time soon.

2.
Queensland’s A$2.7 billion Gabba project suddenly dead!

The headline of the story on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation site was definite:

“Queensland politicians all agree the $2.7 billion Gabba redevelopment plan is dead”

The project, to tear down and redevelop the famed Brisbane Cricket Ground – “The Gabba” – in advance of the 2032 Olympic Games was a signature project of the Queensland government under Premier Anastasia Palaszczuk (Labor). But Palaszczuk retired on 15 December 2023 and her successor, Steven Miles, appointed a commission to review the project.

Former Brisbane Mayor Graham Quirk and his team are in the midst of their effort, with their report due by 18 March. But the political will behind the project has evaporated.

Miles had originally supported the plan as Palaszczuk’s deputy, but once in charge, the continuing outcry over the expanded cost – and the impact of a two-year project on the surrounding community – led him to ask for a critical review, saying “My preference is to find a better value-for-money outcome, that has always been my preference.”

The most current cost estimate of A$2.7 billion (about $1.76 billion U.S.) has been the driving force on souring support for the concept. Even at the bid stage, the International Olympic Committee’s review pointed out that the existing Carrara Stadium in a Gold Coast suburb, functioned well as the site for ceremonies and athletes at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Now, former Australian Olympic Committee chief John Coates, also an important International Olympic Committee member and the driving force behind Brisbane’s bid, said “we should abandon the Gabba,” and current AOC President Ian Chesterman said in a statement:

“We believe there are other, more creative solutions than rebuilding the Gabba for the Games which provide a legacy for our sports and even greater access for fans to an exceptional Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Political opposition chimed in, with Shadow Olympic and Paralympic infrastructure minister Jarrod Bleijie saying “The Liberal National Party have always held the view we do not support the full Gabba knockdown, it was a $2.7 billion project without a business case, without any financial credibility behind it.”

And Brisbane Mayor Adrian Schrinner (LNP) said in a television interview that “I think today we can officially say the Gabba rebuild is dead, buried and cremated – and that is a good thing. …

“Let’s use what we’ve got. Let’s have a look at the best and most cost-effective way to do it. If there’s spare money, we want it to go into transport and roads, not into stadiums.”

The question now is where to hold the ceremonies and track & field, with Suncorp Stadium – known as Lang Park or “The Cauldron” – an obvious choice. It’s an existing stadium for rugby and football seating 52,500, which could work for the ceremonies, but another location would be needed for track. Coates suggested the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre, a 48,500-seat facility in the Brisbane suburb of Nathan.

Said Miles, “let Graham Quirk do his work on the review and I’ll wait for his findings.”

3.
Montreal could demolish the Stade Olympique, but for C$2 billion?

The financial disaster that was the Games of the XXI Olympiad in Montreal, Quebec in 1976 was centered around the construction of multiple stadia, most notably the futuristic-looking Stade Olympique.

But it wasn’t even close to being finished by the time the Games was held, and the roof was only installed in 1987.

Now, the roof is causing more problems; the CBC reported:

“The venue can’t hold games or exhibitions half the year because of the roof’s fragility – events are cancelled if more than three centimetres of snow are forecast.

“But throughout the years, Quebec politicians have said that the only reasonable option is to continue maintaining the stadium – even if its roof has never really worked since it was completed in 1987 – than to get rid of the concrete behemoth in the city’s east-end.”

Caroline Proulx, the Quebec Tourism Minister, said last week that the preferred solution is to spend C$870 million to replace the roof – over four years – with the stadium to close in two years if nothing is done to fix it. (C$1 = $0.74 U.S.)

Why not tear it down? Well, Proulx said that could cost C$2 billion! That’s because the venue was built with pre-stressed concrete, making implosion almost impossible, moreover possibly damaging the subway lines which run around and under the stadium.

McGill University engineering professor Daniele Malomo told the CBC:

“The problem in demolishing something like that is that you can’t just cut the concrete,” explaining that to do so would release huge amounts of energy from the steel rebar inside; “It will behave like a bomb, essentially.”

The city of Montreal was left with C$1 billion debt after the Games, significantly due to the Stade Olympique, on which building continued. The debt was finally extinguished in 2006, with the stadium locally known as the “Big Owe.”

4.
World indoor marks for Charlton and Kerr at fab Millrose, U.S. records for Monson, Fisher and St. Pierre!

There was great anticipation for possible world records at the 116th Millrose Games in New York on Sunday, but in the first event on the track? That’s what happened, along with another world mark, three American Records and world-leading performances in six events:

● Men/Mile: 3:47.83, Yared Nuguse (USA)
● Men/Two Mile: 8:00.67, Josh Kerr (GBR) ~ World Record

● Women/60 m: 6.99, Julien Alfred (LCA)
● Women/Mile: 4:16.41, Elle St. Pierre (USA) ~ American Record
● Women/Two Mile: 9:04.84, Laura Muir (GBR)
● Women/60 m hurdles: 7.67, Devynne Charlton (BAH) ~ World Record

In the first elite event on the track, Charlton was out fast and had the lead at the first hurdle against an excellent field that included world leader Tia Jones of the U.S. Jones came on as did Jamaica’s two-time World 100 m hurdles Champion Danielle Williams, but they could not dent the lead and she crossed in a world record of 7.67, busting the 2008 mark of 7.68 by Susanna Kallur (SWE). Williams and Jones went 2-3 in 7.79. Wow!

In the women’s 60 m, Alfred took the world lead with a powerful performance right from the start and ran away from everyone in 6.99, her fourth-fastest indoor 60 m ever. Jamaica’s Shashalee Forbes was a distant second at 7.14.

American distance star Alicia Monson took over the two-mile once the pacing ended and led British star Laura Muir at the mile in 4:35.40. Ethiopian teen Melknat Wudu came up to challenge Monson and then Muir took over with 300 m to go. At the bell, it was Muir, 19-year-old Medina Eisa (ETH) and Wudu as Monson fell back, and then Eisa shot back Muir for the win in the final 50 m in 9:04.39, moving her to no. 2 all-time!

But Eisa was subsequently disqualified for an improper move that cut off another runner. So Muir ended up the winner with a national record of 9:04.84 (now no. 2 all-time) and Wudu moved up to second in 9:07.12 (no. 4 all-time). Monson got third and an American Record of 9:09.70 (no. 5 all-time), moving aside Elle St. Pierre’s 9:10.28 from 2021.

The men’s two-mile had record aspirations, with World 1,500 m champ Josh Kerr (GBR) and 2022 Worlds 10,000 m fourth-place Grant Fisher of the U.S. at the front of the pack. Fisher passed 1 1/4 miles in the lead with Kerr just behind and well clear of the rest of the field. Kerr took over with 300 m left and was clear of Fisher at the bell and charged home – raising his hand to the crowd with 50 m to go – and winning in a world record of 8:00.67, shattering British icon Mo Farah‘s 8:03.40 time from 2015.

Fisher was second in 8:03.62 and claimed the American Record, displacing Galen Rupp’s 8:07.41 from 2014. Fisher is now no. 3 all-time and Cole Hocker of the U.S. finished third in 8:05.70 to move to no. 6 all-time. New Zealand’s George Beamish was fourth in 8:05.73 and now ranks seventh on the all-time list.

Australian Jessica Hull, the world leader at 3,000 m, took over the women’s Wanamaker Mile with a half-mile to go, trailed closely by American Record holder St. Pierre, who took the lead at the bell. St. Pierre opened up a 5 m lead with a half-lap left and steamed home in a world-leading 4:16.41, breaking her own U.S. mark of 4:16.85 from 2020. Hull got a national record of 4:19.03. St. Pierre stays at no. 3 all-time and Hull is now no. 10.

The men’s Wanamaker Mile was another world-record attempt, especially after the U.S.’s Yared Nuguse ran the no. 2 time in indoor history in 3:47.38 last year. This time, Nuguse was tracked early by World Road Mile champ Hobbs Kessler and Britain’s George Mills, with pacer Derek Holdsworth (USA) passing 440 yards in 55.64 and 880 yards in 1:52.28. Nuguse took over with four laps left, and passed the 1320 mark in 2:51.87, slowing to a 59.38 quarter.

Mills passed Kessler at the bell and Nuguse hit the gas and moved away to win decisively in 3:47.83, the no. 3 performance in history. Kessler came back to pass Mills on the final straight to get second in 3:48.66, now, the sixth-fastest indoor mile ever – at 20 – and now the no. 4 performer ever. Mills was third in 3:48.93, now no. 6 ever. Nuguse covered the final quarter in 55.96.

Everyone expected super-starter Christian Coleman – the world-record holder – to get out quick in the men’s 60 m, but Japan’s Hakim Sani Brown actually had the early lead. But Coleman came on and had the race in hand in the final 10 m and won in 6.51, equal-seventh in the world for 2024, but a good warm-up for next week’s USATF Nationals in Albuquerque. Sani Brown held fast for second in 6.54, equaling his lifetime best.

Bryce Hoppel came from behind in the men’s 800 m, moving past Kenyan Noah Kibet, the 2022 World Indoor runner-up, coming into the final straight and won in 1:45.54, to move to no. 7 on the year list. Kibet was second in 1:46.09 with Mark English (IRL) third in 1:46.61.

The men’s 60 m hurdles was a shocker, with Dylan Beard, who only got to the semis at the USATF outdoor champs in 2023, coming hard off the final hurdle to win in 7.44, moving to equal-third on the 2024 world list. He beat some big names, including 2023 Worlds bronze winner Daniel Roberts (7.51) and 2022 Worlds runner-up Trey Cunningham (7.52).

The men’s vault was down to Olympic silver winner Chris Nilsen and American Record man KC Lightfoot at 5.92 m (19-1), and neither could go higher, with Nilsen winning on the countback.

American Talitha Diggs – a Worlds 400 m finalist last year – came off the final turn and shot past Ireland’s Worlds 400 m fourth-placer Rhasidat Adeleke to win the women’s 300 m, in 36.21 to 36.42. It’s Diggs’ second-fastest ever at the distance.

Former Stanford All-American Olivia Baker sprang into the lead at the bell in the women’s 800 m and it looked like Tokyo Olympic 800 m bronzer Raevyn Rogers was ready to strike off the final turn, but it was emerging star Allie Wilson who came back on the final straight to win in 2:01.61, ahead of Baker (2:01.91) with Rogers fading to sixth (2:02.49).

World Champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) and 2016 World Indoor champ Vashti Cunningham of the U.S. were the only ones left by 1.97 m (6-5 1/2) and Mahuchikh cleared cleanly on her first try and Cunningham got over on her third. At 2.00 m (6-6 3/4), Cunningham missed, but Mahuchikh got over on her third to win her sixth straight meet dating back to 2023.

Next week: the USATF Indoor Nationals, which will be the selection meet for the World Indoors in Glasgow in March.

5.
Marathon record holder Kiptum killed in car crash

A terrible tragedy in Kenya, as men’s marathon world-record holder Kelvin Kiptum, 24, and coach Gervais Hakizimana died in a car crash outside of Eldoret, Kenya about 11 p.m. on Sunday evening.

Elgeyo Marakwet County Police Commander Peter Mulinge explained:

“This was a self-involved accident where one Kelvin Kiptum, the world marathon record holder, was driving his vehicle with two passengers. Kiptum and Hakizimana died on the spot and the third person was rushed to Racecourse hospital in Eldoret.

“He lost control, veered off the road, entered into a ditch 60 meters away and hit a big tree.”

A third passenger, a woman, was also hurt seriously, but survived and was taken to a hospital in Eldoret.

Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga posted on X (ex-Twitter): “Devastating news as we mourn the loss of a remarkable individual, Kelvin Kiptum, world record holder and Kenyan athletics icon. Together with his coach, they tragically passed on in an accident tonight. Our nation grieves the profound loss of a true hero.”

Kiptum set the world marathon record of 2:00:35 in winning the Chicago Marathon on 8 October and was ready to try for the first sub-2:00 marathon in competition at the Rotterdam Marathon in April. He ran his first marathon at Valencia (ESP) in December 2022, winning in a sensational 2:01:53, then won in London last April in 2:01:25 before taking the world record in Chicago.

He had been a half-marathon runner beginning in 2018 before exploding to marathon fame in 2022. An unimaginable tragedy.

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Aquatics ● Swimming began at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha (QAT), with many of the top stars missing, but even so, with a sensational world record on the first day.

Korea’s Woo-min Kim, the 2022 Asian Games champion, won the men’s 400 m Free in 3:42.71, fastest in the world this year, ahead of 2022 World Champion Elijah Winnington (AUS: 3:42.86) and Lukas Martens (GER: 3:42.96).

The big news came in the men’s 4×100 m Free relay, as Chinese star Zhanle Pan led off in 46.80, a world record for the 100 m Free, shaving 0.06 off of Romanian David Popovici’s 46.86 from 2022. Pan had been no. 5 with his 46.97 mark from last season. China won the race in 3:11.08, trailed by Italy (3:12.08) and the U.S. squad of Matt King, Shaine Casas, Luke Hobson and Carson Foster won the bronze at 3:12.29.

Australia’s Erika Fairweather, the 2023 Worlds women’s 400 m Free bronze medalist, won in Doha at 3:59.44, maintaining her spot as no. 5 on the all-time list, and the world leader for 2024. China’s Bingjie Li was second (4:01.62) and Germany’s Isabel Gose got the bronze and a national record of 4:02.39.

Australia and the U.S. had won the last six editions of the women 4×100 m Free, but the Netherlands returned to the top of the podium for the first time since 2011, winning at 3:36.61, ahead of Australia (3:36.93) and Canada (3:37.95). The U.S., already qualified for Paris, did not enter a team.

In diving, China completed a sweep of the Olympic-program events, with victories in the men’s 10 m Platform and women’s 3 m Springboard and scored nine golds during the Worlds.

Hao Yang had finished second on the men’s 10 m in 2019, then third in 2022 and 2023, but got the gold in Doha at 564.05, ahead of Tokyo Olympic champ Yuan Cao (553.20). Both were well clear of Ukraine’s 18-year-old Oleksiy Sereda (528.65), who won his first Worlds individual medal. Brandon Loschiavo of the U.S. was eighth at 453.35.

Yani Chang and Yiwen Chen, who won the women’s 3 m Synchro, went 1-2 in the women’s individual 3 m, scoring 354.75 and 336.60, with Korea’s Su-ji Kim third (311.25). For Chang, it’s her first Worlds individual gold, after a bronze in this event in 2022 and silver in 2023. Chen earned her first silver after wins in 2022 and 2023. American Sarah Bacon finished fifth (302.65).

In the non-Olympic Mixed 3 m Synchro, Australia’s Domonic Bedggood and Maddison Keeney won at 300.93, moving up from silver in 2023; it’s the second gold in the event for Keeney (also in 2019). Italy’s Matteo Santoro and Chiara Pellacani won the silver (287.49); the U.S. pair of Noah Duperre and Bridget O’Neil finished seventh (262.17).

The final two events in artistic swimming saw China complete a sweep in the Team events, taking the Free Routine at 339.7604, well ahead of Japan (315.2229) and the U.S. (304.9021), which scored bronzes in this event and the Team Acrobatic Routine.

In the Mixed Duet Free, China’s Wentao Cheng and Haoyu Shi – second in the Mixed Duet Technical – won this time at 224.1437, with Dennis Gonzalez and Mirela Hernandez (ESP: 208.3583) second and Mexico (Miranda Barrera and Diego Villalobos: 192.5772) third.

China won seven golds and nine medals in all to lead the medal table.

In the men’s water polo tournament, Spain, Greece and Serbia all finished group play at 3-0 and Hungary won its three games, with one by penalty shoot-out. The U.S. was 1-2 with a penalty shoot-out loss, but advanced to the playoffs.

On Sunday, Montenegro, Croatia and France won their games to advance, and Italy defeated the U.S., 13-12. The quarterfinals will be played on Tuesday, with Spain vs. Montenegro, Italy vs. Greece, Serbia vs. Croatia and defending champ Hungary against France.

Serbia, Croatia, Spain and Italy all qualified for the Paris Games; the U.S. was already qualified as the Pan American Games gold medal winners.

In the women’s tournament, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and Greece advanced from the play-in round to the quarterfinals on Monday. The U.S. will face Australia and possibly then the winner of Spain and Canada in the semifinals.

● Biathlon ● Norway has dominated the men’s IBU World Cup and France the women’s events and that continued at the IBU World Championships in Nove Mesto (CZE).

In the opening event – the Sprint – the Norwegian men swept the men’s medals and the French swept the women’s. Sturla Holm Largreid won the men’s 10 km Sprint in 25:23.9 (0 penalties), giving him three career Worlds individual gold, after two in other events in 2021. Three-time (and defending) champion Johannes Thingnes Boe took the silver (25:27.4/1) for his 33rd career Worlds medal (wow), and Vetle Christiansen was third (25:42.5/1). Campbell Wright of the U.S. was an encouraging 11th in 26:31.8 (0).

The French women swept the first four places in the 7.5 km Sprint, with Julia Simon winning her fourth career Worlds gold – but first in this event – in 20:07.5 (0), trailed by teammates Justine Braisaz-Bouchet (20:12.4/1), Lou Jeanmonnot (20:48.3/1) and Sophie Chauveau (20:51.7/1) in fourth. Deedra Irwin was the top American, in 39th, at 22:32.1 (2).

Simon kept up the pressure on Sunday, winning the women’s 10 km Pursuit in 29:54.8 (1), ahead of Italian star Lisa Vittozzi (30:41.1/1) and Braisaz-Bouchet (30:44.1/4), with Chauveau fourth (30:52.4/3). It’s Vittozzi’s ninth career Worlds medal (1-4-4).

Norway utterly dominated the men’s 12.5 km Pursuit, taking the top five places, with Boe winning in 32:36.9 (3), followed by Lagreid (33:05.6/2) and Christiansen (33:15.4/3). Wright continued his success for the U.S., finishing 12th at 34:58.4 (2), and Sean Doherty was 26th (36:58.2/1).

The Worlds continue through the 18th.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Alpine Skiing ● If it’s a Giant Slalom, it’s going to be Swiss Marco Odermatt on top of the podium, as he won his sixth straight in the event in this FIS Alpine World Cup season on Saturday, at Bansko (BUL).

No one was close as Odermatt led after the first run by 0.35 over Alexander Steen Olsen (NOR) and then extended his advantage to 0.91 on the second run to win with 2:15.75 to Steen Olsen’s 2:16.66. Austria’s Manuel Feller was third (2:16.83), with River Radamus the top American in 12th (2:17.91).

Sunday’s Slalom was canceled after 31 starters on the first run due to heavy rains. Odermatt continues as the seasonal leader with 1,506 points vs. 684 for France’s Cyprien Sarrazin.

There’s a new seasonal leader for the women as Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI), who won the World Cup title in 2016, won her third straight World Cup race, this time in Soldeu (AND). Saturday’s Giant Slalom was her sixth win of the season – four in Giant Slaloms – as she came from ninth after the first run to win with the no. 2 time in the second run.

Her total of 1:59.27 was just 0.01 better than New Zealand star Alice Robinson, who her second straight silver and 15/100ths better than American A.J. Hurt in third (1:59.42). For Hurt, 23, it’s her second career World Cup medal – both bronzes – and both this season. Paula Moltzan of the U.S. was 11th (2:00.43).

The Slalom went to Sweden’s Anna-Svenn Larsson for her second career World Cup win and first since November of 2022, when she tied with Swiss Wendy Holdener. This time, she was all alone at 1:49.25, winning the first run and hanging on as Zrinka Ljutic (CRO) won her second silver of the season (1:49.60) and Moltzan took the bronze for her first World Cup podium this season, in 1:50.08.

With U.S. star Mikaela Shiffrin still recovering from a crash, Gut-Behrami took over the seasonal lead at 1,214 to 1,209 after 28 of 41 events.

● Athletics ● Hot running and jumping at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meet, the Hauts de France, in Lievin (FRA) on Saturday, with world leads in eight events:

● Men/200 m: 20.21, Erriyon Knighton (USA)
● Men/800 m: 1:45.10, Eliott Crestan (BEL)
● Men/2,000 m: 4:51.23, Lamecha Girma (ETH)
● Men/60 m hurdles: 7.32, Grant Holloway (USA)
● Men/Shot: 22.37 m (73-4 3/4), Leonardo Fabbri (ITA)

● Women/400 m: 49.63, Femke Bol (NED)
● Women/3,000 m: 8:17.11, Gudaf Tsegay (ETH)
● Women/Vault: 4.84 m (15-10 1/2), Eliza McCartney (NZL)

Knighton moved to no. 12 all-time and no. 8 all-time U.S. with a decisive win in the men’s 200 m, 20.21-20.56 over France’s Ryan Zeze, while Crestan got a tight win over Mariano Garcia (ESP: 1:45.50) in the 800 m.

The rarely-run indoor 2,000 m saw Tokyo Olympic Steeple runner-up and indoor 3,000 m world-record holder Lamecha Girma get close to the world mark of 4:49.99 by Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) in 2007, but come up just short at 4:41.23, the no. 2 performance in history. All the distance races were hot, as Azeddine Habz set a French national record in the 1,500 m at 3:34.39, edging Vincent Keter (KEN: 3:34.44). The 2022 World Indoor champ in the 3,000 m, Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega, won in 7:31.38, a mark only three others (including himself) have surpassed this season.

World hurdles champ Grant Holloway dominated the 60 m hurdles, winning the final in 7.32, the equal-fourth-fastest time in history, which he has done three times! Just Kwaou-Mathey (FRA) was second in a national record of 7.43. Holloway now owns 10 of the top 13 hurdles performances in history.

Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri moved to no. 6 all-time indoor with his second-round win in the shot; he also reached 22.06 m (72-4 1/2) on his final try. American Sam Kendricks won the vault at 5.76 m (18-10 3./4) and triple jump World Champion Hugues Fabrice Zango (BUR) took the triple jump at 17.21 m (56-5 3/4).

Dutch star Femke Bol continues to be a blur, improving her 400 m world lead to 49.63, the no. 4 performance in history; she’s already the world-record holder at 49.26 from last year. Ethiopia’s Tsegay, the world indoor 1,500 m record holder, took a shot at the 3,000 m mark of 8:16.60 by countrywoman Genzebe Dibaba from 2014, and came up only a little short, at 8:17.11, the no. 3 performance of all-time (she ran 8:16.69 last year). She won by more than 12 second over fellow Ethiopian Hirut Meshesha. A third Ethiopian, Freweyni Hailu, the world leader at 1,500 m, won that event at 3:57.24, the no. 4 performance of the season. Britain’s Jemma Reekie took the women’s 800 m in 2:00.40.

World outdoor hurdles record holder Tobi Amusan (NGR) won the women’s hurdles in 7.83 and Eliza McCartney got a world lead in the women’s vault at 4.84 m (15-10 1/2), her best-ever indoors.

● Basketball ● Four Olympic Qualifying Tournaments for women were in Belgium, Brazil, China and Hungary, with the already-qualified U.S. and France participating, but everyone else looking to book a spot in Paris.

In front of 13,700 in Antwerp, the seven-time defending Olympic champion U.S. had to mount a big fourth-quarter rally to get close to Belgium. With the game at 79-79 and with the ball with five seconds left, the U.S. inbounded to guard Kelsey Plum, who drove and missed a short runner, but the put-back by Breanna Stewart gave the Americans an 81-79 win. The Americans won the game with a 24-13 fourth-quarter surge after being down nine at half and at the end of three quarters.

The U.S. crushed Nigeria, 100-46, in their second game, and Senegal, 101-39, in their final game to win the tournament at 3-0, but Belgium (2-1) and Nigeria (1-2) both advanced to Paris.

In Belem (BRA), Australia barely got by 1-2 Serbia, 75-73, in their final game to finish 3-0 and win the tournament, as both qualified for Paris, along with Germany (2-1).

In X’ian (CHN), France cruised to a 3-0 record, with China qualifying at 2-1 and Puerto Rico at 1-2. In Sopron (HUN), Japan and Spain were both 2-1 and advanced to Paris, as did Canada, which was 1-2 but had a +3 point differential as against -7 for fourth-place Hungary.

● Cross Country Skiing ● Thanks in part to the Covid-19 pandemic, the FIS Cross Country had not been in North America since 2019, but it came back this past weekend to Canmore (CAN) and will head to Minneapolis for racing next weekend.

And back in North America, of course American Jessie Diggins was ready to roll and scored an ecstatic win in the women’s 15 km Freestyle Mass Start on Friday. It was tight to the finish, but Diggins scored a 40:26.0 victory, just ahead of France’s Delphine Claudel (40:28.6) and Norway’s Heidi Weng (40:29.3). Sophia Laukli of the U.S. finished eighth in 40:34.6. It was Diggins’ sixth win of the season and increased her overall World Cup lead.

The Freestyle Sprint was won by Norway’s Kristine Stavaas Skistad – her second gold of the season – in 3:03.88, ahead of Swedes Maja Dahlqvist (3:04.45) and Linn Svahn (3:05.28), with Diggins fifth in 3:05.89.

Sunday’s 20 km Classical Mass Start was the second win of the season for 10-time Worlds medalist Frida Karlsson (SWE: 57:08.2), just ahead of Finnish star Kerttu Niskanen (57:09.8) and Weng (57:16.3). Diggins was 10th in 57:50.5 and has a 2,055-1,731 lead over Svahn after 24 of 34 events.

The men’s 15 km Free was the fifth straight win for Norway, this time with World Champion Simen Hegstad Krueger taking the victory over seasonal leader Harald Amundsen, 36:06.5 to 36:16.3. Scott Patterson was the top American, eighth in 36:35.4.

The men’s Freestyle Sprint was another Norwegian win, as two-time Olympic Sprint winner Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo getting his seventh gold of the season in 2:44.40, with Erik Valnes second (2:44.83 and Swede Edvin Anger third (2:45.03).

The 20 km Classical Mass Start was the seventh World Cup win in a row for Norway, with four-time Worlds gold medalist Pal Golberg winning at the line in 52:10.7, ahead of Klaebo (52:10.9) and teammate Mathis Stenshagen (52:11.2). It’s the sixth Norwegian medals sweep this season.

The Canmore stop will wrap with a Classical Sprint on Tuesday.

● Cycling ● The UCI BMX World Cup kicked off with two races for men and women at Rotorua (NZL), with the first race for men mirroring the 2023 final World Cup standings.

Then, France’s Romain Mahieu won over countryman Joris Daudet and that’s how they finished on Saturday, with Swiss Simon Marquardt third (37.431). On Sunday, Daudet – two-time World Champion from 2011 and 2016 – won at 36.564 over Cedric Butti (SUI: 37.003) and Tokyo 2020 Olympic champ Niek Kimman (NED: 37.335).

Australia’s two-time Worlds runner-up Saya Sakakibara won the first women’s race in 36.758, beating Dutch 2018 World Champion Laura Smulders to the line (36.822) and Tokyo Olympic champ Bethany Shriever (GBR: 37.224). American Alise Willoughby, the Rio 2016 Olympic silver winner, was fourth (37.552).

Sakakibara completed the sweep on Sunday, winning at 36.339 over Shriever (36.367), Manon Veenstra (NED: 37.019) and Willoughby (37.716).

● Fencing ● Olympic champion and top-ranked Lee Kiefer of the U.S. scored another victory at the FIE Foil Grand Prix in Turin (ITA), defeating third-ranked Martina Favaretto of Italy by 15-11 in the final. Now 29, Kiefer won her fifth Grand Prix gold and has 33 career medals in Grand Prix and World Cup competitions. Two-time World Champion Arianna Errigo (ITA) and Anne Sauer (GER) won the bronzes.

Hong Kong’s Tokyo Olympic champ Ka Long Cheung scored a 15-11 win over Czech Alexander Choupenitch in the final for his first career Grand Prix gold. For Choupenitch, it’s his fourth Grand Prix medal. American Nick Itkin lost a 15-14 thriller to Cheung in the semis and shared the bronze medal with Enzo Lefort (FRA).

Hungary’s three-time Olympic gold medalist Aron Szilagyi won his 10th career FIE World Cup gold with a 15-7 win over Ali Pakdaman (IRI) in the men’s Sabre event in Tbilisi (GEO). Szilagyi now has 42 career medals in World Cups and Grand Prix. Pakdaman, 33, won his second career World Cup medal and first silver.

Top-ranked Mai Wan Vivian Kong (HKG) won a tight, 12-11 final against Korean Sera Song to win the FIE World Cup women’s Epee in Barcelona (ESP). It’s her second win in 12 days, after taking the Doha Grand Prix on 29 January. Song, ranked sixth worldwide, won her first medal of the season.

Ukraine’s four-time World Champion Olha Kharlan won the FIE World Cup women’s Sabre in Lima (PER), defeating Sugar Katinka Battai (HUN) in the final by 15-6. It’s her 14th career World Cup win, but her first since 2019; remember that she has a guaranteed entry into the Paris Games even if she does not qualify due to the controversial ending of her World Championships bout with Russian Anna Smirnova last year. The U.S.’s Elizabeth Tartakovsky lost to Kharlan in the semis and shared the bronze medal with Zaynab Dayibekova (UZB).

● Football ● For the fourth straight time, the U.S. and Mexico met in the final of the CONCACAF women’s U-17 championship, this time in Toluca (MEX).

The U.S. won all three of the prior finals, in 2016, 2018 and 2022, all by one goal. The Mexicans moved through Group A with a 3-0 record and an 8-0 goals-against total. The U.S. won its three games in Group B, outscoring its foes by 21-1. In the semis, Mexico edged Canada, 2-1, in extra time and the U.S. pounded Haiti, 7-1.

The American attack hardly stopped in the final, as Mya Townes scored in the 11th minute, Kimmi Ascanio got a goal in the 23rd and then Mexican midfielder Adrianna Gonzalez scored an own goal for a 3-0 U.S. lead by the 28th minute.

Alexandra Pfeiffer scored the final goal for the U.S. in the 62nd for the 4-0 final. This was the fourth straight win in this tournament for the U.S., and their sixth all-time, the most ever. In the third-place game, Canada stopped Haiti, 4-1.

● Freestyle Skiing ● The seventh of 11 stops on the FIS Ski Cross World Cup tour was in Bakuriani (GEO), with Sweden’s David Mobaerg winning the first men’s race, ahead of Worlds runner-up Florian Wilmsmann (GER) and seasonal leader Alex Fiva (SUI).

World Champion Simone Deromedis (ITA) took the second race, for his second win of the season, with Mobaerg getting his fourth medal of the season in second and Swiss Tobias Baur third.

The women’s racing was all about Canada’s Marielle Thompson, the 2014 Olympic gold medalist and Beijing 2022 runner-up. She had won two of the three races coming into Bakuriani, then swept both races on Saturday and Sunday. Thompson led a Canadian 1-2 with Brittany Phelan and then France’s Marielle Berger Sabbatel got her seventh medal of her breakout season.

Thompson beat Berger Sabbatel in the second race, with Swiss Talina Gantanbein third. Thompson now has the seasonal lead, 812-730, over Berger Sabbatel.

The third of four stages in the FIS World Cup for Aerials was Lac-Beauport (CAN), with a sweep for China in the men’s events and a U.S. sweep for the women.

Olympic champ Guangpu Qi won Saturday’s competition, scoring 124.78 to lead a 1-2 with teammate Xindi Wang (119.47) with Canada’s Emile Nadeau third (105.30). On Sunday, it was Yifan Zhang, 20, with his first career World Cup win – and second medal – beating Wang, 119.03 to 108.50. Swiss Noe Roth, the 2023 World Champion, was third (100.00).

American Karenna Elliott, 23, won her first World Cup medal with a victory in the Saturday’s women’s event; she’s never finished higher than ninth! But she scored 89.18 to edge three-time Worlds medalist Danielle Scott (AUS: 84.24) and Marion Thenault (CAN: 83.19).

Fellow American Winter Vinecki won her third event in the five held so far this season on Sunday, at 97.88, with Meiting Chen second (CHN: 88.12) and Scott third (81.42). American Kalia Kuhn was fourth (79.75). Vinecki now has the seasonal lead from Scott, 352-340, with one event left in Almaty (KAZ) in March.

● Ice Hockey ● The 2023-24 Rivalry Series started well for the U.S. against arch-rival Canada, winning the first three matches by 3-1, 5-2, and 3-2 in overtime. The came a loss in December in a shoot-out in Sarnia, Ontario, 3-2.

The series finished with three games over the last week, with the Canadians winning both in Saskatchewan to end the series on Sunday in St. Paul, Minnesota with the series on the line.

In Saskatoon last Wednesday, Gabbie Hughes gave the Americans a 2-1 lead at the end of the second period, but Ashton Bell tied it with 8:31 to play in the third, and then Renata Fast scored with 5:53 to go to take a 3-2 lead and with an empty-netter with 0:54 to play, the final was 4-2.

In Regina on Friday, the U.S. offense never got going in a 3-0 shutout, with all of the goals scored in the third period. A power play in the first minute turned into a Natalie Spooner goal at the 0:58 mark and then Emily Clark scored at 10:52 of the third and Sarah Nurse at 15:35. Emerance Maschmayer turned away 27 U.S. shots.

Sunday’s match in St. Paul was a rout for the Canadians, winning 6-1 with a power-play goal from Spooner in the first period, then another power-play score 57 seconds into the second from Marie-Philip Poulin. Canada went up 3-0 on an Bell goal at 10:41 and while the U.S. got a short-handed score from Grace Zumwinkle at the 17:29 mark, Spooner scored again just 58 seconds later for a 4-1 edge at the end of the second period.

The U.S. replaced Nicole Hensley in goal after the third Canadian goal, but Abbey Levy had no more luck, as Emma Maltais scored a short-handed goal at 4:21 of the third and got a second at 7:58 for Canada’s fourth straight win in the series and the 6-1 final.

● Luge ● The first of weeks of competition in the FIL World Cup in Oberhof (GER), with Latvian star Kristers Aparjods winning his eighth career World Cup gold – and first outside of Latvia since 2022 – with a remarkable comeback.

He was only 17th after the first run, but second-fastest on the second to finish at 1:27.263 and that was good enough, as German Max Langenhan, the 2024 World Champion, was second (1:27.305) and 2018 Olympic winner David Gleirscher (AUT: 1:27.381) third. Tucker West was the top U.S. finisher at 1:27.704.

In the men’s Doubles, Austria’s Worlds runners-up Thomas Steu and Wolfgang Kindl had the fastest times on both runs and won at 1:23.928, ahead of Hannes Orlamuender and Paul Gubitz (GER: 1:24.051), who won their first World Cup medal of the season. Triple Olympic champs Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt won the bronze in 1:24.118. Americans Zachary Di Gregorio and Sean Hollander were ninth in 1:24.555.

A surprise in the women’s Singles, with German Merle Fraebel winning the upset over Worlds bronze medalist Madeleine Egle (AUT), 1:24.956 to 1:25.080, with 2021 World Champion Julia Taubitz (GER: 1:25.108) in third. Emily Sweeney was the top American, in eighth (1:25.445).

Two-time World Champions Jessica Degenhardt and Cheyenne Rosenthal took the women’s Doubles in 1:26.244, beating Sprint World Champions Andrea Voetter and Marion Oberhofer (ITA: 1:26.277) and 2024 World Champs Selina Egle and Lara Kipp (AUT: 1:26.365). The U.S. went 6-7 with Maya Chen and Reannyn Weller and 2022 Worlds bronzers Chevonne Forgan and Sophia Kirkby (1:27.090 and 1:27.210).

In the Team Relay, Germany won a tight race with Latvia, 3:12.942 to 3:13.092, with Austria third (3:13.230). The U.S., with Sweeney, Di Gregorio and Hollander, West and Chen and Weller, was fifth (3:13.996).

● Nordic Combined ● There has been no stopping Norway’s Jarl Magnus Riiber in the FIS World Cup, and he continued winning in Otepaa (EST). But it was close.

Riiber came in with seven World Cup wins in a row, and off the 97 m hill, he barely won the Mass Start 5 km cross-country race on Friday over Kristjian Ilves of Estonia, 21:28.0 to 21:30.4. But Riiber won the jumping and finished with 134.3 points to 127.0 for Ilves and 125.3 for Austrian star Johannes Lamparter. Eight in a row.

On Saturday, the Gundersen 97 m jumping and 10 km race was even closer, with Ilves first after the jumping, but Riiber coming from behind to win by 0.4, 22:19.9 to 22:20.3! Lamparter was third again, in 22:23.1. Nine in a row.

Sunday’s Gundersen with a 10 km race saw Riiber complete his sweep of the weekend, this time in a runaway, winning in 22:41.0 to 23:20.8 for Stefan Rettenegger (AUT). Riiber has now clinched the seasonal World Cup title with 1,670 points to 1,221 for Rettenegger, with four events left. It’s his fifth career title … at age 26.

In the women’s World Cup, Norway came in with a perfect record: 10 races and 10 wins. Gyda Westvold Hansen got her fourth win of the season in Friday’s 5 km Mass Start and 97 m jumping with 129.0 points to 113.4 for teammate Ida Marie Hagen, with Mari Leinan Lund completing the Norwegian sweep at 110.0. Annika Malacinski was 10th for the U.S. (83.6).

Hagen won the Gundersen 5 km at 13:08.8, followed by Japan’s Haruka Kasai (13:29.7), who won her first medal of the season, with Westvold Hansen third (13:38.6). Malacinski was 11th (15:05.1).

Hagen also won the 5 km Gundersen race on Sunday in 13:41.3, crossing before Leinan Lund (13:42.7), with Westvold Hansen third in 14:23.5. Malacinski was 12th (16:49.2).

● Shooting ● Italy swept the Skeet titles at the ISSF World Cup in Rabat (MAR), with Tammaro Cassandro, the 2019 Worlds runner-up, beating three-time Olympic champ Vincent Hancock of the U.S., 59-57 in the final.

Italy went 1-2 in the women’s Skeet final, with 2013 Worlds silver winner Simona Scocchetti edging Martina Maruzzo by 54-52. American Caitlin Connor made the final but was sixth.

● Short Track ● The fifth of six stages in the 2023-24 ISU World Cup was in Dresden (GER), with Korea winning five events to lead the medal parade.

World men’s 1,000 m champ Ji-won Park won both of the 1,000 m races, first in 1:26.406 over Felix Roussel (CAN: 1:26.482) and then leading a Korean 1-2 over Sung-woo Jang (1:25.317) in the second.

Roussel won the 500 m race in 40.078 in a Canadian 1-2 with Jordan Pierre-Gilles (40.619) following. Fellow Canadian William Dandjinou won the 1,500 m in 2:11.460, with Belgian Worlds runner-up Stijn Desmet second in 2:11.711; American Andrew Heo was fourth in 2:11.839. The Koreans also won the 5,000 m relay.

Breakout Korean women’s star Gil-li Kim won her sixth and seventh races of the World Cup season in the two 1,000 m finals, winning the first in 1:29.246 over Dutch 2023 World 1,000 m champ Xandra Velzeboer (1:29.319) and American Corinne Stoddard (1:29.948), Kim won again on Sunday, defeating two-time Olympic gold medalist Suzanne Schulting (NED), 1:31.480 to 1:31.593, with Stoddard third (1:31.601) and fellow American Kristen Santos-Griswold fourth.

Velzeboer won the 500 m in 42.108 and the Dutch won the women’s 3,000 m relay in 4:05.405, with the U.S. quartet of Eunice Lee, Julie Letai, Santos-Griswold, Stoddard third (4:09.740).

Belgian Olympic 1,000 m bronze winner Hanne Desmet (2:20.346) won the 1,500 m over Santos-Griswold (2:20.397), who won her ninth medal of the season, and Schulting (2:20.694).

The U.S. team of Heo, Marcus Howard, Santos-Griswold and Stoddard won the Mixed 2,000 m relay in 2:36.586, ahead of the Dutch (2:36.684).

The World Cup schedule will finish next week in Gdansk (POL).

● Snowboard ● The FIS World Cup Halfpipe season finished in Calgary (CAN), with Japan sweeping both titles via Ruka Hirano and Mitsuki Ono.

Australia’s Worlds runner-up Valentino Guseli won Saturday’s event, scoring 91.50 on his second run to best Hirano’s first-round 88.50, with Shulchiro Shigeno third at 86.75 in the third round. Hirano was second three times in five events and third once, finishing at 300 points on the season, to 230 for Guseli, with three-time World Champion Scotty James (AUS: 229) in third.

World bronze medalist Ono, 19, won the women’s event at 90.00, ahead of Maddie Mastro of the U.S. (88.25) and Japan’s Sena Tomita (87.00). It’s Ono’s second win in a row and third medal in four events this season; Mastro, a two-time Worlds medal winner, won three bronze medals in the four events. Ono finished with 380 points to 260 for Mastro and 230 for American Bea Kim.

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TSX BULLETIN: World indoor marks for Charlton and Kerr at fab Millrose, U.S. records for Monson, Fisher and St. Pierre!

Rich Perelman

February 11, 2024

tsx pix 2023-823 kerr, josh flag m1500 wch (stephen pond getty4wath) — Josh Kerr (GBR) won the Worlds 1,500 m last year and got the indoor two-mile world record at Millrose! (Photo: Stephen Pond/Getty Images for World Athletics)

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● Men/Mile: 3:47.83, Yared Nuguse (USA)
● Men/Two Mile: 8:00.67, Josh Kerr (GBR) ~ World Record

● Women/60 m: 6.99, Julien Alfred (LCA)
● Women/Mile: 4:16.41, Elle St. Pierre (USA) ~ American Record
● Women/Two Mile: 9:04.84, Laura Muir (GBR)
● Women/60 m hurdles: 7.67, Devynne Charlton (BAH) ~ World Record

American distance star Alicia Monson took over the two-mile once the pacing ended and led British star Laura Muir at the mile in 4:35.40. Ethiopian teen Melknat Wudu came up to challenge Monson and then Muir took over with 300 m to go. At the bell, it was Muir, 19-year-old Medina Eisa (ETH) and Wudu as Monson fell back, and then Eisa shot back Muir for the win in the final 50 m in 9:04.39, moving her to no. 2 all-time!

The men’s two-mile had record aspirations, with World 1,500 m champ Josh Kerr (GBR) and 2022 Worlds 10,000 m fourth-place Grant Fisher of the U.S. at the front of the pack. Fisher passed 1 1/4 miles in the lead with Kerr just behind and well clear of the rest of the field. Kerr took over with 300 m left and was clear of Fisher at the bell and charged home – raising his hand to the crowd with 50 m to go – and winning in a world record of 8:00.67, shattering British icon Mo Farah’s 8:03.40 time from 2015.

Fisher was second in 8:03.62 and claimed the American Record, displacing Galen Rupp’s 8:07.41 from 2014. Fisher is now no. 3 all-time and Cole Hocker of the U.S. finished third in 8:05.70 to move to no. 6 all-time. New Zealand’s George Beamish was fourth in 8:05.73 and now ranks seventh on the all-time list.

Australian Jessica Hull, the world leader at 3,000 m, took over the women’s Wanamaker Mile with a half-mile to go, trailed closely by American Record holder St. Pierre, who took the lead at the bell. St. Pierre opened up a 5 m lead with a half-lap left and steamed home in a world-leading 4:16.41, breaking her own U.S. mark of 4:16.85 from 2020. Hull got a national record of 4:19.03. St. Pierre stays at no. 3 all-time and Hull is now no. 10.

The men’s vault was down to Olympic silver winner Chris Nilsen and American Record man KC Lightfoot at 5.92 m (19-1), and neither could go higher, with Nilsen winning on the countback.

American Talitha Diggs – a Worlds 400 m finalist last year – came off the final turn and shot past Ireland’s Worlds 400 m fourth-placer Rhasidat Adeleke to win in 36.21 to 36.42. It’s Diggs’ second-fastest ever at the distance.

World Champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) and 2016 World Indoor champ Vashti Cunningham of the U.S. were the only ones left by 1.97 m (6-5 1/2) and Mahuchikh cleared cleanly on her first try and Cunningham got over on her third. At 2.00 m (6-6 3/4), Cunningham missed, but Mahuchikh got over on her third to win her sixth straight meet dating back to 2023.

Next week: the USATF Indoor Nationals, which will be the selection meet for the World Indoors in Glasgow in March.

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TSX REPORT: Paris 2024 medals include Eiffel Tower fragments; Infantino calls for match forfeits to stem racism; LA28 pitches MLB on Olympics

Rich Perelman

February 9, 2024

tsx pix 2024-208 paris 2024 medals 750 — The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic medals (Photo: Paris 2024)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Paris 2024 medals to contain hexagonal Eiffel Tower fragments
2. Infantino calls again for criminal charges on racism
3. Ceferin wins opening for added UEFA term, then walks away
4. Shiffrin: “my knee cannot handle the load of racing just yet”
5. LA28 pitches Major League Baseball on Olympic participation

● The Paris 2024 medals were revealed on Thursday and sport an Art Deco design by the renowned Maison Chaumet with a fragment of old Eiffel Tower iron – from prior renovations – attached to the face of each Olympic and Paralympic medal. A total of 5,084 will be made by the French Mint.

● Addressing the UEFA Congress in Paris, FIFA President Gianni Infantino again called for match forfeits as a way to battle racism in football, and asked for criminal penalties for offenders.

● UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin saw through changes to the organization’s rules that would him to run for essentially a fourth term, in 2027. Then he announced that he will not run! Amazing, particularly in the Olympic Movement.

● American skiing star Mikaela Shiffrin provided a detailed update on her recovery from her 26 January crash, saying she is not yet ready to return to racing, but is continuing to work toward that as soon as practical. She also raised concerns on the workloads of the top skiers, which she believes is contributing to the rash of crashes this season.

● LA28 Chair Casey Wasserman made a well-received presentation to Major League Baseball owners about the possibilities for players to participate in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. But the schedule continues to be an issue.

● World Championships: Aquatics (4: China wins sixth straight men’s 10 m Synchro gold; Australia touches first in open-water 4×15; China concludes women’s Duet sweep; U.S. one of four unbeatens in women’s polo) = Biathlon (France dominates Mixed 4×6 km as IBU Worlds open) ●

● Panorama: Milan Cortina 2026 (total cost for new sliding track about $127.6 million) = Switzerland 2038 (Swiss Olympic approves advancing with IOC on bid revisions) = Aquatics (ex-FINA Bureau member Gyarfas sentenced to seven years for inciting murder) = Basketball (Lewandowski and Rizzotti named U.S. 3×3 coaches) = Football (“blue card” coming to send off whining players?) = Ice Hockey (Guerin picked as U.S. 2026 general manager) = Shooting (Italy sweeps ISSF World Cup Trap) = Sport Climbing (IFSC starts data collection effort to combat REDs) = Swimming (McIntosh hands Ledecky first 800 m Free final loss since 2010) ●

1.
Paris 2024 medals to contain hexagonal Eiffel Tower fragments

The medals for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games were revealed on Thursday, literally integrating the city’s iconic Eiffel Tower into each one.

Designed by the French jewelry house Chaumet – a part of the LVMH giant which is a Paris 2024 first-tier sponsor – the Olympic and Paralympic medals share a common front presentation, with a hexagonal piece of Eiffel Tower iron held on with “rivet”-style clasps to the front of the medal, with Art Deco-style radiant lines moving from the center to the edge.

It’s very French, almost in a 1920s style, in keeping with many of the design elements of the Paris 2024 approach.

The Eiffel Tower metal is the real thing. During renovations of the tower in the 20th Century, metalwork that was replaced was kept by the Société d’Exploitation de la tour Eiffel for future use. And there is a tie to modern Olympic founder Baron Pierre de Coubertin, according to Societe President Jean-Francois Martins:

“With this unique metal from the Eiffel Tower, this medal has a historic character and is a nod to Pierre de Coubertin who, as a contemporary of Gustave Eiffel, was one of the last people to be able to visit the construction site of the Tower before it was opened.”

The hexagonal shape of the iron refers to France itself, with the shape of the country referred to internally as “l’Hexagone.”

The reverse of the Olympic medal – based on the 2004 Olympic design – shows Nike, the Greek goddess of Victory, emerging from the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, site of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, with the Parthenon and the Eiffel Tower at the top of the medal. The Paralympic reverse also pictures the Eiffel Tower, but from the ground, looking upward. The words “Paris” and “2024″ are inscribed in Braille. Further, engraved lines on the edge of the Paralympic medal allow the holder to feel whether they are for first, second or third place.

Both medal styles will be engraved with the specific sport and event on its edge.

A total of 5,084 medals are to be made and they’re pretty big:

● 85 mm in diameter (3.35 inches)
● 9.2 mm thick (0.36 inches)
● 529 g for gold medals (18.7 oz.)
● 525 g for silver medals (18.5 oz.)
● 455 g for bronze medals (16.1 oz.)

As usual, the gold medals are gilded with 6 g of gold, not solid gold. Manufactured at the Hotel de la Monnaie (the French Mint) in Paris, the silver is .925 fine and all of the silver and bronze medal stock is recycled.

Antoine Arnault of LVMH Image & Environment explained his company’s unique role:

“It’s the first time in the history of the Olympic and Paralympic Games that a jeweller has designed the medals. The Maison Chaumet creative team has conceived each medal as a jewel, taking inspiration from the Parisian craftsmanship of its legendary Place Vendôme workshops and illustrating the vocation shared by all the Houses in our group: the ability to make people dream.”

These medals will be dreamed about, that’s for sure.

2.
Infantino calls again for criminal charges on racism

FIFA President Gianni Infantino (SUI) once again called for match forfeits and criminal charges for racist behavior during his address at the UEFA Congress in Paris on Thursday:

“I want to mention just one topic, and that one topic is racism. We live, (as) we all know, in a divided world. We say that football unites the world, but our world is divided, our world is aggressive, and in the last few weeks and months, we have witnessed, unfortunately, a lot of racist incidents.

“This is not acceptable anymore.

“We have to stop this and we have to do whatever we can to stop this.

“Racism is a crime. Racism is something terrible. And I can be standing here and saying this to you all and you can be sitting there and nodding at me and saying: ‘Yes, that’s right.’ And we will continue, and still racism goes on.

“We have to eradicate that, and we have some tools in place. The problem is that we have different competition organisers, different competitions, different rules, and what we all do is, obviously, obviously, not enough. So, we have to take responsibility for this.

“The tools that we have are, of course, the three-step process of the referee, who can stop the game, interrupt the game and, ultimately, even abandon the game. The disciplinary consequences will have to be a forfeit against the team who has been responsible for the abandonment of the game if a game has been abandoned.

“We have to start criminal charges against those people who have acted in a racist way. We have to ban them from stadiums worldwide. We have to invest in education because, obviously, racism is also a problem of society. But that’s not enough, that’s not the answer.

“So, what I suggest to you, in addition to all this, is that we work all together in the next three months before the FIFA Congress in May in Bangkok. And at the Congress in May in Bangkok, we come all together with a strong resolution, united, all together, all 211 countries of FIFA, for the fight against racism.

“Let’s stop racism. Let’s stop it now. Let’s do it all together in a united way. And I thank you for your attention and I wish you a great Congress. Thank you very much. All the best.”

Infantino brought up the match-forfeit idea after AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan (FRA) – who is Black – walked off the field, followed by his teammates after insulting “monkey noises” from the crowd during the first half of an Italian Serie A match at Udinese on 20 January.

Udinese was sanctioned with its following home match to be held without spectators, but an appeal reduced the punishment to two matches with one end of the stadium empty.

Five fans were identified from stadium security video and were banned from all Italian sporting events for five years, the maximum penalty under Italian law.

3.
Ceferin wins opening for added UEFA term, then walks away

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin (SLO), now serving out a third term as the head of the organization, saw the UEFA Congress pass a revision to its statutes that would have allowed him to run again.

And then he walked away.

The UEFA Congress in Paris passed – with one dissenting vote – a series of revisions to the UEFA Statutes, including a more precise definition of the organization’s term limits. Now, a UEFA President or member of the Executive Committee may serve not more than three full terms, not counting any partial term.

In Ceferin’s case, he became the head of UEFA in 2016 and served out the partial term of elected President Michel Platini (FRA), who resigned over scandals related to FIFA. Ceferin, now 56, was then elected in 2019 and 2023.

So, with the ability to run in 2027, he said he will not, telling reporters afterwards there were two reasons to amend the rules:

“The legal one is that it had to be changed because the text from the 2017 Congress was unclear and later clarified by the administration without the approval of Congress and that is illegal.

“The statutes had to be changed or term limits wouldn’t exist at all and many articles were published about it before anyone asking me any questions.

“The factual one, that’s my decision if I want to run after 2027, honestly speaking, I’m tired of COVID, I’m tired of two wars, nonsense projects of so-called super leagues. I’m also tired of self-proclaimed moral authorities who are moral just until it comes to their personal interests.

“I have decided, let’s say around six months ago, that I am not planning to run in 2027 anymore.

“The reason is that after some time every organization needs fresh blood, but mainly because I was away from my family for seven years now and I will be away from them for another three years to 2027.”

He noted that he did not say ahead of time what he would do:

“I intentionally didn’t want to disclose my thoughts for two reasons, first I wanted to see the real face of some people and I saw it, I saw good and bad.

“And of course, I didn’t want to influence the Congress, I wanted them to decide not knowing what I am telling you today, because that’s an honest decision.”

In the world of sports management, and especially in the Olympic Movement, such actions are unusual to say the least. Shocking would be more like it.

4.
Shiffrin: “ my knee cannot handle the load of racing just yet”

American skiing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin posted a lengthy update on her recovery from 26 January crash in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy on her Instagram page:

“Quick update from my end now that I’ve had a good little rehab block since my crash. First of all, thank you all SO much for your support of both @akilde and me…I want you to know how much it means to us. You have all been so wonderful.

“Second of all, I just want to address the number of injuries there have been lately, and send my best to all of those who are currently sidelined (including @iamsofiagoggia, most recently). Yes, this is ski racing, and yes – we choose to take the risk every time we push from the start gate. That said, the amount of injuries (especially among the top athletes) this year has been staggering.

“A lot has been said about it, and I absolutely agree with those who have asked that we take a better look at the demands on top athletes…both from a race calendar perspective as well the schedule with evening programs. It’s pretty hard to put into words what the actual demands are like for athletes who are in the top 15 in multiple disciplines and consistently on the podium. As Aleks recently mentioned, on top of the race calendar in itself, with post-race media and awards going well into the afternoon, then having full evening program (during the only 60-90 minutes of the weekend where we might otherwise be able to eat or get any recovery time) on multiple nights is a lot. It’s really too much. I absolutely believe that fatigue at this point in the season plays a role in the injuries we have seen lately, including my own.

“Lastly, although I’m feeling better each day and progressing well, I will not be skiing in Andorra this weekend. That stings as I have so many special memories in @soldeueltarterworldcup, but my knee cannot handle the load of racing just yet. I just need a bit more time to heal and re-condition.

“As I’ve mentioned, there was no major ligament damage and the structure within the joint of my knee looks good. Basically what we’re managing is an MCL sprain, a sprain of the tibial-fibular ligaments, as well as the bone bruise that I already had from earlier this season in Levi.

“I took a ton of stress to my whole leg when I crashed and stretched a bunch of things that are continuing to cause pain, although that is improving every day! The fact that everything is structurally intact is super positive, but I still need to be patient. There’s a lot at stake this season, but that is also the case with any season – I am in this for the long haul and want to ensure my knee is strong and I am fully capable of powerful skiing when I return to the start gate. Every day, pain gets better, motion gets more solid, smooth, and consistent…we’re managing it well and always moving a little bit forward with each session.”

5.
LA28 pitches Major League Baseball on Olympic participation

Major League Baseball owners received a detailed presentation this week on the 2028 Olympic Games from LA28 Chair Casey Wasserman, looking to include the world’s best players in the Olympic tournament in Los Angeles.

Following the owner’s meetings in Florida, Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said that Wasserman made a “thoughtful and polished presentation” on the 2028 Games, but noted in a news conference afterwards the challenges:

“I think the pros are just the potential for association between two great brands … the opportunity to make a splash and attract the kind of attention that would be associated with a team – it would eventually be multiple teams, I suspect – of the best players in Major League Baseball in a short tournament like that.

“You’ve heard me before: Love that combination of nationalism and sport. I’m good on that.

“The cons, it’s the logistics. Everyday games are tough. They’re tough. And if you look at the calendar, I think it’s complicated by the proximity [of the Olympic Games] to what would ordinarily be the All-Star Game.”

Baseball was a demonstration sport at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and filled Dodger Stadium and drew an average of 48,195 for each of the eight days of the tournament. That enthusiasm led directly to the sport’s inclusion in 1992; it was included in 1996-2000-04-08, then removed and included again for the Tokyo 2020 Games at the request of the organizing committee.

LA28 obtained approval to add baseball, softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse and squash for the 2028 Games last October at the IOC Session in India. A small tournament with six teams has been proposed to allow a short but dramatic tournament.

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Aquatics ● At the World Aquatics Championships in Doha (QAT), China won its sixth Olympic-program event without a loss by taking the men’s 10 m Synchro gold by more than 48 points.

Junjie Lian and Hao Yang won their third straight World 10 m Synchro title together, scoring 470.76 points, ahead of British stars Tom Daley and Noah Williams (422.57) and Ukraine’s Kirill Boliukh and Oleksiy Sereda (406.47). Yang also won in 2017, with Aisen Chen, and has four career Worlds golds in the event. China won the event for the sixth time in a row at the Worlds and nine of the last 10.

Daley, who won the Tokyo Olympic gold with Matty Lee in this event, has now won eight career Worlds medals (4-2-2). He was a member of the British Team gold squad earlier in the week. Joshua Hedberg and Carson Tyler of the U.S. finished 14th (324.51).

Australia won the open-water Mixed 4×1,500 m relay, barely out-touching Italy by 1:03:28.0 to 1:03:28.2, as Kyle Lee got his hand past Domenico Acerenza with a final push to the finish. Hungary’s Kristof Rasovszky anchored his team into third place for the bronze in 1:04:06.8.

The U.S. squad of Mariah Denigan, Katie Grimes, Charlie Clark and Michael Brinegar finished fifth in 1:04:16.1.

In Artistic Swimming, China’s Liuyi Wang and Qianyi Wang completed a sweep in the women’s Duets, taking the Free Routine gold with 250.7729 points in a tight final with Dutch pair Bregje de Brouwer and Noortje de Brouwer (250.4979). Kate Shortman and Isabelle Thorpe (GBR) won the bronze at 247.2626.

In the women’s water polo tournament, the U.S. won all three of its group matches and has moved on to the quarterfinals on the 12th, to play the winner of Australia vs. Great Britain.

The American women, one of the favorites for Paris, defeated the Netherlands, 10-8, then sailed past Brazil (21-5) and Kazakhstan (32-3). Spain, Hungary and Italy all won their groups at 3-0 as well.

● Biathlon ● At the IBU World Championships in Nove Mesto (CZE), France won a decisive opening victory in the Mixed 4×6 km relay, winning by 45 seconds over perennial power Norway.

Eric Perrot, Quentin Fillon Maillet, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and Julia Simon timed 1:09:24.4 with nine penalties to win, with the Norwegians at 1:10:09.6 (8) and Sweden third at 1:10:26.1 (10). The U.S. finished 11th with Vincent Bonacci, Sean Doherty, Deedra Irwin and Chloe Levins in 1:13:36.3 (6).

The Worlds resume on Friday and continue through the 18th.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● During an Italian Senate hearing on Thursday, Italian Finance Minister Giancarlo Georgetti was asked what the total cost of the now-approved sliding track in Cortina will be.

Georgetti explained that the total cost is expected to be €118.4 million, with €81.6 million for construction and €2.6 million already spent for the demolition of the old track. The original target cost was €47.7 million to renovate the Eugenio Monti track used for the 1956 Winter Games. (€1 = $1.08)

● Olympic Winter Games 2038 ● Switzerland is all in for 2038 and ready to work with the International Olympic Committee to revamp their proposal as required. According to its announcement:

“At the meeting on February 7, 2024, the Executive Board of Swiss Olympic commissioned the Switzerland 203X association to prepare the entry into the privileged dialogue in consultation with the IOC and to specify the proposal that was submitted to the sports parliament in November 2023. The revised proposal will be presented to the Sports Parliament at an extraordinary meeting on May 23, 2024 so that Swiss Olympic members can confirm the process and decide on the presented budget for privileged dialogue.”

The IOC liked the Swiss concept – proposed as a national project – but said it’s too spread out and needs more focus. The IOC wants to clean up the issues by 2027 and then formally award the 2038 Winter Games to the Swiss.

Switzerland’s appetite is not limited to the Winter Games, either, with Swiss Olympic approving a feasibility study to consider hosting the 2030 or 2034 multi-sport European Championships. The study is to be completed by the fall of this year.

● Aquatics ● Hungarian media entrepreneur Tamas Gyarfas, 74, was sentenced to seven years in prison for “incitement to premeditated murder” in a Budapest court on Wednesday.

In February 1998, rival media star Janos Fenyo was murdered by hired Slovakian Jozef Rohac, using a silenced sub-machine gun on Fenyo’s car in the middle of a Budapest intersection. Gyarfas was convicted of working with a known criminal, Tomas Portik, to arrange the slaying; Portik was also sentenced to a life term over orchestrating the murder.

Gyarfas was deeply involved in aquatic sports for years, serving as the president of the Hungarian Swimming Federation and a longtime member of the FINA Bureau, the governing council of the international sports federation now known as World Aquatics. He was a FINA Vice President from 2013-17.

Rohac was sentenced to life in prison in 2012; Gyarfas was charged in 2018 after the case was re-opened with new evidence in 2017. Gyarfas has maintained his innocence throughout and said he had nothing to do with the killing. In 2019, he wrote to The Sports Examiner and declared, “You have to be sure that I didn’t commit any crime.”

The Budapest court did not agree.

● Basketball ● USA Basketball announced its coaches for the men’s and women’s 3×3 teams for Paris, with Joe Lewandowski to oversee the men and Jennifer Rizzotti to work with the women.

Lewandowski is widely experienced, and was the coach of the 2023 Pan American Games 3×3 gold medalists and the 2023 FIBA World Cup runners-up. Rizzotti coached the women’s gold medalists for the Pan Am Games, the FIBA World Cup and the FIBA AmeriCup.

Rizzotti, the President of the WNBA Connecticut Sun, is also the head of the USA Basketball Women’s National Team Committee, which will select the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team.

● Football ● The newest wrinkle in football officiating could be blue.

Discussions are underway about the introduction of a “blue card” which would sideline a player who complains excessively with referees or for some technical violations for 10 minutes. A second infraction would result in disqualification. The British newspaper The Telegraph reported an imminent announcement of testing of the new sanction, in youth and lower-level league events for men and women, but FIFA said the matter will be discussed further in March.

● Ice Hockey ● USA Hockey appointed Minnesota Wild General Manager Bill Guerin as the general manager for the American team at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, and the “4 Nations Face-Off” in 2025.

Guerin was a member of the first three NHL-involved Olympic teams in 1998-2002-2006, winning an Olympic team in 2002.

● Shooting ● At the ISSF World Cup in Rabat (MAR), Italy’s Mauro de Filippis, the 2019 Worlds runner-up in Trap, won over 48-year-old Beijing 2008 Olympic champ David Kostelecky (CZE), 46-45, in the Trap final. The women’s title went to Italy’s 2012 Olympic winner Jessica Rossi, 42-39 over Alessandra Perilli of San Marino, the Tokyo Olympic bronze winner.

American Ryann Phillips, 20, the 2023 World Junior Champion, got third at 39. The Skeet events will be held over the weekend.

● Sport Climbing ● “The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) has become the first International Federation to introduce comprehensive regulations related to Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs), with the implementation of a new event policy for athletes ahead of the 2024 season.”

REDs has been identified as an issue in the sport, which the IFSC describes as “a syndrome that affects health and performance and is caused by a mismatch between the calories eaten and burned during exercise.” A push for climbers to eat too little in order to maintain a lower weight for competition has become a worrying issue.

The condition has been identified only by body mass index in the past, but this has proved to be too crude a measurement, so deeper data such as blood pressure and heart rate will be considered now, with testing to take place during the IFSC World Cup season in 2024.

● Swimming ● Canadian teen Summer McIntosh, 17, already a four-time World Champion, won a stunning upset over American star Katie Ledecky in the women’s 800 m Free in the Southern Zone South Section meet in Orlando, Florida.

Ledecky, the three-time Olympic champion in the event and favorite for Paris, was out-dueled, 8:11.39 to 8:17.12. McIntosh shattered her prior personal best of 8:20.19 and is the first one to beat Ledecky in an 800 m Free final since 2010!

McIntosh is now no. 2 all-time at the distance, although Ledecky still owns the top 16 performances all-time. The time further clouds McIntosh’s potential schedule for Paris; the 800 m Free final is in the same session as the 200 m Medley and McIntosh was the 2023 world leader at 2:06.89.

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 new, 920-event International Sports Calendar for 2024 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: Court of Arbitration rejects Valieva’s “grandfather explanation”; Milan Cortina marks two years to go; call for sports anti-crime agency

Rich Perelman

February 8, 2024

tsx pix 2024-207 Cortina Col Druscie piste (manazproductions) — The Olympic Rings projected on the Col Druscie ski track in Cortina to mark two years until the Milan Cortina Winter Games (Photo courtesy Manaz Productions)

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

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Valieva decision published: “Grandfather Explanation” rejected
2. Cortina marks two years to go with 100-skier parade
3. Paris police chief warns Olympic “life” will be different
4. USADA’s Tygart calls for sports anti-crime agency
5. ESPN-FOX-WBD tie-up erupts to change U.S. television landscape

● The Court of Arbitration for Sport published the complete, 129-page decision in the Kamila Valieva doping appeal, finding that her use of trimetazidine was “intentional” within the meaning of the World Anti-Doping Code, but was careful not to brand her as a “cheater.” It rejected her primary defense of contamination from a glass or a dessert from her grandfather, and also explained the delay at the Stockholm lab which processed her sample.

● Guest correspondent Brian Pinelli captured the scene in Cortina d’Ampezzo as the two-years-to-go celebrations were made for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games there and in Milan. On Wednesday, the Milan-Cortina organizers also unveiled mascots Tina and Milo for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

● In an interview, the head of the Paris Police confirmed that there will be access restrictions in several areas related to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, but that accommodations have been made to allow life to go on – with some added protocols – during the event periods. But things will not be normal.

● The head of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency told a conference in Norway that an “anti-crime” agency for sports needs to be set on a worldwide basis, as was the World Anti-Doping Agency 25 years ago. Issues of abuse and competition manipulation are growing and need to be independently addressed, although how a criminal enforcement project would work is unknown.

● A major shake-up in sports television in the U.S. was announced Tuesday, with 14 channels from ESPN, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery to be combined into a single streaming application, possibly costing $40-50 a month. But Olympic sports and events are likely to be little impacted as NBC has most of them; however, the profile of these events may be lowered if the new combo pack takes off.

● World Championships: Aquatics (3: van Rouwendaal completes open-water sweep; China scores twice more in diving; Minisini wins 10th career artistic medal) ●

● Panorama: U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (U.S. teams set to stay in Eaubonne for training) = Russia (Former Sochi 2014 head says Russia going its own way now) = Athletics (3: Katir suspended for whereabouts; Saruni arranged for lookalike to take a 2022 doping test; Sauders says she’s done with track after five more meets) = Cycling (Glasgow Worlds has economic impact of more than $250 million) = Football (UEFA distribution formula for $4.7 billion from 2024-27 men’s club events) = Wrestling (NCAA signals approval of women’s wrestling for 2025-26!) ●

1.
Valieva decision published: “Grandfather Explanation” rejected

The Court of Arbitration for Sport published the full, 129-page version of the arbitration decision concerning Russian skater Kamila Valieva and her doping positive from 25 December 2021, in which it upheld an appeal from the World Anti-Doping Agency and others and imposed a four-year sanction.

There was no doubt about the presence of Trimetazidine, a prohibited substance, in her sample. The question was how she ingested it. In the decision, it was stated that Valieva thought she might have taken a drink from the same glass that her grandfather had used at a lunch they had together on a training day; her grandfather was taking Trimetazidine at the time for a heart condition and had crushed the pills and mixed them in the glass with water. Or, one of the pills might have gotten into a dessert she ate there, or later.

The various appeals submittals from RUSADA, the International Skating Union and the World Anti-Doping Agency all agreed on the doping positive, with RUSADA’s view that the ingestion of the Trimetazidine was likely unintentional. The ISU appeal cast doubt on the grandfather story all together and believed that Valieva was taking the drug intentionally:

“The Athlete was taking Hypoxen and L-carnitine. There is expert evidence to suggest that TMZ has a synergistic relationship with these substances.”

The ISU asked for a four-year sanction, but would also accept a two-year sanction if the CAS panel found her ingestion of the drug to be involuntary.

The World Anti-Doping Agency’s position was that “The Grandfather Explanation ‘has no evidentiary basis whatsoever’ and ‘is more or less entirely unsubstantiated,’” and asked for a four-year sanction. Moreover, its submittal emphasized that:

“TMZ is recommended for use in Russian sport. It has been recommended in the Russian National Guidelines on Sports Medicine and a review of the scientific literature in Russia shows that ‘TMZ is widely recommended in elite sport in particular in support of the heart in connection with heavy training’ – in circumstances where the Athlete was diagnosed with a heart condition at the end of 2020.”

Valieva’s submittals rejected the appeal arguments and insisted that her ingestion of the drug was unintentional.

The arbitrator’s decision was that, beginning with the 2015 version of the World Anti-Doping Code, an intentional doping violation should carry a minimum four-year sanction, even for minors. And a doping charge is essentially presumed to be “intentional” if the actual source of the drug cannot be shown:

“While it is theoretically possible for an Athlete or other Person to establish that the anti-doping rule violation was not intentional without showing how the Prohibited Substance entered one’s system, it is highly unlikely that in a doping case under Article 2.1 an Athlete will be successful in proving that the Athlete acted unintentionally without establishing the source of the Prohibited Substance.”

The arbitrators discounted the ISU and WADA notices of the use of Trimetazidine in Russian sports medicine as out of date, but did note that the drug is effective in increasing oxygen in the body, a benefit for harder training, and that due to side effects, is generally not prescribed to minors.

The bottom line:

“In light of the fact that the Athlete has not established, on the balance of probabilities, that she did not commit the ADRV intentionally, it must follow that the period of ineligibility is four years.”

The opinion did indicate that the panel was split, 2-1, on the length of the sanction, between two years and four years, but not on the question of a sanction for doping. It was also explicitly noted that Valieva was not found to be a “cheat,” but that she could not show grounds which would relieve her of a sanction for an “intentional” – as defined – doping finding.

The decision also illuminated the questions surrounding the delay of the Stockholm testing lab to which Valieva’s samples were sent. The lab was closed from 30 December to 10 January 2022, then resumed testing and got a positive result for Trimetazidine on 11 January. It re-tested the sample, but had three straight failures of its quality-assurance tests. It took from 20 January to 3 February to prepare a new protocol – and for some of the Stockholm lab staff to return from Covid-19 infections – which confirmed the testing validity on 7 February. The Russian Anti-Doping Agency was informed of the confirmed positive test on 8 February.

In the meantime, the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games Team Event in figure skating concluded on 7 February.

Valieva was suspended by RUSADA on 8 February and she immediately appealed to the independent Disciplinary Anti-Doping Committee, which made a finding of “no fault” and ended her suspension, allowing her to continue competing at the Winter Games. Her situation was the subject of a review of a hearing by the Court of Arbitration for Sport ad hoc division for doping at the Winter Games and allowed to compete pending an after-Games investigation.

2.
Cortina marks two years to go with 100-skier parade

The Olympic Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, will open on 6 February and programs were mounted in both locations for the two years-to-go date. Guest correspondent Brian Pinelli reported on the festivities in Cortina:

Excitement is quickly ramping up as celebrations were held in Cortina d’Ampezzo; the date marked exactly two years until the opening ceremony at San Siro Stadium in Milan.

Festivities in Cortina on Tuesday evening kicked off with a torchlight parade of local skiers descending Col Druscie, the women’s 2026 Olympic Slalom trail, followed by the lighting of Olympic Rings on the mountain, all visible from the center of town below.

Cortina d’Ampezzo mayor Gianluca Lorenzi hosted the party in town, while expressing great enthusiasm, and a little bit of nervousness, in welcoming the winter sports athletes in 24 months.

“It will be amazing because in just two years we will be here along with the Olympic athletes and it will all be like a dream,” Lorenzi said. “There is already so much emotion here getting ready for Olympic Games.

“The feeling is amazing, but it is not so easy to comprehend what the Olympics will be like in Cortina, once again after 70 years.”

Cortina d’Ampezzo previously hosted the VII Winter Games in 1956.

“We will have about 1,200 athletes here and I hope after they return home it will be a dream for their whole life,” the Cortina mayor said.

Women’s Alpine skiing on the Olympian delle Tofane and Col Drusciè slopes, curling at the 1956 Olympic Ice Stadium, and bobsleigh, skeleton and luge at the Eugenio Monti Olympic Track – which just received the green light to be reconstructed last Friday (2nd) – are all planned to be held in the venerable Italian Dolomites resort.

Italian three-time Olympic medalist and 2020 overall World Cup champion Federica Brignone is thrilled about her country once again welcoming the world at the XXV Olympic Winter Games.

“I think it will be really important, just amazing, for our nation to have the Olympic Games once again,” Brignone said. “If you participate as an athlete, you will be part of the show.

“Our sport has changed a lot since 1956 and Milano Cortina 2026 is going to be really nice,” said the Italian three-time Olympic medalist. “The Olympic and winter spirit will really shine.”

Men’s Alpine ski races will be contested in Bormio on the Stelvio piste, a regular stop on the FIS World Cup circuit. In Milan, where ice events will be held, the Olympic Rings and Paralympic Agitos were unveiled in Piazza della Scala on Tuesday.

(For more, visit Brian Pinelli on Twitter and Instagram)

The Milan Cortina organizers also officially revealed the Games mascots Tina and Milo, two stoats (ermines), with “Tina” taking her name from Cortina and “Milo” from Milan.

They were unveiled at the Sanremo Music Festival on Wednesday; Tina will represent the Olympic Winter Games and Milo the Winter Paralympic Games.

They were selected from a schools contest which drew 1,600 entries with the winning concept from the Istituto Comprensivo of Taverna from the region of Calabria. Tina and Milo are accompanied by six snowdrops, inspired by the other finalist concept submitted by the Istituto Comprensivo Sabin of Segrate in Lombardia.

3.
Paris police chief warns Olympic “life” will be different

“Life won’t be as it was before.”

That’s the key takeaway from Laurent Nunez, the Paris Prefect of Police, in an interview with Agence France Presse on the traffic conditions for locals during the Olympic and Paralympic period this summer.

Nunez previously announced that access to Olympic and Paralympic venue areas in and around Paris would be restricted, with residents required to have a mobile phone and obtain a (free) QR code to allow access. The concept remains in place, but there have been accommodations made:

“The important part is that we have opened up the number of exemptions in order to reflect the reality of people’s personal and professional lives in order not to paralyse their activity, while also upholding our rules on security. ...

“There will be special lanes [for Olympic traffic], detours. But our message is that we are doing everything to ensure essential car journeys are possible.

“The delivery of packages or meals in a vehicle is not allowed, but will be possible on foot.”

He explained that taxi drivers, caregivers and emergency technicians – locksmiths, for example – would be able to enter restricted areas, provided they have registered their status ahead of time.

The exact outlines of the restricted areas are expected to be revealed by the end of February.

4.
USADA’s Tygart calls for sports anti-crime agency

The World Anti-Doping Agency was created in 1999. Now, 25 years later, Travis Tygart, the head of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, is calling for a similar body to be created to control crimes in sport.

He told the 2024 Play The Game Conference in Trondheim (NOR):

“There is an incredible need for it, particularly because of the sexual abuse cases in sport. It’s horrific stories. Sport has to care about individual lives who are being affected.

“And the manipulation of competitions as well. Just as in the anti-doping space, the public, broadcasters, and sponsors are not going to stand for sport that does not have a legitimate outcome. Fairness is at the heart of why we play sport in life. Sport is so valuable, so I think absolutely there is a need for it.”

The questions of what such an agency would look like, funded and staffed are all to be solved. But Tygart wants to start:

“It is only a matter of time before something happens. And then those who want to see change are going to be in a certain state of panic like the world of sport was back in 1999 and that ultimately led to the World Anti-Doping Agency being established.

“The dark side always exposes itself. In the U.S, we now have an unprecedented piece of legislation that gives 20 million dollars to the U.S. Center for SafeSport, an independent organization that tries to tackle these issues. There is a lot of ‘devil in the detail’ of how to make that truly effective, both in the U.S. but also around the world.

“It can’t be a political body where politicians are influencing the decisions. And then I think you need to have the proper authority. That means it cannot become an overly bureaucratic organization that through regulation attempts to control everyone and gets rid of the discretion and trust of those in the field who have to make difficult decisions.”

Ironically, Tygart, who has railed against the failures of the worldwide anti-doping system, still sees some sort of anti-crime agency that could come out of the same concept:

“We see incredible failures of the current anti-doping system. That does not erase all the great work. But a byproduct of all this regulation is that no one takes responsibility and let us be clear: We have a long way to go to win the gold medal for clean athletes.”

His comments came out of a seminar session titled, “Clearing Sport: Towards an agency countering crime and protecting integrity of sport?”

5.
ESPN-FOX-WBD tie-up erupts to change U.S. television landscape

Tuesday’s announcement of a forthcoming, direct-to-consumer mega-streaming package alters the American television market in a substantial way, but leaves the country’s Olympic television partner on the sidelines.

The announcement led with:

“ESPN, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery have reached an understanding on principal terms to form a new Joint Venture (JV) to build an innovative new platform to house a compelling streaming sports service.

“The platform brings together the companies’ portfolios of sports networks, certain direct-to-consumer (DTC) sports services and sports – including content from all the major professional sports leagues and college sports. The formation of the pay service is subject to the negotiation of definitive agreements amongst the parties.

“The offering, scheduled to launch in the fall of 2024, would be made available directly to consumers via a new app. Subscribers would also have the ability to bundle the product, including with Disney+, Hulu and/or Max.”

What this means is that 14 over-the-air and cable channels will be combined in a single offer:

● Disney (7): ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS
● Fox (4): FOX, FS1, FS2, BTN
● WBD (3): TNT, TBS, truTV

Baseball, college football, NFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL and a host of soccer fixtures will all be offered, but not the Olympic Games or any of the many sports contracted to NBC – such as the World Athletics meets and the Diamond League – and many U.S. national federation events. CBS, which has its own Paramount+ streaming service – is also not involved.

Pricing is being reported in the $40-50 per month range, so it isn’t going to be cheap, but the opportunity to bundle with other services could make a combined offer interesting for consumers.

Observed: What does this mean for American viewers of the Olympic Games or Olympic sports? In the short term, not much; to the extent such events are contracted to NBC – including the Olympic Games through 2032 and the upcoming U.S. Olympic Trials events – they will continue as before.

But what this tie-up does is further erode the visibility of Olympic sport in the U.S. Beyond the Olympic Games, NBC has moved much of its Olympic-sport programming to the Peacock streaming service, which continues as a separate entity, at $6 and up per month. To the extent that the new three-network app absorbs fan interest, eyeballs and money – and its forthcoming impact is unknown – it further relegates Olympic-sport events off people’s schedules. To the extent it diminishes – if at all – Peacock’s share among sports fans, it lowers American Olympic sport’s presence.

Nielsen reported that, in December 2023, over-the-air and cable viewing accounted for 51.5% of all U.S. television viewing, with 35.9% streaming and 12.5% for other uses, such as video games. Streaming advanced from 32.8% in January of 2023, a 9.5% gain in one year.

With the implosion of newspapers continuing nationally, the opportunities for U.S. Olympic sports to obtain awareness and impact are already challenging. As none of the three U.S. entities that are part of this new streaming venture have much at all to do with America and the Olympics, it’s another worry point for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and the National Governing Bodies.

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Aquatics ● Day six of the World Aquatics Championships in Doha (QAT) featured the two 5 km open-water events, with Rio 2016 Olympic and 2024 Worlds 10 km champ Sharon van Rouwendaal (NED) completing her sweep of the Doha women’s events.

Trailing Australia’s Chelsea Gubicka into the final half of the last lap of the non-Olympic 5 km race Wednesday, van Rouwendaal charged in the final 150 m to get the lead and then touched first in 57:33.9, with Gubicka at 57:35.0 and Brazilian star Ana Marcela Cunha third (57:36.8).

American Katie Grimes was fourth (57:38.4) and teammate Mariah Denigan was 12th (57:55.3). Gubicka has now won silvers in the 10 km in 2023 and now in the 5 km; Cunha won her 16th career Worlds open-water medal (7-2-7).

France celebrated a 1-2 finish in the men’s 5 km with 2019 Worlds silver winner Logan Fontaine passing Rio Olympic 10 km bronze medalist Marc-Antoine Olivier in a blanket finish among five swimmers. Fontaine was timed in 51:29.3 to 51:29.5 for Olivier, who also won the 10 km silver in Doha, with Italy’s Domenico Acerenza third (51:30.0) and Hungary’s 10 km winner Kristof Rasovszky fourth (51:30.5).

China is concentrating on the Olympic-program events in diving and swept Wednesday’s men’s 3 m Springboard final and the women 3 m Synchro.

Two-time defending World Champion Zongyuan Wang took his third title in a row at 538.70, followed by Tokyo Olympic champ Siyi Xie (516.10). Osmar Olvera (MEX), the 1 m Springboard winner, got the bronze (498.40). Americans Tyler Downs (342.35) and Grayson Campbell (328.00) were 29th and 37th in the prelims.

China also sailed to gold in the women’s 3 m Synchro with Yani Chang and Yiwen Chen winning their third World title in a row at 323.43, trailed by Maddison Keeney and Anabelle Smith (AUS: 300.45) and Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen (GBR: 281.70). Americans Alison Gibson and Krysta Palmer just missed the bronze, finishing fourth at 279.30.

For Chang, 22, it’s her fourth Worlds 3 m Synchro gold, as she also won in 2017, but with Tingmao Shi.

China now has five-for-five in the Olympic diving events, with three left and has won seven medals (5-2-0) in seven opportunities.

Italy’s Giorgio Minisini won the men’s Solo Free in the only Artistic Swimming final on Wednesday, scoring 210.1355 to win easily over Dennis Gonzalez (ESP: 196.2750) and Colombia’s Gustavo Sanchez (192.0812). It’s the 10th career Worlds medal for Minisini, including a total of four golds.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee ● Reuters profiled the soon-to-be U.S. training center for the Paris 2024 Games in Eaubonne, France, about 10 miles north of the Olympic city.

Rocky Harris, the USOPC Chief of Sport and Athlete Services explained:

“It really has exceeded all of our needs. We’ve visited over a dozen facilities and this one early on, it became clear that it was our top choice.

“It really replicates a lot of what we have in our training centre back home so our athletes will feel at home here.”

Eaubonne itself is a town of 25,000 and has the Athletica facility, which includes 100 bedrooms, sports training and medical facilities, and a restaurant, with other venues close by. Both the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams will be supported there.

● Russia ● Dmitry Chernyshenko was well known in the Olympic Movement as the President of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games organizing committee. Now, as a Deputy Prime Minister in Russia, he has been harshly critical of the Olympic world since sanctions were imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. On Wednesday, he told the Russian news agency TASS:

“The Olympic Movement has been infected with the Russophobia virus and it has strayed from its core values as well as the Olympic spirit of competition.

“We can all see full well that the right to host the Olympic Games is granted to those countries that are simply ready to submit their bids and eventually they win this right without any competition.

“We hope that the International Olympic Committee will change its policies and cooperation will resume at some point. But this is a matter of perspective and Russia is now going its own way.”

● Athletics ● Another doping stunner, with Spain’s Mohamed Katir, 25, the 2022 Worlds 1,500 m bronze medalist and 2023 Worlds 5,000 m runner-up, provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit for “whereabouts” failures.

This means he missed three tests within 12 months. He refutes the charges and expects to be cleared: “I consider that there is no violation arising from three location failures in the last twelve months. In some of the location failures reported by AIU, I was available at the place, date and times provided by me. …

“This is a simple file derived from the completion of location data on the ADAMS platform that could generate location errors (whereabouts).”

Even stranger is the case of Kenyan 800 m star Michael Saruni (1:43.25 best from 2018), who was suspended for four years – to 30 August 2027 – because he “adamantly, evaded, refused and failed to give a sample or submit to sample collection and by collusion or trickery escaped or left the venue.”

During the Kenyan World Championships Trials in 2022 in Nairobi, Saruni was identified for doping control after finishing ninth in the race. Then things got crazy:

“85. The Panel has held above that the Athlete was well identified and notified. He then changed clothes and in the company of the chaperone went towards the [doping control station] before hurriedly going into the male washroom on the run. Thereafter two people emerged from that washroom who were dressed in a similar manner. One was held who turned out to be Dennis Mwangi, but the Athlete Respondent was nowhere to be found. Dennis Mwangi was dressed exactly in the same or similar manner as had been described by the Chaperone Karen – ‘a blue hoodie jacket and black trousers with white stripes on the side.’

“86. Dennis Mwangi was a friend of the Athlete. He was present at the stadium that day not as an athlete but on errands and by invitation of the Athlete. He was not there to race. That he therefore ends up being detained in place of the Athlete/Respondent without other cogent explanation against the evidence by the four witness, in the panel’s view can only point to an intentional act of evading or avoiding to submit to sample collection. The Athlete, duly notified, consciously chose to walk/run away from the Chaperone and other [Doping Control Officers] instead of cooperating as required by the WADC. That action is commensurate with “evasion” which per [World Anti-Doping Code] comment to Article 3.2 in regard to sample collection ‘contemplates intentional conduct by the Athlete.’”

Wow.

The Olympic women’s shot silver medalist from Tokyo, American Raven Saunders announced she has one more year left in her. She posted on Tuesday:

“Just know I’m only doing 5 meets this year and then I’m retiring from Track and field!!!! I refuse to compete another year to struggle financially in a sport that shows no respect fiscally for my event #HULKOUTTF24″

She’s a two-time Olympian and a member of the 2017 U.S. World Championship team; she will finish an 18-month “whereabouts” failure suspension on 14 February 2024.

● Cycling ● A report on the first-of-its-kind UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland last year concluded that the event generated a total economic impact of £205 million, or about $258.95 million U.S. (£1 = $1.26 today)

Compiled by the professional services firm EY, the report noted:

● “A goal of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships was to promote Scotland as a tourism destination and engage a global audience. 1,000,000 visitors attended the Championships, over a third of whom came from outside Scotland; people travelled from five continents. Spending by visitors, teams and media provided a significant boost to local businesses.”

● “Over the course of their stay, international visitors contributed £115m in direct spending into Scotland, particularly through spend on accommodation and transport, while non-local attendees contributed over £105m to the region.”

● “In total, there was £344m of incremental spend across direct, indirect and induced impacts, which resulted in £205m of additional value added to Scotland-based businesses and supported the equivalent of 5,285 full-time jobs.”

The event was also judged to be a success on social impacts and was operated with a special emphasis on sustainability.

● Football ● The European Football Union (UEFA) Executive Committee met in Paris on Wednesday and approved the distribution formula for the €4.4 billion ($4.74 billion U.S. at €1 = $1.08) from its men’s club competitions from 2024-27:

“Of the projected threshold of €4.4bn: 10% (€440m) is allocated to solidarity with 7% (€308m) to non-participating clubs and 3% (€132m) to qualifying rounds clubs. In addition, €25m are reserved to UEFA Women’s Champions League and UEFA Youth League.

“The net amount (after deduction of costs, solidarity payments and payments to other competitions) is shared between participating clubs (93.5%) and UEFA (6.5%).

“Out of the total amount available for distribution to participating clubs (€ 3.317 bn), €2.467bn (74.38%) will be distributed to clubs competing in the UEFA Champions League (and UEFA Super Cup), €565m (17.02%) will be distributed to clubs competing in the UEFA Europa League and €285m (8.60%) to clubs in the UEFA Conference League. The ratio between the three competitions has been kept on the same level as in the current 2021/24 cycle.”

These amounts are separate from the UEFA European Championships, or any of the women’s competitions.

● Wrestling ● A major win for USA Wrestling with the NCAA announcement that women’s wrestling is expected to hold its first NCAA Championship in the winter of 2026:

“The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics voted at its meeting Wednesday to recommend Divisions I, II and III sponsor legislation to add a national collegiate women’s wrestling championship.”

The vote on the proposals would come at the NCAA Convention in January 2025. The floor of 40 schools with women’s wrestling programs was passed in 2022-23, with 51 schools involved, and 70 projected for next season.

This would be the NCAA’s 91st championship sport, completing a process which started with the University of Minnesota-Morris adding women’s wrestling back in 1993-94. Already fielding a powerful team, USA Wrestling will quickly benefit from having collegiate programs to aid its development process.

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TSX REPORT: New Balance indoor outdraws U.S. Marathon Trials on TV; Olympic T&F Trials tickets coming; San Diego ramps up World Road Champs

Rich Perelman

February 7, 2024

tsx pix 2024-206 sunday tv ratings 750 — How about those ratings for the New Balance Indoor on NBC? (Photo: Nielsen audience report on SportsMediaWatch.com)

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. T&F out-draws Marathon Trials on NBC, 1.197 million to 760,000!
2. French financial prosecutors looking at Estanguet pay
3. Five more world leads at the Copernius Cup in Poland
4. Ticket packages and prices posted for Olympic Track Trials
5. San Diego looking to expand World Road Champs in ‘25

● Television viewing data from Neilsen showed that Sunday’s New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston significantly outdrew Saturday’s U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, and had an excellent 1.2 million average audience to see Noah Lyles and others. The U.S. Figure Skating Nationals also drew significant TV interest, but the difficult time zone hurt the Australian Open.

● The French national financial prosecutor’s office is reported to be investigating Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet’s compensation in yet another inquiry into the organizing committee’s affairs. The Paris 2024 organizers expressed surprise at the reports.

● More hot indoor running and jumping, this time at the Orlen Copernicus Cup in Torun, Poland, with a sensational women’s 1,500 m won by Ethiopia’s Freweyni Hailu in 3:55.28, moving her to no. 3 all-time indoors.

● TrackTown USA revealed that all-session ticket packages for June’s U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in Eugene will go on sale on 20 February. There will be packages at five different levels, priced from $995 to $395, plus fees.

● A major expansion of the World Athletics Road Running Championships is coming for the second edition in San Diego in 2025. The three core races – mile, 5 km and Half Marathon – will be augmented with a children’s program, Gold Label Race Walking events, concerts and a lot more. Total participation of 50,000 is hoped for over three days with a total economic impact of perhaps $100 million.

● World Championships: Aquatics (2: China sails to another diving gold; Simoneau and China win artistic golds) ●

● Panorama: International Olympic Committee (With two years to go to Milan Cortina 2026, IOC has 227 scholarship recipients in winter sports) = European Games (Istanbul in line for 2027) = Alpine Skiing (French federation panned for not showing women’s World Junior races) = Weightlifting (North Koreans claim three world records at Asian Champs) ●

1.
T&F out-draws Marathon Trials on NBC, 1.197 million to 760,000!

The long-awaited U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials was in a good time slot on NBC on Saturday, with a noon start and at least five spots on the starting line in Paris this summer on the line.

Meh.

On the first Sunday without NFL football since the summer, the first major indoor track meet of 2024 was on in Boston, with stars including triple sprint World Champion Noah Lyles.

Yep, that got some interest.

Nielsen-provided audience numbers for the weekend showed that the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, live on NBC at 4 p.m. Eastern – the late NFL window – did a very respectable audience of 1.197 million, a 38% rise over the 2023 total on essentially the same date.

That was way ahead of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, also shown by NBC, at noon on Saturday, but on a two-hour tape delay, which drew 760,000. The network TV audience totals were hampered by the timing, as the live race was just finishing at noon on the Peacock streaming service.

The New Balance Grand Prix was the seventh-highest-rated sports show on Sunday, well behind the NFL Pro Bowl shows on ABC (3.85 million) and ESPN (1.83 million). The Marathon Trials ranked 18th on Saturday, behind college and NBA basketball, golf, auto racing, ice hockey and soccer.

And a cautionary note for followers of demographics: both the New Balance Grand Prix and Marathon Trials failed badly with younger viewers. In the 18-34 age group, just 69,000 watched the track meet (vs. 604,000 for the Pro Bowl) and 38,000 watched the marathon (vs. 513,000 for Duke-North Carolina men’s basketball).

Just behind Sunday’s track extravaganza was the lead-in, week-old exhibition skate replay from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, which did very well at 1.084 million on NBC at 2 p.m., preceded by highlights of the ISU Four Continents Championships at noon, which did 828,000. Those numbers are up considerably from the usual 600-700,000 seen on Sundays against NFL regular-season and playoff games.

The U.S. Nationals in Columbus, despite being against the NFL conference championship games, drew strongly (all times Eastern):

● 25 Jan. (Thu.): 260,000 for the Pairs Short Program (USA: 2 p.m.)
● 25 Jan. (Thu.): 216,000 for the Ice Dance Rhythm Dance (USA: 5 p.m.)
● 26 Jan. (Fri.): 222,000 for the men’s Short Program (USA: 4 p.m.)
● 26 Jan. (Fri.): 2.207 million for the women’s Free Skate (NBC: 8 p.m.)
● 27 Jan. (Sat.): 1.071 million for the Ice Dance Free Dance (NBC: 2:30 p.m.)
● 27 Jan. (Sat.): 455,000 for the Pairs Free Skate (USA: 8 p.m.)
● 28 Jan. (Sun.): 764,000 for the men’s Free Skate (NBC: 3 p.m.)

The USA Swimming Tyr Pro Swim Series highlights from Knoxville that aired on Sunday (28th) at 2 p.m. on NBC drew 499,000.

The Australian Open tennis finals suffered from the time difference to Melbourne. The women’s final on Saturday (27; Australian time) was listed with a 3:30 a.m. Eastern start time by Nielsen and drew 338,000 on ESPN and then 184,000 on ESPN on an 8 a.m. replay. A third showing on the Tennis Channel at 11 a.m. Eastern had 111,000 viewing.

Sunday’s men’s final was also at 3:30 a.m. Eastern and drew 476,000 and then 256,000 for an 8:30 a.m. Eastern replay on ESPN2.

2.
French financial prosecutors looking at Estanguet pay

Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet, 45, the three-time Olympic canoeing gold medalist who has been a popular figure at the head of the organizing committee’s work since its formation in 2017, is reported to be under investigation by the French financial prosecutors, the Parquet national financier (PNF).

An inquiry was apparently started last week, with Agence France Presse reporting that “Estanguet received annual remuneration of 270,000 euros gross until 2020, according to figures communicated by [Paris 2024] in 2018.” (€270,000 is about $290,417 U.S.)

Stories last year explained that Estanguet does not draw a salary as a Paris 2024 employee, but has his pay channeled through his company, a common procedure. In the context of the FNP, however, it was reported that “The arrangement is to avoid a salary cap imposed on charities with the same status as the organising committee.”

The FNP has been examining Paris 2024 contracts, looking for favoritism or overpayments, but have so far had no impact on the continuing work of the organizing committee. The Paris 2024 compliance director said it had not been contacted on the matter by the FNP.

3.
Five more world leads at the Copernius Cup in Poland

The suddenly-hot indoor track & field season continued on Tuesday with the Orlen Copernicus Cup in Torun (POL), most of all for Poland’s 2019 World women’s 60 m champ, Ewa Swoboda.

She ran a world-leading 7.01 to edge Italy’s Zaynab Dosso, who scored a national record at 7.02, to highlight five world leads at the meet:

● Men/3,000 m: 7:25.82, Selemon Barega (ETH)
● Men/Triple Jump: 17.61 m (57-9 1/2), Andy Diaz (ITA)
● Women/800 m: 1:57.86, Habitam Alemu (ETH)
● Women/1,500 m: 3:55.28, Freweyni Hailu (ETH)

Barega, the Tokyo Olympic 10,000 m champ in 2021, held off countryman Getnet Wale in the 3,000 m, and moved to no. 5 all-time. Wale was second in 7:26.73, the no. 9 performance ever, but slower than his 7:24.98 best from 2021.

Former Cuban Diaz got a lifetime indoor best in the triple jump on his second try, then retired, winning by almost two feet.

Also impressive, but short of a world lead was Ethiopia’s two-time Worlds Indoor gold medalist Samuel Tefera, who won a fast 1,500 m in 3:34.61. That’s no. 5 on the world indoor list for 2024, but just barely ahead of countryman Biniam Mehary, 17, second in 3:34.83, setting a World Junior Record indoors. Remember that name this summer.

The women’s world leads in the distances also came from Ethiopia, with Tokyo Olympic finalist Habitam Alemu taking the women’s 800 m all alone at the finish in 1:57.86, an indoor best for her. The 1,500 m was tighter, with Freweyni Hailu flying into the lead with just 100 m left to win in 3:55.28 with Diribe Welteji (3:55.47), Hirut Meshesha (3:56.47) and Tigist Girma (3:58.79) completing an 1-2-3-4 Ethiopian sweep.

How fast was this race? Hailu and Welteji moved to nos. 3-4-5 all-time indoors, with the fourth, fifth and seventh-fastest races ever. Girma is now no. 9 all-time indoor with her fourth-place finish.

Coming on Saturday is another World Indoor Tour Gold meet, the Hauts de France in Lievin and then the Millrose Games in New York on Sunday.

4.
Ticket packages and prices posted for Olympic Track Trials

With the Olympic Marathon Trials concluded, the track & field meet is coming next, at Hayward Field in Eugene, from 21-30 June. The TrackTown USA organizers have posted the seating chart and pricing for all-session tickets that will go on sale beginning on 20 February 2024.

Five seating zones have been identified, with pricing:

● Zone 1: $995 for all sessions ~ finish line area
● Zone 2: $855 ~ home straight
● Zone 3: $725 ~ first curve to 1,500 m start
● Zone 4: $495 ~ backstraight
● Zone 5: $395 ~ second turn

No added seating is shown, so the facility capacity should be 12,650, with 12 sections being held out of this first sale. These are expected to be used for athletes, officials, sponsors and media. The map notes that “Order processing fees will be added to the cost of each ticket. Customers are limited to purchasing eight ticket packages.”

Comparisons with the Olympic Trials in 2021 are difficult due to Covid restrictions that impacted pricing then, but the combined cost of individual tickets for Zone 1 each day in 2021 – eight days in all – was $1,130 not including fees. That went down to $1,030 for Zone 2 and finally to $440 for Zone 7. There will be fewer zones for 2022 (nine days) thanks in part to the passing of the pandemic.

5.
San Diego looking to expand World Road Champs in ‘25

What was expected to be a brilliant introduction to the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga (LAT) last October had to be condensed to a single-day event over worries about impacts from the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.

There are no such concerns today over the second edition, to be held in and around Balboa Park in San Diego, California in 2025, with plans now underway to expand the concept very substantially:

● A three-day event has been approved for 26-28 September 2025, less than one week after the 21 September conclusion of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (JPN).

● The three-event program from Riga will be maintained: men’s and women’s mile, 5 km and Half Marathon, with a projected $321,000 in prize money.

● But mass-participation races are expected to draw 50,000 runners to the starting lines in San Diego, which has a fabled history as the birthplace of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series. Goals for the mile are for 7,500-10,000 entrants, another 9-12,500 for the 5 km and 25-35,000 for the Half.

● The road mile will be staged as a series, starting at 10-minute intervals, from age-group up to Masters and finishing with the World Championship races. Same for the 5 km program, but the Half will be run as a single event, with timed waves following the Worlds races, which will start first.

● The Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon Series format will be used, with live bands at every mile, cheerleaders at every mile, themed water stations, and a headline-performer concert at the post-race party every day.

Veteran organizer Tracy Sundlun, who co-founded the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series, estimates the event budget at about $8.3 million, coming from registration fees for the mass-participation events and from sponsorships.

But the plan moves well beyond the road running components and is expected to include a free-entry children’s program for up to 10,000 kids – coordinated with area schools – and a showcase for the usually-ignored race walkers. The plan is to offer separate races in all three distances for race walking and to offer prize money and travel assistance that will allow these races to be certified as World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold Label events.

This could be a pivot point for race walking in the U.S., especially if these events are continued as a legacy program. San Diego and environs has been a center for walking and has hosted at least one USA Track & Field National Championship for the past 11 years. The total economic impact of the 2025 program could approach $100 million.

Observed: This event has the potential to morph into a major annual U.S. running festival beginning in 2026. If the 2025 World Roads is successful and supported by the San Diego running (and walking) community as well as local business, it is not hard to see this kind of event being held annually, possibly with multiple USA Track & Field national championships in running and walking, or the start of a new tradition, just as marathons in Boston, New York and Chicago got going and became annual attractions on their own.

There’s a long way to go before then, but the potential is there and with Sundlun and others who have developed high-profile programs before, the opportunity is too good to pass up.

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Aquatics ● Day five of the World Aquatics Championships in Doha (QAT), and the expected Chinese domination in the Olympic diving events, this time with a 40-plus-point win for their “teen team” in the women’s 10 m Synchro.

The amazing Hongchan Quan – still just 16 – and Yuxi Chen (18) went 1-2 in the women’s 10 m Platform final on Monday and teamed up to win their third straight 10 m Synchro Worlds gold together over the last three years. They scored 362.22 points vs. 320.70 for North Koreans Jin-mi Jo and Mi-rae Kim; Kim won her third career Worlds medal and her first since 2017! Britain’s Andrea Splendolini-Sirieix – the 10 m Platform bronze winner – got a second medal in tandem with Lois Toulson, after finishing second together in 2023.

Americans Jessica Parratto and Delaney Schnell, the Tokyo Olympic silver winner, finished eighth at 271.26.

Canada’s Jacqueline Simoneau took the women’s Solo Free routine gold, after finishing second in the Solo Technical. She scored 264.8207 to 253.2833 for Solo Technical winner Evangelia Platanioti (GRE), with Belarusian “neutral” Vasilina Khandoshka third (245.1042).

China won the Team Technical routine gold at 299.8712, well ahead of Spain (275.8925) and Japan (275.8787). The U.S. ended up fourth at 266.9333.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● The IOC noted that with two years to go – the opening will be on 6 February 2026 – its Olympic Solidarity program is now supporting 229 Olympic scholarship holders and 57 National Olympic Committees. What does that mean:

“Scholarship-holders receive a monthly grant to contribute to their qualification efforts, which can help alleviate the financial strain of pursuing their sporting dreams.”

The IOC says that many more scholarships are expected to be awarded in advance of the Milan-Cortina Games.

● European Games 2027 ● Following a meeting of the European Olympic Committees Executive Committee in Madrid (ESP), President Spyros Capralos (GRE) noted the candidature of Istanbul (TUR) for the European Games in 2027:

“It is a sign of the standing of the European Games and the success of last year’s event that a city such as Istanbul are prepared to host the fourth edition in 2027.

“In today’s world, it is very difficult to attract candidates to organise multisport events, but Istanbul have demonstrated that they have the infrastructure required to host the Games and would welcome the benefits that it would bring to the city. We look forward to visiting Istanbul for further discussions.”

The 2023 European Games were successfully held in Krakow-Malopolska (POL) last year, but no successor host has been named.

● Alpine Skiing ● When money is tight, is it better to show some of a competition, or none?

That’s the dilemma that the French skiing federation found itself in for the recent World Junior Championships in alpine skiing. But it didn’t turn out well per the FIS statement:

“After the recently concluded Alpine Junior World Ski Championships in France, several athletes and fans commented on the lack of gender balance in the available livestreams offered as only the men’s slalom and giant slalom were broadcast, while the women’s events from the same disciplines were not aired.

“FIS acknowledges that livestreaming only the men’s slalom and giant slalom at the Alpine Junior World Ski Championships is not in line with the FIS values of equal opportunity and gender equality. FIS should have insisted on the same broadcast exposure for the women’s competitions, and we are taking the feedback we have received to heart. We will focus on promoting all FIS competitions and FIS athletes equally in the future to avoid any kind of similar situation in the future.”

The French federation statement explained that the events were held at different sites and there was insufficient funds to cover broadcasting of all of the events.

Observed: There are questions raised by all this: where was FIS in all of this, since it was their championship? Is it better not to show anything? And, the wisdom of holding events in as few venues as possible – in order to save money – continues to be a winning concept for sporting events of all kinds.

● Weightlifting ● North Korea is dominating the Asian Championships in Tashkent (UZB), winning the first eight classes in a row and setting world records along the way. But without the possibility to go to Paris this summer.

Having re-entered competition too late in the qualifying cycle to reach Olympic qualification, the PRK lifters are re-writing the record books instead. In Tashkent so far, three new women’s world marks for total weight lifted:

● Women/45 kg: 192 kg total, Hyon-sim Won (PRK)
● Women/49 kg: 220 kg total, Song-gum Ri (PRK)
● Women/55 kg: 227 kg total, Hyon-gyong Kang (PRK)

The competition continues through the 10th.

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TSX REPORT: Italy confirms Cortina sliding center build; Valieva decision may not be published; why did NBC keep Kara Goucher quiet?

Rich Perelman

February 6, 2024

tsx pix 2021-1204 jackson, erin kearns 750 (ISU) — Olympic Speed Skating gold medalist Erin Jackson of the U.S. (Photo: International Skating Union)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Contract signed to build Cortina sliding track
2. RUSADA to ask for Valieva decision to stay confidential
3. Marathon Trials a success, but why did NBC silence Goucher?
4. New Zealand case authorizes athlete collective bargaining
5. Doping-encouraged event gets billionaire backing

● Against the advice of the International Olympic Committee, the Italian government confirmed the nearly-$88 million contract to build a sliding track in Cortina d’Ampezzo for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. The national finance minister suggested putting up a countdown clock to remind everyone of the tight timeline.

● The Russian Anti-Doping Agency announced that it may not allow publication of the actual decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport panel in the Kamila Valieva doping case. That’s their right under the Court of Arbitration rules; however, an appeal may also be made to the Swiss Federal Tribunal.

● The U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials were a success in Orlando on Saturday, with the area expecting a $12-15 million tourism boost. The races were dramatic, but NBC’s sound engineers did no favors for analyst Kara Goucher, whose voice was drowned out again and again by inflated crowd noise. What’s that about? Men’s third-placer Leonard Korir looks good for eventual Paris qualification, but that won’t be settled until May.

● In New Zealand, an athlete collective of cyclists and rowers formed a “union” under national law and demanded collective bargaining with High Performance Sport New Zealand for better funding and conditions. An Employment Relations Authority judge agreed that collective bargaining should be allowed, but with no requirement that any agreement be made. The ruling may be appealed.

● The doping-encouraged “Enhanced Games” idea has received some funding, and is still in the planning stages for mid-2025 at a U.S. location. It has been called dangerous, but the founder says it’s simply a way to free up science.

● World Championships: Aquatics (2: China 1-2 in women 10 m diving, and sweeps two in artistic) ●

● Panorama: Alpine Skiing (Italian star Goggia crashes, has surgery) = Archery (Ellison, Kroppen win World Indoor Series in Vegas) = Athletics (world leaders by McRae, Pinnock, Alfred) = Basketball (USA Basketball named women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament team) = Cricket (men’s ICC U-19 World Cup proceeding without more protest as South Africa reaches semis) = Ice Hockey (Hockey Canada suspends entire 2018 men’s World Junior team over assault allegations against five) = Modern Pentathlon (French federation loses €600,000 in bank cyber-assault) = Ski Mountaineering (France’s Harrop sweeps women’s World Cup races) = Speed Skating (Jackson wins ISU World Cup 500 m title) ●

1.
Contract signed to build Cortina sliding track

The Italian governmental agency responsible for the construction related to the 2026 Olympic Winter Games – the Societa Infrastrutture Milano Cortina 2026 SpA – known as SIMICO, confirmed the contract with Para-based construction Impresa Pizzarotti & C. on Friday (3).

Now the race begins to get the track built in Cortina d’Ampezzo, replacing the dismantled Eugenio Monti track built for the 1956 Winter Games. The Italian news agency ANSA reported (computer translation from the original Italian):

“[A]ccording to the contract, Pizzarotti will have 685 days to complete the work, therefore counting Saturdays and Sundays the construction should be completed by early January 2026, practically one month from the opening ceremony of Milan-Cortina. But in terms of construction times for the casing, however, there is another date with a red circle on the calendar: 15 March 2025. By that day the track must be ready for a first test, the one in which bobsleighs and sleds evaluate the dangerousness of the curves to then put any corrections into practice.”

The contract is for €81.6 million, or about $87.8 million U.S., with work to start on 19 February.

The International Olympic Committee has remained opposed to the project, preferring since the bid phase an existing track; its statement noted:

“The timelines set by the International Federations of these sports to homologate and run test events on any new or renovated track have to be respected.

“With this in mind, the IOC has strong concerns about the delivery of this project by the required deadline of March 2025, which is necessary to validate and homologate the track, as no sliding track has ever been completed in such a short timeframe. This concern is shared by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation and the International Luge Federation.

“Therefore, the IOC has asked the Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee to prepare a plan B as contingency in case of any delays, to ensure bobsleigh, skeleton and luge competitions can be held during the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

“The new project for the sliding track in Cortina does not address these issues as the planned design does not include any viable sustainable use or legacy following the Games and does not deliver a venue that meets all technical requirements, increasing significantly cost and complexity for the organizing committee that will have to make up for the gaps.”

The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation is also worried:

“[T]he IBSF raised its serious concerns on the tight construction timeline given the fact that the homologation of the sliding track has to take place in March 2025. As an international federation, the safety of athletes, officials and spectators has the highest priority, followed by a sustainable legacy plan for the use of the sliding center after the Olympic Winter Games. …

“The IBSF fully supports the IOC´s request to the Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee to prepare a plan B as a contingency in case of any delays. Therefore, it appreciates the decision of the Board of Directors of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation Board, to give the CEO of the Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee the mandate to continue the work of negotiating a possible plan B.”

And there is worry in Italy, too, with national Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti joking – he said he was joking – that:

“The Olympics don’t come every two years, they’re coming in 2026 and then they won’t come again, and I’m beginning to regret backing it, because I feel the responsibility.”

He added, more seriously:

“I want to put a nice electronic board at the entrance to Valtellina that indicates how many days are left to realize the sense of urgency needed.

“I read about the bobsled track, little by little things are moving. The date is that it can’t be moved, you have to run more and recover.”

2.
RUSADA to ask for Valieva decision to stay confidential

“RUSADA respects athletes’ rights and in this case we resorted to all possible means to protect confidential information regarding our client.

“We have received the reasoning behind the [Court of Arbitration for Sport] decision and our lawyers are already examining it. It is very likely that we will ask CAS to keep confidential this decision’s reasoning section.”

That statement from the Russian Anti-Doping Agency on Friday signals that the detailed, written decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport in the Kamila Valieva doping appeal case, decided in favor of the World Anti-Doping Agency, will not be publicly released for some time, if ever.

Following the announcement of the CAS arbitration decision on 29 January, the Court of Arbitration explained the process for release of the written opinion:

“The Arbitral Award issued by the CAS Panel is currently subject to a confidentiality review meaning that the parties might request that the Arbitral Award, or certain information contained in it, remain confidential.

“For this reason, the Arbitral Award was not immediately published on the CAS website.

“The review will take a few days to complete but it is possible that the award, either redacted or in its entirety, might be published by the end of next week.”

One issue in the release of the decision is that Valieva was 15 at the time of the doping incident, on 21 December 2021, and is still a minor, aged 17. The World Anti-Doping Code has protections for minors as to the release of information about doping incidents, but no restrictions on possible penalties, as Valieva was given a four-year ban for the use of Trimetazidine, which showed up in her December 2021 test.

Further, the Court of Arbitration for Sport is not a formal court in the governmental sense, but an arbitration program between the involved parties, all of which can ask for some or all of a decision not to be released. That appears to be the situation now, but the decision could be released at a later time if the objecting party relents.

And there is a possible appeal. French attorney Andrea Pinna said in a statement:

“I confirm that my law firm is representing Kamila Valieva. We are not commenting at this time; the athlete’s legal team is reviewing the decision, which is over 130 pages long, before commenting and deciding on further action, which may indeed include challenging its validity in the Swiss Federal Court.”

3.
Marathon Trials a success, but why did NBC silence Goucher?

The coverage was all about the race and that’s the way it should be for a signature event like Saturday’s U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando, Florida.

The skies were sunny, the weather was temperate enough not to be an overriding factor and the loop course – a short, 2.2-mile opener and then three loops of eight miles each – made it possible for athletes to gauge the race and for the crowds around the finish to cheer as the race progressed.

There weren’t many spectators outside of the finishing straight on Rosalind Avenue, and the aerial shots of the race on NBC leads to an educated guess of perhaps 25,000 spectators out to see the Trials on Saturday morning.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer predicted a $12-15 million economic impact from not only the runners, but families, fans, news media and officials coming into town for the race, served by 1,500 race volunteers.

This was a success for the Greater Orlando Sports Commission and the Track Shack race directors, and after the tug-of-war on the starting time was settled, for USA Track & Field and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee for its lack of drama away from the race itself.

For those watching NBC’s race coverage and wanting more, the second-screen Trials online leaderboard and race statistics presentation was superb: mile-by-mile splits, constant updates and clear, easy-to-read graphics. The only thing missing was a live blog – World Athletics has perfected this – for added comments such as drop-outs during the race, or updated weather. Maybe next time.

The television planning was excellent and there were all of the expected aerial shots – especially on Rosalind Avenue – and the on-course cameras and audio worked most of the time.

There was one major glitch, which seems to have spread like a virus on live sports coverage across all networks. Drowning out the announcers with potted-up crowd noise.

Except for the finish area, there wasn’t that much noise from fans on most of the eight-mile loop. And while play-by-play host Leigh Diffey (AUS) could be heard clearly, analyst – and 2007 Worlds 10,000 m silver medalist – Kara Goucher could not.

Goucher has a soft voice and was consistently muffled by amped-up crowd noise to the point where many of her comments were unintelligible. Maybe they were interesting, maybe they weren’t important, but who could tell? If Goucher’s comments couldn’t be heard, why was she on the broadcast to begin with?

Why can’t NBC give her more respect?

And the same thing happened on Sunday at the New Balance Grand Prix indoor meet, especially with Lewis Johnson trying to do interviews against the very loud public address system at The Track at New Balance. But in one interview, the sound engineer was on it and potted down the background noise to allow Johnson to get a few words out of Ethiopian star Gudaf Tsegay after the women’s 1,500 m. It is possible.

The races were great, and there was good coverage where possible of some of the drop-outs, with Diffey also adding information as he got it. Marathon debutante Paul Chelimo, the twice Olympic medalist at 5,000 m, did not finish; neither did Scott Fauble, expected to contend for the Olympic team, or Abdi Abdirahman, the five-time Olympian and oldest in the field at 47.

On the women’s side, debutante Jenny Simpson did not finish. Neither did defending champ Aliphine Tuliamuk, and contenders Keira D’Amato and Betsy Saina. Des Linden, 40, running in her fifth Olympic Trials, finished 11th, after 13th in 2008, then second, second and fourth in 2012-16-20. Sara Hall, also 40, was competing in her eighth Olympic Trials – her third marathon to go with five track Trials – finished a very creditable fifth.

One of the remaining mysteries following the Trials was what will happen to third–placer Leonard Korir, 37, who moved up from fourth in 2020, but is not yet confirmed for Paris. His 2:09:57 time helped his cause and ranks about 68th on the World Athletics Olympic protocol list for Paris qualification, with 80 runners (but not more than three per country) to be finally confirmed in early May.

4.
New Zealand case authorizes athlete collective bargaining

An interesting administrative labor ruling in New Zealand has held that an athlete “union” as defined under New Zealand law, has the right to ask for collective bargaining talks with High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ).

An action was brought in 2022 by an athlete group of New Zealand cyclists and rowers, calling themselves The Athletes Cooperative, Inc. (TAC) and asking for collective bargaining with High Performance Sport NZ, which leads the country’s elite-performance programs for international competition.

HPSNZ refused to enter into collective bargaining with The Athletes Cooperative, noting that such efforts were done with unions on behalf of employees, and the athletes were individual contractors and not employees. The matter was escalated to the Employment Relations Authority, which heard the matter over the past year, with an opinion issued by Authority member Rowan Anderson on 26 January 2024.

It’s important to note that the decision was made strictly based on New Zealand law, and may well be appealed by HPSNZ. Anderson’s review of the situation and application of the Employment Relations Act 2000 showed an expansive view of the law and a willingness to stretch a bit beyond its written outlines.

Essentially, The Athletes Cooperative insisted that as a group of individuals which are involved with the HPSNZ for funding and support, it has the right to come together and under New Zealand law, can ask for collective bargaining, even though none of them are HPSNZ employees. HPSNZ said no.

Anderson noted very specifically that there is a wide chasm between the initiation of collective bargaining talks and an agreement that could be offered to union members for ratification. In fact, he pointed out that even if the “union members” do not want to have the union engage in collective bargaining, the union itself can still enter talks, and anything they come up with can be refuted later in an attempt at ratification.

He also saw no problem with a “union” which had no employees going ahead with talks with a prospective employer. However, he also explained that simply starting collective bargaining talks does not mean there would be any agreement:

“Section 33(1) of the Act, for example, requires the parties to conclude a collective agreement unless there is a genuine reason, based on reasonable grounds, not to. Here, there may well objectively be a genuine reason, based on reasonable grounds, why the parties might not conclude a collective agreement. However, that does not in my view suggest that bargaining cannot be commenced. …

“Here, the issue is squarely in relation to employment rather than independent contracting. TAC is seeking to bargain for a collective agreement. Such bargaining clearly applies to employment, as opposed independent contracting arrangements. That does not in my view preclude a union seeking to initiate bargaining in relation to a collective agreement that, if concluded, would set terms and conditions of employment for potential future employees.”

Anderson’s liberal view of the law is likely to be challenged by HPSNZ, and is grounded specifically in New Zealand law. But the case is a fascinating milestone for those who think that collective bargaining by athletes will somehow settle questions such as where the money for athlete demands is supposed to come from.

5.
Doping-encouraged event gets billionaire backing

The “Enhanced Games” is a doping-friendly concept in which amped-up athletes on whatever drugs they can get compete to break world records in events people are supposed to care about.

Australian attorney Aron D’Souza led the fight by German-born PayPal founder Peter Thiel against Gawker Media in the Hulk Hogan defamation matter, and D’Souza confirmed last week that Thiel and other investors are supporting his “Enhanced Games” concept slated to debut in mid-2025.

In an interview with the European-business-focused Sifted Magazine, D’Souza explained:

“‘The Olympic Games are this ancient model reinvented by a colonialist aristocrat in 1896 for the Victorian world,’ he tells Sifted. ‘We need to design a Games for social media and broadcast television.”

“That means dispensing with the events people ‘aren’t interested in,’ like badminton, curling and long distance running. Team sports, which require more competitors and more ‘complex’ logistics, are also out.

“Instead, the Enhanced Games will focus on a limited number of single-person events in the areas of track and field, swimming, gymnastics, combat and weightlifting.

“‘Our core focus is breaking world records,’ says D’Souza. ‘We only want athletes who have the potential to break world records in sports that actually matter. And so by having a much narrower set [of events], we can deliver much more cost effectively.’”

The event would be held annually in the U.S., with qualifying events in Australia, Britain and India.

Crazy? Dangerous? Probably, but it appears D’Souza may get enough money to be able to try out his vision at least once.

It’s another headache-in-the-making for the Olympic Movement.

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Aquatics ● At the World Aquatics Championships in Doha (QAT), Chinese power was on display in the women’s 10 m Platform final with a 1-2 finish as Hongchan Quan and Yuxi Chen both finished more than 50 points ahead of the bronze medalist.

Quan came in as the Tokyo 2020 gold medalist and had won 2022 and 2023 Worlds golds in the 10 m Synchro event. This time, she moved up from individual silvers in 2022 and 2023 and won by improving in each round, finishing at 436.25 to win in the final.

Three-time defending champ Chen, the Tokyo silver winner and 2022-23 Worlds winner, led the prelims (435.20) and semis (421.85) and managed 427.80 points in the final, but had to settle for her first Worlds silver after five golds across the last three Worlds.

Third was Britain’s Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix at 377.10. Katrina Young was the top American, in 20th, and did not advance to the semifinals.

In Artistic Swimming, China won the women’s Duet Technical with 266.084 points to 259.5601 for Great Britain and 258.0333 for Spain, and China’s Shuncheng Yang took the men’s Solo Technical at 246.4766 over veteran duets star Giorgio Minisini (ITA: 245.3166) and Colombian Gustavo Sanchez (231.0000). American Kenneth Gaudet was seventh (215.4333).

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Alpine Skiing ● Another major star crashes out, as Italy’s Sofia Goggia, the 2018 Olympic Downhill gold medalist, broke two bones in her right leg Monday during a Giant Slalom training run in Ponte di Legno, Italy and was taken to a Milan hospital for immediate surgery.

Goggia had won two FIS World Cup races this season and was leading the Downhill discipline, but is now out for the rest of the season. She had a metal rod attached with seven screws to begin repairing her tibia and malleolus bones. “I’ll come back this time, too,” she said before the operation.

This is only the latest crash for Goggia, who has suffered significant injuries to both legs, knees and a hand and arm since 2010, but has come back each time.

This latest injury follows a series of crashes by skiing stars this season, including American star Mikaela Shiffrin, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (NOR), Petra Vlhova (SVK), Alexis Pinturault (FRA) and Swiss Corinne Suter and Wendy Holdener.

● Archery ● Americans made the finals in the Recurve section of the Indoor World Series Final at the Vegas Shoot on Saturday, but Brady Ellison was the one to strike gold. The three-time Olympic medalist defeated Brazil’s 2021 Worlds runner-up, Marcus D’Almeida, 6-2 in the final.

Tokyo Team bronze winner Michelle Kroppen (GER) took the women’s final with a 6-4 win against American Casey Kaufhold, the 2021 Worlds silver winner. The winners received prize money of CHF 5,000, with CHF 2,500 for second.

● Athletics ● A world-leading mark in the men’s 400 m from Alabama senior Khaleb McRae, at 45.02 at the high altitude of Albuquerque, New Mexico on Saturday. It’s a lifetime best, indoor or out, for the SEC sixth-placer in 2023.

Wayne Pinnock (JAM), the 2023 Worlds silver medalist, claimed the men’s long jump world lead jumping for Arkansas, at 8.34 m (27-4 1/2).

Also at the New Mexico Classic were world-leading sprints for St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred at 7.04 for 60 m (equals world lead) and 22.16 for the 200 m.

● Basketball ● USA Basketball announced its Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament roster for the 8-11 February tournament in Belgium, including seven prior Olympians:

● Ariel Atkins (2020)
● Napheesa Collier (2020)
● Jewell Loyd (2020)
● Kelsey Plum (2020-3×3)
● Breanna Stewart (2016-20)
● Diana Taurasi (2004-08-12-16-20)
● Jackie Young (2020-3×3)

In addition, Kahleah Copper, Sabrina Ionescu and Alyssa Thomas from the gold-medalist 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup squad are on the team. Among those not chosen was Brittney Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in 2016 and 2020.

The Olympic Team roster for Paris, however, has yet to be finalized.

● Cricket ● Protests against the South African team and former captain David Teeger for his pro-Israel comments last October have cooled at the ICC men’s U-19 World Cup being played in South Africa.

Teeger and his RSA team won two of their three group games and moved on to the second “Super 6″ round, defeating Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka to make it to the semis. The only notable protest was in their opener. They will face undefeated India (5-0) in the first semi on Tuesday while Australia (4-0) and Pakistan (5-0) will play Thursday, with the final on Sunday.

Cricket (T20) will be included in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

● Ice Hockey ● A major scandal over sexual assault charges has erupted in Canada, with all 22 members of the Canadian team at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championships suspended by Hockey Canada on Monday:

“Pending the completion of the appeal process, all players from the 2018 National Junior Team remain suspended by Hockey Canada, and are ineligible to play, coach, officiate or volunteer with Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs.”

Five players from that team – Carter Hart, now of the Philadelphia Flyers, Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils, Dillon Dube of the Calgary Flames and former NHL player Alex Formenton – were charged with sexual assault over a 19 June 2018 incident alleged to have taken place in London, Ontario.

According to the CBC:

“The initial police investigation began shortly after the June 2018 complaint and ended without charges in 2019. It was reopened in 2022 by [London Police Chief Thai] Truong‘s predecessor, then Chief Steve Williams, in response to public outrage following a lawsuit that Hockey Canada settled for $3.5 million.”

The four current NHL players are on paid leave from their teams. Truong explained that the re-opening of the case came from a review:

“This review involved re-examining initial investigative steps, gathering additional evidence and obtaining new information. As a result, we have found sufficient steps to charge five adult males with sexual assault.”

Det. Sgt. Katherine Dann added:

“Additional witnesses were spoken to and we collected more evidence. Some of this information was not available when the investigation concluded in 2018. This was one investigation, not two.”

The Hockey Canada statement further explained:

“In November 2023, it was announced that a notice of appeal was filed in response to the final adjudicative report by an independent panel that held a hearing with a view to determine whether certain members of the 2018 National Junior Team breached Hockey Canada’s code of conduct, and if so, what sanctions should be imposed against those players.”

Hockey Canada President Katherine Henderson offered an apology:

“Hockey Canada recognizes that in the past we have been too slow to act and that in order to deliver the meaningful change that Canadians expect of us, we must work diligently and urgently to ensure that we are putting in place the necessary measures to regain their trust, and provide all participants with a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment on and off the ice.”

● Modern Pentathlon ● Bad news for the French Modern Pentathlon federation, which had €600,000 stolen (~$644,571 U.S.) in a hacking attack in December. Said federation head Joel Bouzou, a 1984 Olympic Team bronze medalist:

“It was about the reserves accumulated and which went up in smoke, it is unacceptable. This poses a huge problem for us.”

He told the French all-sport newspaper L’Equipe:

“We hope to recover money following this investigation and that those responsible will be arrested and tried. …

“And we have a problem with this bank, that’s clear. We are in intense discussion with this bank, which is being pushed a little to recognize that it is not well-protected… An investigation is underway. But this will not be resolved in a polite manner.”

Bouzou indicated that the stolen funds were primarily for future development, not for the preparation athletes for Paris 2024:

“We wanted to use this money to purchase obstacles for the new discipline which will replace the riding event in the pentathlon during the future Olympiad. This rather impacts our long-term development since we no longer have these bottom lines.”

● Ski Mountaineering ● French star Emily Harrop had a weekend to remember at the fourth ISMF World Cup of the season, in Villars-sur-Ollon (SUI), taking both the Sprint and the Individual race wins.

Thought of as a Sprint star until a breakthrough Individual Race win in April 2023, Harrop won Friday’s Sprint in 3:21.3, ahead of Marianne Fatton (SUI: 3:09.8) and French teammate Celia Perillat-Pessey (3:26.6). Then Harrop returned on Sunday for her 14th career World Cup gold and third in an Individual Race in 1:25:23.0, beating Italy’s Alba de Silvestro (1:26:19.9) and reigning World Champion Axelle Gachet-Mollaret (FRA: 1:27:31.5).

Switzerland swept the men’s races, with 21-year-old Robin Bussard winning his first World Cup gold in the Sprint (2:31.3) over France’s 2023 Worlds silver winner Thibault Anselmet (2:34.0), and World Champion Remi Bonnet taking the Individual Race in 1:10:11.8, with Anselmet second again, in 1:12:32.8.

● Speed Skating ● With the close of the sixth and final ISU World Cup on Sunday in Quebec City, the seasonal titles were decided, at 500-1,000-1,500-Distances and Mass Start.

● Men:
The 500 m went to Wataru Morishige (JPN: 483), with four wins in 10 races, over Laurent Debreuil (CAN: 466), with American Jordan Stolz fourth. Zhongyan Ning (CHN: 319) scored points in all seven 1,000 m races to win over Stolz (316 in six races) and in all six races to win the 1,500 m title (292) over Stolz (288 in five races).

The Distance title was a clear win for Davide Ghiotto (ITA: 324) ahead of Ted-Jan Bloemen (CAN: 291), and teammate Andrea Giovannini won the tight Mass Start race, 274-269 vs. Korean Jae-won Chung.

The U.S. won two of three races to take the Team Pursuit title (168 points).

● Women:
American Olympic champ Erin Jackson scored in all 10 events and won the 500 m crown at 522 points to 514 for Min-sun Kim (KOR). Teammate Kimi Goetz had a career year and finished fourth (382), despite skipping the last event in Quebec.

At 1,000 m, Japanese star Miho Takagi won four races out of seven and was second twice for 348 points, ahead of Americans Goetz (307) and Brittany Bowe (297). Takagi also won the 1,500 m seasonal title at 300, winning the five races she entered; Bowe finished fifth and Goetz was 10th.

Norway’s Ragne Wiklund won three of the six Distance races and won with 300 points, with Czech star Marina Sabilkova second at 260. Canada’s Valerie Maltais won the Mass Start title at 263, just ahead of teammate Ivanie Blondin (257), with American Mia Manganello fourth (248). Japan won the Team Pursuit title (174), with the U.S. fourth.

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TSX REPORT: Mantz, Young, O’Keeffe star at marathon trials; 2026 FIFA World Cup to start in Mexico, end in Jersey; NHL in for 2026 Winter Games

Rich Perelman

February 5, 2024

tsx pix 2024-204 ukraine list of rus 750 — Ukraine's list of Russians and Belarusians who have supported the war against Ukraine (Screenshot of the computer translation from Ukrainian).

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Mantz and Young, O’Keeffe dominate U.S. marathon trials
2. FIFA World Cup 2026 to open in Mexico, finish in New Jersey
3. NHL players will return to Olympic Winter Games in 2026
4. Paris 2024 starts quick ticket releases to finish sales
5. Ukraine posts own list of “non-neutral” Russian athletes

● A compelling U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando went to form in the men’s race, with time leaders Conner Mantz and Clayton Young finish 1-2 and qualifying for Paris 2024. The women’s race was a shocker as first-time marathoner Fiona O’Keeffe ran away with the race in a Trials record of 2:22:10, ahead of time leader Emily Sisson, a clear second and then surprise third-placer Dakotah Lindwurm.

● FIFA announced the match schedule for the massive, expanded 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the U.S., to begin at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City and finish at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Dallas’s AT&T Stadium will host the most matches with nine and will host one semifinal; Atlanta will have the other semi and Miami will host the third-place match.

● The National Hockey League, NHL Players Association and the International Ice Hockey Federation announced that an agreement was reached for NHL player participation in the 2026 and 2030 Olympic Winter Games, with the IIHF underwriting the major costs. NHL players did not play at the 2018 or 2022 Winter Games.

● Paris 2024 announced the first of a series of new ticket releases, this time to start on 8 February, in all sports, with some only offering a few new tickets. The statement noted that about eight of the 10 million Olympic tickets available have been sold so far.

● The Ukrainian government posted a massive list of Russian and Belarusian athletes, coaches and officials which it claims are not “neutrals” by the definition of the International Olympic Committee. Each name comes with a description of offenses; it’s a new element for the IOC’s “neutrality” authenticators to consider in advance of Paris 2024.

● World Championships: Aquatics (3: Doha Worlds begin, as stars van Rouwendaal and Rasovszky take open-water titles) = Sailing (Israel’s Kantor and Italy’s Renna pull IQFoil upsets) ●

● Panorama: Alpine Skiing (Yule posts historic worst-to-first win in Chamonix) = Athletics (3: 10 world leads at New Balance Grand Prix; Bol opens at 49.69 in Metz; Saruni hit for doping by ADAK) = Badminton (two for the home team at Thailand Masters) = Bobsled & Skeleton (Germans go four-for-four in Sigulda) = Curling (Shuster and Peterson repeat as U.S. champs) = Cycling (Wollaston wins three, Babic two at Track Nations Cup I) = Figure Skating (Kagiyama and Chiba wins highlight Four Continents in Shanghai) = Freestyle Skiing (3: Ferreira and Fraser win weather-shortened Halfpipes; Kingsbury and Horishima, Giaccio and Anthony takes Moguls wins; Mobaerg and Thompson star in Ski Cross) = Judo (host France shines in Paris Grand Slam with six golds) = Luge (Germany wins Singles in Altenberg World Cup) = Nordic Combined (Norwegian sweeps all at Seefeld as Riiber gets career medals record) = Ski Jumping (Forfang, Seifriedsberger and Opseth surprise in Willingen) = Snowboard (2: Totsuka and Ono win weather-shortened Mammoth Halfpipes; Grondin wins twice in SnowCross) = Speed Skating (U.S.’s Stolz wins four in last World Cup stage) ●

1.
Mantz and Young, O’Keeffe dominate U.S. marathon trials

At long last, the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials was held in Orlando, Florida, under sunny conditions with starting temperatures just under 60 degrees when the men took off at 10:10 a.m.

In the end, the men’s race followed the script with the two favorites – Conner Mantz and Clayton Young – running comfortably to the finish, but women’s winner Fiona O’Keeffe stealing her race in a stunner.

A big men’s pack moved together through the first six miles, with Zach Panning in the lead, then shrank to 14 by the 8-mile mark, with all of the favorites comfortably situated. Panning, in his fourth career marathon with a 2:09:28 best from 2022 and 13th at the 2023 Worlds, was in the lead through the half in 1:04:07, with Teshome Mekonen beside and 10 now in contention.

Ethiopian-born Mekonen took over at 14 miles; he became eligible to run for the U.S. in December 2022 and was in his fifth career marathon, having finished 24th in Berlin last October. Panning took over again at 15 miles, with Mekonen and U.S. qualifying leader Mantz right with him and 10 still running together.

Now the grinding started. Four-time Olympian and Rio 2016 marathon bronze winner Galen Rupp fell off the pace at 17 miles as the lead group shrunk to seven. Mekonen fell off the back at 18 miles and 13-time U.S. national distance champ Leonard Korir was showing signs of struggle to stay with the five in front of him.

Now came the break. Panning led at 19 miles, after miles of 4:44, 4:52 and 4:53, that broke everyone except Mantz and training partner and no. 2 time qualifier Young. Elkanah Kibet and Andrew Colley were five and six seconds back, and if Panning could keep this pace, he would run faster than the Olympic qualifying time of 2:08:10 (which Mantz and Young had already done).

So the racing on the street and against the clock was set. Panning clocked 4:51 to mile 20, on 2:07:38 pace. The three leaders slowed to 4:59 to mile 21, but were now 16 seconds clear of the field. They slowed significantly at 22 miles, at 5:07, with Mantz taking over and then to 5:06 for Panning at 23, which would have him finish beyond the 2:08:10 qualifying mark.

Young and Mantz moved ahead at 24, with a 5:09 mile and Panning dropped to third, now 19 seconds back. He was still third by 24 seconds, but his shot at an Olympic qualifying time was gone.

The two favorites coming in – Mantz and Young – picked up the pace to 5:03 at 25 miles, with Panning third (a 5:28 mile), but losing ground rapidly to Kibet, now three seconds behind him. Young and Mantz cruised past 26 miles at 5:16, with Korir and Kibet now 3-4.

Mantz won at 2:09:05 with Young one second back, and finish-line temps right at 70 degrees (F). Those are the nos. 2-3 performances ever in a men’s Olympic Trials marathon.

Korir out-sprinted Kibet for third in 2:09:57 to 2:10:02, but well short of the Olympic qualifying time, although there are possibilities for later inclusion. Korir’s time is the ninth-fastest in Trials history.

Manta and Young were the clear favorites going in and they showed their class and earned their ticket to Paris.

The women’s race began at 10:20 a.m., and 14 were together through the first six miles, with 40-year-old Sara Hall, the Worlds fifth-placer from 2022, and former American Record holder Keira D’Amato taking turns in the lead. By eight miles, there were 13 in the lead pack and defending Trials champ Aliphine Tuliamuk had dropped to 24 seconds behind the leaders.

Marathon debutante O’Keeffe, the 2022 U.S. 10 Mile champ, took over at 10 miles, with the top 13 still bunched. Then Dakotah Lindwurm – in her 13th career marathon – grabbed the lead at 12 miles, and D’Amato edged to the front at 13. At the half, D’Amato, Lindwurm, O’Keeffe, Hall and Emily Durgin all crossed in 1:11:43 as temperatures were now in the mid-60s.

O’Keeffe popped back into the lead at 14, with the lead pack at 12. She remained there through mile 16, but suddenly D’Amato had dropped back, four seconds behind the lead pack of nine. Betsy Saina, 35, a Kenyan 10,000 m Olympian in 2016, but who transferred to the U.S. in 2021, was right in contention in her 11th career marathon. Lindwurm dropped back by the 17-mile mark, leaving seven in the lead group, on pace for a 2:23:13 finish.

Only five remained in contention by 18 miles, with O’Keeffe, American Record holder Emily Sisson, Hall, Saina and Durgin running together. Then Durgin dropped off the back at 19 as O’Keeffe – hardly a favorite to make the team – threw in a 5:22 mile to take a five-second lead at 19 miles.

And there was no let up. O’Keeffe hammered out a 5:20 mile and Sisson ran 5:25 to reach mile 20 in 1:48:57 and 1:49:07. Saina and Hall were at 1:49:20 and Durgin had caught up to them and now had a chance to make the team.

O’Keeffe kept pushing: 5:27 at mile 21, with now a 16-second lead in Sisson, and chaos behind them. Saina, Hall and Durgan all slowed to 5:47 miles and Caroline Rotich (5:36) and Lindwurm (5:39) moved in places 3-4! At 22 miles, O’Keeffe finished another 5:27 mile and had a 21-second lead on Sisson (5:32), with Lindwurm and 2015 Boston Marathon champ Rotich, 39, together, 35 seconds back and Hall chasing both, another nine seconds behind.

O’Keeffe stayed on the gas, running 5:21 to reach 23 miles with a 31-second lead on Sisson and looking unbeatable. Lindwurm and Rotich – who gained a U.S. affiliation only in October 2023 – were together at 3-4 and Hall was another 15 seconds down; Saina dropped out. O’Keeffe timed 5:23 to 24 miles, with Sisson cruising in second and Lindwurm and Rotich still together. Hall’s hopes had faded, now 28 seconds behind them.

Both O’Keeffe and Sisson punched hard to mile 25, running 5:09 and 5:10 and O’Keeffe maintained a 40-second lead in the race of her life. Lindwurm broke free of Rotich, running a 5:44 mile as Rotich faded to 5:55, and looked to be a solid third.

Sisson pressed, running a 5:15 miles to 5:22 for O’Keeffe to narrow the gap to 14 seconds by 26 miles, but O’Keeffe won going away in 2:22:10, moving her no. 10 all-time U.S. in her first race at the distance. It’s by far the fastest U.S. Olympic trials marathon ever, blasting Shalane Flanagan’s 2:25:38 from 2012.

Sisson was second at 2:22:42, her third-fastest ever, and Lindwurm, at 28, got third at 2:25:31, her third-fastest ever to get a trip to Paris. Jessica McClain passed the fading Rotich and Hall and got fourth (2:25:46), with Hall fifth at 2:26:06 and Rotich sixth at 2:26:10.

The top three times were the three-fastest in U.S. marathon trials history and this race now has seven of the all-time top 10.

There was $600,000 in prize money in this race, with the top 10 places receiving $80,000, $65,000, $55,000, $25,000, $20,000, $15,000, $13,000, $11,000, $9,000 and $7,000.

Much more to unpack from this race, but it was a considerable success for Mantz, Young and the stunning O’Keeffe, and after all the worries about weather, appeared to run smoothly with finish temperatures just about 70 at the end.

2.
FIFA World Cup 2026 to open in Mexico, finish in New Jersey

FIFA announced the playing schedule for the mammoth, 48-team FIFA World Cup 2026 on Sunday, distributing the 104 matches between the host countries Canada, Mexico and the United States.

The matches were distributed among the 16 stadia:

Canada (13 matches):
● 6: Toronto (BMO Field): 5 group stage, Round of 32
● 7: Vancouver (BC Place): 5 group stage, R32, R16

Mexico (13 matches):
● 4: Guadalajara (Estadio Akron/Zapopan): 4 group stage
● 5: Mexico City (Estadio Azteca): 3 group stage, R32, R16
● 4: Monterrey (Estadio BBVA/Guadalupe): 3 group stage, R32

U.S. (78 matches):
● 8: Atlanta (Mercedes-Benz Stadium): 5 group stage, R32, R16, SF
● 7: Boston (Gillette Stadium/Foxborough): 5 group stage, R32, QF
● 9: Dallas (AT&T Stadium/Arlington): 5 group stage, R32x2, R16, SF
● 7: Houston (NRG Stadium): 5 group stage, R32, R16
● 6: Kansas City (Arrowhead Stadium): 4 group stage, R32, QF
● 8: Los Angeles (SoFi Stadium/Inglewood): 5 group stage, R32x2, QF
● 7: Miami (Hard Rock Stadium/Miami Gardens): 4 group stage, R32, QF, 3rd
● 8: New York/New Jersey (MetLife Stadium/E. Rutherford): 5 group, R32, R16, Final
● 6: Philadelphia (Lincoln Financial Field): 5 group stage, R16
● 6: San Francisco area (Levi’s Stadium/Santa Clara): 5 group stage, R32
● 6: Seattle (Lumen Field): 4 group stage, R32, R16

The opening match will be played in Mexico City, with the climax of the tournament all in U.S. stadia:

● Quarterfinals: Boston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami
● Semifinals: Atlanta, Dallas
● Third-place: Miami
● Final: New York/New Jersey

Dallas’s AT&T Stadium received the most matches at nine; MetLife Stadium in New Jersey was assigned eight matches, but has a gap of 13 days between a Round of 16 match and the final for preparation.

FIFA noted in its announcement:

“The tournament’s innovative match schedule will serve to minimise travel for teams and fans alike, while the number of rest days between fixtures will be maximised. Having been drawn up in consultation with key stakeholders, including national-team coaches and technical directors, the schedule will also increase the prospect of matches being played in the best possible conditions and ensure that fans have shorter travel times when following their teams.”

As an example, the U.S. team was assigned its group-stage matches in Los Angeles (2) and Seattle (1) to minimize cross-country travel.

Who plays where won’t be known for some time as the qualifying process continues. FIFA noted that the draw is likely to be held towards the end of 2025.

3.
NHL players will return to Olympic Winter Games in 2026

“There is a recognition of how important this is to the players, and in the spirit of cooperation – particularly the work that we did together during COVID – everybody felt on our side that it was the right thing to do.

“This really came down to doing something because the players really wanted it.”

That was NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman (USA) on Friday, announcing that the league and its Players Association had agreed with the International Ice Hockey Federation in terms to allow participation in the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina and for 2030, expected to held in the French Alps. Bettman wanted to make sure everyone understood the deal:

“Let me just add one thing, particularly for the NHL owners that are listening.

“The fact of the matter is, our agreement is we’re not responsible for any of the major costs, the big-ticket items. How the IIHF raises the funds, whether it’s from the IIHF or the organizing committee or the IOC for ’30, that will be their issue, not ours, and I want to be clear about that.”

This includes insurance to protect the NHL’s clubs from the risks of injuries, travel and family support. While the 2030 Winter Games have not been officially awarded yet, the French Alps bid is in “targeted dialogue” with the International Olympic Committee and is expected to be confirmed this summer, with the ice hockey venue in Nice.

In addition, a new, “Four Nations Face-Off” tournament will be held in 2025, featuring national teams from Canada, the U.S., Sweden and Finland, to be held next February at two sites in Canada and the U.S. Said Bettman:

“We know how important international competition is to our players. We know how much they love and want to represent the countries from which they’re from, and we think this is great stage for the best on best in what obviously we all believe is the best sport.”

NHL players first participated in 1998 and then in 2002-06-10-14, but skipped PyeongChang in 2018 and Beijing in 2022. IIHF chief Luc Tardif (FRA) was overjoyed:

“This decision represents a turning point for ice hockey at the global level and marks the great return of the NHL players to the Olympic Games. The IIHF was able to gather all related stakeholders at the same table to find a long-lasting and sustainable consensus, which is the backbone of what we intend to do as sports organizations.

“As prime hockey fans, the IIHF is obviously thrilled and excited about this unprecedented agreement, we are already looking forward to witnessing the best of ice hockey at these upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Milano and in 2030.”

Bettman also commented on the under-construction arena in Milan scheduled to host the 2026 tournament:

“There’s a lot of construction that remains to be done on that building. I think they only recently started. But we’re being told by everybody not to worry. But I like to worry, so we’ll see.”

4.
Paris 2024 starts quick ticket releases to finish sales

“There will be a series of ticket releases at regular intervals over the next few weeks and up to Games time, offering many opportunities to buy tickets for this exceptional event.

“These surprise releases by the Paris 2024 ticket office (which will be announced only a few days in advance) will give you the chance to buy tickets for all the sports of the Games!”

Last week’s announcement began the latest ticket push from the Paris 2024 organizers, with the newest batch of tickets coming to market on Thursday, 8 February at 10 a.m. local time:

● Tickets for all sports will be offered, but some with just a few tickets available
● New tickets for all four Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies will be available.
● 45% of the tickets will be priced at €100 or less (€1 = $1.08)

The statement noted, “Of the 10 million tickets available for the Olympic Games, just under 8 million have already been taken up.”

A quick check of the Olympic Opening Ceremony on 26 July showed only the top category – €2,700 only – offered as available.

Often asked: why are these tickets suddenly available now? The answer is, essentially, timing. As the plans for the Games are finalized – really finalized – for details such as placement of scoring, television and security equipment, ticketed spaces held in reserve can be freed. Same for tickets (and spaces) reserved for sponsors, officials, media, National Olympic Committees, International Federations and other groups; as the quotas for each are finalized, tickets become available for the public.

This process will go on right through the Games. For now, Paris 2024 is making available these freed-up spaces for sale as soon as it can.

5.
Ukraine posts own list of “non-neutral” Russian athletes

The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine posted Saturday a massive list of more than 1,000 Russian athletes, coaches and officials which it says are “Russian and Belarusian athletes who support the war in Ukraine.”

The list has 52 categories, with 51 for various sports and one for sports officials. Each category is a separate page, with a list on each of individuals, then with details for each upon clicking the name. Some are current athletes who might qualify for Paris 2024, but many are also former athletes, coaches or officials.

Boxing alone has 161 names listed, including International Boxing Association President Umar Kremlev (RUS). His file entry includes:

“Evidence has come to light, exposing Kremlev’s possession of a map of Russia displayed prominently in his office, which includes the illegally annexed region of Crimea as part of Russian territory. This overt display of support for the occupation has sparked condemnation from athletes, boxing enthusiasts, and human rights activists, who vehemently oppose the violation of international law and the sovereignty of Ukraine.”

The entry – under Fencing – for Russian Olympic Committee chief Stanislav Pozdnyakov notes in part:

“Pozdnyakov’s active participation in mass gatherings and public statements endorsing the Russian armed forces, along with his statement suggesting that Russian athletes should be honored to fight in the war in Ukraine following Vladimir Putin’s order for a partial mobilization of troops, has faced significant criticism.

“Many argue that as the head of the Russian Olympic Committee, Pozdnyakov has a responsibility to prioritize peace, diplomacy, and fair competition, which are fundamental principles of the Olympic Games. His statements advocating for athletes’ involvement in war are seen as contradictory to the spirit of sportsmanship and global unity that the Olympic movement aims to foster.”

In just the summer Olympic sports in which Russians or Belarusian could participate in Paris – which excludes all team sports – the lists identify 583 individuals as suspect:

● 161: Boxing
● 94: Wrestling (Freestyle)
● 84: Cycling
● 45: Gymnastics (Artistic)
● 37: Judo
● 29: Cycling (Mountain Bike)
● 22: Tennis
● 19: Wrestling (Greco-Roman)
● 12: Diving
● 10: Cycling (BMX)
● 10: Swimming
● 10: Taekwondo
● 9: Weightlifting
● 8: Athletics
● 8: Archery
● 6: Triathlon
● 5: Gymnastics (Rhythmic)
● 4: Fencing
● 2: Modern Pentathlon
● 2: Sport Climbing
● 2: Swimming (Artistic)
● 1: Rowing
● 1: Sailing
● 1: Table Tennis
● 1: Shooting

There are further lists for team sports, winter sports (29 figure skaters, 28 biathletes, 13 Freestyle skiers, 18 ice hockey players and so on). For athletes, this entry is typical:

“Two-time Olympic swimming champion Yevgeny Rylov has publicly expressed support for Russia’s actions in Ukraine and has participated in mass events aimed at justifying Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine.

“The swimmer attended a concert in honor of the illegal annexation of Crimea and support for the war in Ukraine. During the concert at the Luzhniki Stadium, Rylov wore the letter ‘Z’ on his attire. The letter is associated with the ‘Zhogolev’ movement, a pro-Russian group that advocates for the annexation of Ukrainian territories.”

For judo, the top entry cites “The Russian national judo team (all are military personnel)”; this is especially interesting since the International Judo Federation has approved as “neutrals” many Russian athletes now competing in IJF World Tour events.

It’s an enormous effort, but one which coincides with the International Olympic Committee’s promise to check the “neutrality” of possible Russian or Belarusian entry for Paris itself, with its own contractor. It underlines the importance to Ukraine of the propaganda value of any Russian or Belarusian participation in Paris this summer.

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Aquatics ● The first World Aquatics Championships to be held in an Olympic year opened in Doha (QAT), with some familiar stars at the top of the podium already:

In open-water swimming, the Rio 2016 Olympic champ Sharon van Rouwendaal (NED) came from behind to pass Maria de Valdes (ESP) on the final lap of the 10 km final and touched first to win her second Worlds gold in 1:57:26.8 to 1:57:26.9. Portugal’s Angelica Andre was a little further back in third (1:57:28.2), with Mariah Denigan the top American in a tie for fifth (1:57:31.1).

Fellow American Katie Grimes was 15th in 1:57:39.4. It’s the first Worlds medal for both de Vales and Andre.

On Sunday, Hungary’s Kristof Rasovszky won his first World title in the men’s 10 km, out-lasting Britain’s Hector Pardoe on the final lap and winning in 1:48:21.2. He had previously won the Worlds 5 km gold in 2019. France’s Marc-Antoine Olivier came hard at the finish to pass Pardoe and win the silver, 1:48:23.6 to 1:48:29.2, Olivier’s second Worlds silver in the event (also in 2019).

Ivan Puskovitch of the U.S. was 14th in 1:48:54.4 and teammate Michael Brinegar was 19th (1:49.18.8).

As China did not send several of its top divers to Doha, the competition was wide open for the first time in recent memory. China did win the Mixed 19 m Platform final, with 13-year-old Jianjie Huang and Jiaqi Zhang (19) scoring a near-50 point win at 353.82 over North Korea and Mexico.

Two Chinese stars who did come to Doha included Olympic men’s 3 m Synchro champs Daoyi Long and Zongyuan Wang, the two-time defending World Champions. They won their third in a row with ease, scoring 442.41 against Lorenzo Marsaglia and Giovanni Tocci (ITA: 384.24) and Adrian Abadia and Nicolas Garcia (ESP: 383.28). The U.S. pair of Andrew Capobianco and Quentin Henninger finished ninth (351.18).

Great Britain won the Mixed Team event at 421.65, ahead of Mexico (412.80) and Australia (385.35) and Mexico’s Osmar Olvera took the men’s 1 m Springboard title at 431.75 over Shixin Li (AUS: 395.70) and Ross Haslam (GBR: 393.10). Lyle Yost was ninth for the U.S. (347.25). Olvera moved up from silver at the Fukuoka Worlds in 2023.

The women’s 1 m Springboard went to Alysha Koloi (AUS: 260.50) for her first Worlds medal, ahead of Grace Reid (GBR: 257.25) and Maha Eissa (EGY: 257.15). It was Reid’s first individual Worlds medal. Americans Hailey Hernandez and Alison Gibson finished 6-7 at 249.60 and 249.35.

In Artistic Swimming, Greece’s Evangelia Platanioti moved up from bronze in 2022 to win the women’s Solo Technical event at 272.9633, trailed by Canada’s Jacqueline Simoneau (269.2767) and China’s Huiyan Xu (262.3700). It was the first Worlds medals for Simoneau and Xu.

In the Mixed Duet Technical final, Nargiza Bolatova and Eduard Kim (KAZ) won at 228.0050, ahead of Wentao Cheng and Haoyu Shi (CHN: 223.3166) and Miranda Barrera and Diago Villalobos (MEX: 217.5192).

China won the Mixed Team Acrobatic Routine, scoring 244.167 to edge Ukraine (243.3167) and the U.S. got third at 242.2300. Bill May, 45, a pioneer men’s artistic performer, won his sixth Worlds medal (1-2-3).

The championships continue through the 18th.

● Sailing ● The IQFoil class will debut at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, but held its 2024 World Championships at Lanzarote (ESP), finishing on Saturday, with upsets in both the men’s and women’s Grand Final.

Britain’s Emma Wilson had dominated the racing, winning 15 of 20 races and advanced directly to the Grand Final. She was joined by two Israelis, Sharon Kantor, who had five in her groups, and Katy Spychakov (four wins). And Wilson, who won a Tokyo Olympic silver in 2021 in the RS:X class (being replaced by IQFoil), took the lead quickly in the final, but was passed by the 20-year-old Kantor for an upset gold. It’s Kantor’s first World title, up from seventh at the 2023 World Sailing Champs in the same event; she was the Paris 2024 test event winner as well. Spychakov finished third for the bronze.

Defending men’s champion Luuc van Opzeeland (NED) – winner of bronze, silver and gold in his last three Worlds – was also the big winner during the tournament, taking 10 of 20 races and advancing to the Grand Final. But World Sailing Champs bronze winner Nicolo Renna (ITA: 4 wins) was waiting and when van Opzeeland and Pawel Tarnowski (POL) pulled ahead and went left, he went right and sailed home the winner, with Tarnowski second and van Opzeeland third. Renna had moved up from 23rd in his first IQFoil Worlds to sixth to third, to gold.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Alpine Skiing ● History in Chamonix (FRA) on Sunday in the only FIS Alpine World Cup race to be held on the weekend due to bad weather, as Swiss Daniel Yule became the first skier to ever go from worst to first in a single race.

He almost skied off the course on his first run and expected to be eliminated, but placed 30th (49.02) as the final qualifier. That means he went first in the final run and blazed to a 47.22 timing that turned out to be so fast that he won the race! His combined time of 1:36.24 was 0.18 faster than first-run leader Clement Noel (FRA: 1:36.42), who dropped to third as fellow Swiss Loic Meillard finished at 1:36.40 to grab the silver. Crazy.

Jett Seymour was the top American in 28th (1:37.26). “Absolutely incredible,” said Yule. “I’ve got to say I got really lucky staying 30th after the first run, but then I managed to ski an amazing second run.” It’s Yule’s seventh career World Cup win, all in Slaloms.

● Athletics ● The first heavyweight indoor meet in the U.S. in 2024 was the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix at The Track at New Balance in Boston, and it was hot, with world-leading marks in a fabulous 10 events:

● Men/60 m: 6.44, Noah Lyles (USA)
● Men/1,000 m: 2:14.74, Marco Arop (CAN)
● Men/1,500 m: 3:33.66, Hobbs Kessler (USA)
● Men/3,000 m: 7:29.09, Lamecha Girma (ETH)
● Men/60 m hurdles: 7.37 (heats), Grant Holloway (USA)
● Men/60 m hurdles: 7.35, Grant Holloway (USA)

● Women/300 m: 35.75, Gabby Thomas (USA)
● Women/1,500 m: 3:58.11, Gudaf Tsegay (ETH)
● Women/3,000 m: 8:24.93, Jessica Hull (AUS)
● Women/60 m hurdles: 7.72, Tia Jones (USA)
● Women/Long Jump: 6.86 m (22-6 1/4), Tara Davis-Woodhall (USA)

Lots of excitement in the men’s 60 m, with 2022 World 100 m champ Fred Kerley and 2023 winner Noah Lyles in the field. In the final, Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake got out well and Lyles had work to do to catch up, but he got there with a stride left and crossed first in 6.44, the world leader and now equal-10th all-time. Blake was second at 6.45, Ronnie Baker (USA) was an encouraging third (6.54) and Kerley fourth (6.55) in his first indoor 60 m ever.

The men’s 1,000 m almost produced a world record. Canada’s World 800 m champ Marco Arop took off at the gun and had a 40 m lead at the bell, and stormed home in a sensational 2:14.74, the no. 2 performance of all-time. Americans Bryce Hoppel and Sam Ellis were 2-3, but far behind, in 2:16.91 and 2:17.10.

The men’s 1,500 m settled into a 1v1 duel over the final lap between 20-year-old Hobbs Kessler of the U.S., the 2023 World Road Mile gold medalist and 2022 World 1,500 m champ Jake Wightman (GBR). Kessler stayed strong and although Wightman was closing, he ran out of room as Kessler took the world lead at 3:33.66 with Wightman at 3:34.06, his best-ever indoors. Americans Craig Engels and Sam Prakel were 3-4 at 3:37.04 and 3:37.24.

Ethiopian Steeple star Lamecha Girma, the world indoor 3,000 m record man, made a hard run at his own mark, shredding the field with seven laps to go and then pushing hard to finish in 7:29.09, the world leader, but short of his 7:23.81 mark from 2023. Kenyan Edwin Kurgat was a distant second in 7:39.38.

World 60 m hurdles record holder Grant Holloway of the U.S. took the world lead in the 60 m hurdles heats at 7.37 and then blew away an excellent field by the third hurdle if the final and won going away in another world-leading mark of 7.35, the equal-8th performance all-time. Fellow Americans (and Worlds medal winners) Trey Cunningham (7.49), Daniel Roberts (7.49) were 2-3. It’s the fifth time Holloway has run 7.35 and he owns nine of the top 12 times in history.

Home favorite – and former Harvard star – Gabby Thomas felt a bit ill, but had plenty coming off the final turn to win the women’s 300 m in a very fast 35.75, a world leader and no. 8 performance of all time. Nigeria’s Favour Ofili was game, but second in 35.99.

World-record holder Gudaf Tsegay (ETH) headlined the women’s 1,500 m field, and she and countrywoman Birke Haylom, 18, ran away from the field with 3 1/2 laps to go and Tsegay maintained a solid pace and won in a world-leading 3:58.11, the no. 11 performance ever. Haylom was never far behind, but could not get close and clocked 3:58.43, no. 5 ever. American Emily MacKay was a distant third in 4:05.04.

Elle St. Pierre, the Tokyo 1,500 Olympian, returned from maternity in the women’s 3,000 m and broke away with Australian Jessica Hull with five laps left. St. Pierre led until the final turn, when Hull finally managed to get by and raced to the line first in a national indoor record and world-leading mark of 8:24.93, and now no. 6 all-time. St. Pierre ran 8:25.25, moving her to no. 2 all-time U.S.

American Tia Jones got a great start in the women’s 60 m hurdles and got to the line in a world-leading 7.72, beating Nigeria’s outdoor world-record holder Tobi Amusan (7.75) and prior world leader Devynne Charlton (BAH: 7.76). Jones is now equal-fifth all-time and equal-third all-time U.S.

Tara Davis-Woodhall, the 2022 Worlds long jump runner-up, took the world lead on her first try at 6.86 m (22-6 1/4), and backed it up at 6.83 m (22-5) in rounds three and six. Fellow American Quanesha Burks was second at 6.64 m (21-9 1/2).

Although not world-leaders, there are multiple other strong performances.

In the men’s 400 m, 2023 Worlds fourth-placer Vernon Norwood took the lead coming into the first home straight and held strong to win in 45.76, now no. 5 on the world list for 2024. South Africa’s Zak Nene was second in 46.15.

The 2022 World Indoor runner-up Mikiah Brisco of the U.S. got the lead by 20 m in the women’s 60 m and held it to the end, winning in 7.10, to 7.15 for fellow American Celera Barnes.

Kendall Ellis got cut off by Jamaica’s Junelle Bromfield trying to make the lead in the women’s 400 m after a lap, but stayed cool and zoomed past everyone off the final turn to win in 52.77, ahead of Raevyn Rogers (USA: 53.00) and Helena Ponette (BEL: 53.43).

Impressive start to the indoor season for Dutch star Femke Bol, the Worlds 400 m hurdles gold medalist in 2023, winning the 400 m at the Meeting Metz Moselle in Metz (FRA) in a world-leading 49.69. It’s her third-fastest time ever in the event, notably behind her World Indoor Record of 49.26 in 2023. She also won the 200 m in Metz on Saturday in 22.64, a lifetime best and a Dutch indoor record!

Ethiopia’s Hirut Meshesha, the 2023 Worlds Indoor 1,500 bronze winner, won the women’s 3,000 m in a world-leading 8:28.46, a lifetime best, and now no. 13 all-time.

Another notable doping sanction in Kenya, this time of 1:43.25 800 m runner Michael Saruni, 28, banned for four years to 30 August 2027 for “Evading, Refusing or Failing to Submit to Sample Collection.” He lasted competed in 2022

The ruling came from the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK), which has been bolstered by government funding to root out epidemic doping, especially in athletics. It’s their 13th suspension of a Kenya athlete that took effect in 2023 alone.

● Badminton ● The home team got to the finals in four of five events at the Thailand Masters in Bangkok, and came away with two wins, both in Doubles.

In the women’s final, Benyapa Aimsaard and Nuntakarn Aimsaard (THA) fought off Yi Jing Li and Xu Min Luo (CHN) in a thriller, 21-13, 17-21, 27-25, while top-seeded Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai (THA) took the Mixed Doubles title by 21-12, 21-18 over Tang Jie Chen and Ee Wei Toh (MAS).

The women’s Singles final had three-seed Aya Ohori (JPN) taking down fourth-seed Supanida Katethong (THA) by 18-21, 21017, 21013. And China’s Ji Ting He and Xiang Yu Ren came from behind to win the men’s Doubles, 16-21, 21-14, 21-13, over Peeratchai Sukphun and Pakkapon Teeraratsakul (THA).

A mild upset in the men’s Singles had no. 5 seed Tien Chen Chou (TPE) win over second-seeded Kean Yew Loh (INA), 21-16, 6-21, 21-16.

● Bobsled & Skeleton ● Germany continued its winning ways at the IBSF World Cup in Sigulda (LAT), but with surprises.

In the Two-Man, a German sled won for the fourth time in five events, but it was the first win of the season for Adam Ammour, previously third twice. He and Benedikt Hertel had the fastest times on both runs and finished at 1:39.33, ahead of Swiss Michael Vogt and Sandro Michel (1:39.45) and twice Olympic champ Francesco Friedrich (1:39.48). Frank Del Duca and Hakeen Abdul-Saboor had the fastest American sled in eighth (1:40.34).

The first of two Two-Woman races saw 2023 World Champs Kim Kalicki and Leonie Fiebig (GER) lead a sweep and win their second straight World Cup in 1:41.53, ahead of Olympic champs Laura Nolte and Claudia Schussler (1:41.57) and Lisa Buckwitz and Vanessa Mark (1:41.65). Americans Elana Meyers Taylor and Sydney Milani tied for seventh (1:42.49).

The second races, on Sunday, had Nolte and Neele Schuten winning in 1:41.53, with Kalicki and Anabel Galander second (1:41.82) and Swiss Melanie Hauser and Mara Morell (1:42.06) third. Meyers Taylor and Azaria Hill finished fifth (1:42.41).

Buckwitz, the 2018 Olympic Two-Women champ, took the Monobob in 1:47.46, ahead of Andreea Grecu (ROU: 1:47.73) and Nolte and Meyers Taylor tied for third (1:47.87). American Kaysha Love was fifth (1:48.23).

China’s Yin Zheng won his first Skeleton medal of the season at 1:40.82, followed by Britain’s Marcus Wyatt (1:41.00) and 2023 World Champion Matt Weston (1:41.16). American Austin Florian was fifth (1:41.37).

The 2023 Worlds bronze medalist, Mirela Rahneva (CAN) took the women’s Skeleton title – her first gold of the season – in 1:43.10, beating Kim Meylemans (BEL: 1:43.38) and 2022 Olympic winner Hannah Niese (GER: 1:43.41). Veteran Katie Uhlaender was the top American, in 12th (1:44.18).

● Curling ● The evergreen John Shuster led his rink to yet another title at the USA Curling National Championships in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday.

Shuster, now 41, who led his team to the 2018 Olympic gold, lost to Korey Dropkin’s rink by 9-5 in their play-off opener, moving Shuster to a semifinal against Daniel Casper. Shuster’s squad had a 6-2 lead into the ninth end, but Casper closed to 6-5, then a score in the 10th made the final 7-5.

That put Shuster and Dropkin into the final. In a see-saw match, Dropkin took a 3-0 lead in the second, with Shuster tying by the fifth, Dropkin up 4-3 after six ends and then Shuster exploding for five points in the seventh for an 8-5 lead. Dropkin got one back in the eight, but Shuster scored three more in the ninth for the 11-6 final.

Shuster had familiar help from Chris Plys and Matt Hamilton, plus Colin Hufman this time. It’s Shuster’s seventh U.S. title and fourth in the last five tournaments.

Defending women’s champion Tabitha Peterson also defended her title, defeating Sarah Anderson in their play-in game, 7-4. Anderson’s rink eliminated Delaney Strouse’s squad by 11-7 and earned a championship rematch. But six points in the fourth and fifth ends gave Peterson a 7-2 lead and led to the 10-5 final.

Peterson’s squad once again included Cory Thiesse, sister Tara Peterson and Becca Hamilton for the second straight year. It’s Tabitha Peterson’s third national title all-time and all in the last three years.

● Cycling ● The first UCI Track Nations Cup was held in Adelaide (AUS), with interesting results from lesser-known stars to open the season.

Japanese sprinter Kaiya Ota won the men’s Sprint over home favorite Matthew Richardson, the 2022 Worlds runner-up, and followed up with a silver in the Team Sprint (won by Australia) and then a bronze in the Elimination Race, taken by Malaysia’s Mohd Azizul Awang, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Keirin runner-up.

Canada’s Dylan Bibic, 20, the 2022 World Scratch Race champ, beat Italian veteran Elia Viviani in the Omnium and won the Elimination Race as well. New Zealand’s Aaron Gate and Campbell Stewart, last year’s Worlds bronzers, took the Madison race.

New Zealand’s Ally Wollaston, who won a Worlds silver in 2023 in the Team Pursuit, won two individual women’s golds, in the Elimination Race (over American star Jennifer Valente) and in the Omnium, beating Britain’s two-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Archibald and Tokyo Olympic Omnium champ Valente.

Archibald and Elinor Barker teamed up to win the Madison over 2023 Worlds runners-up Georgia Baker and Alexandra Manly (AUS) and Valente and Lily Williams of the U.S.

Wollaston won a third gold in the Team Pursuit for New Zealand, with Archibald and Barker leading Britain to the silver and Baker and Manly helping Australia to the bronze.

In the Sprints, Germany’s eight-time Worlds gold medalist Emma Hinze won the women’s Sprint over Japan’s two-time Worlds Keirin runner-up Mina Sato, but Sato took the Keirin for herself.

Next: round two comes in Hong Kong from 15-17 March.

● Figure Skating ● Japan and Canada won two events each at the ISU Four Continents Championships in Shanghai (CHN).

Beijing 2022 runner-up Yuma Kagiyama took the men’s title with his no. 2 score ever of 307.58, dominating the field, with countryman Shun Sato (274.59) second and Jun-hwan Cha (KOR: 272.95) in third. Andrew Torgashev of the U.S. was eighth (237.20).

Eighteen-year-old Mone Chiba from up from third in this event in 2023 to take the women’s title, scoring 214.98 to 204.68 for Chae-yeon Kim (KOR) and 2:02.17 for Rinka Watanabe (JPN). Ava Marie Ziegler (USA), 17, was fourth at 201.19. Chiba won both the Short Program and the Free Skate.

Canada’s Deanna Stellato-Dedek and Maxime Deschamps took the Pairs title, with winning both segments, at 198.80, well ahead of Rika Miura and Ryuichi Kihara (JPN: 190.77) and Americans Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea (187.28). Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps also moved up from the 2023 bronze.

Two-time Worlds bronze winners Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier forged a clear lead in the Rhythm Dance and won the Free Dance to win their first Four Continents gold at 214.36, ahead of teammates Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Sorensen (CAN: 207.54, their second straight silver) and American pairs Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko (194.14) and Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik (193.07).

The 2024 ISU Worlds come next, from 18-24 March in Montreal (CAN).

● Freestyle Skiing ● Two-time Olympic medal winner Alex Ferreira came to the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix (and FIS World Cup) Halfpipe in Mammoth Mountain, California having won the first two World Cups of the season. He won the third, too, but not in the way he expected.

Heavy weather canceled the finals, so the Tuesday qualification results ended up standing as final. And Ferreira led at 87.00, followed by fellow Americans Hunter Hess (86.50) and three-time Olympic medalist Nick Goepper (86.00).

Canadian Amy Fraser got her first World Cup gold at 85.50, followed by Olympic champ Eileen Gu (CHN: 83.50) and Zoe Atkin (GBR: 82.50).

Saturday’s Slopestyle final was held, with a U.S. 1-2 for Beijing Olympic champ Alex Hall (86.66) and 2021 Worlds runner-up Colby Stevenson (84.88) with 2021 World Champion Andri Ragettli (SUI: 83.45) in third.

Swiss star Mathilde Gremaud won the first two Slopestyles of the season and won again at Mammoth at 66.30, beating Americans Eleanor Andrews (61.20) and transgender Jay Riccomini (53.38).

The Moguls skiers were in Deer Valley, Utah, with some familiar outcomes, as Canada’s Mikael Kingsbury won his record 85th career World Cup gold in the Moguls final over 2017 World Champion Ikuma Horishima (JPN), 82.17 to 79.15.

Horishima took the Dual Moguls gold, beating France’s two-time Worlds silver winner Benjamin Cavet in the final, with American Dylan Marcellini winning the bronze race.

There was a shock in the women’s Moguls final, as Australian star Jakara Anthony, who had won all six events so far, was eliminated in the first finals run and Beijing Olympian Olivia Giaccio of the U.S. led a 1-2 with Beijing 2022 runner-up Jaelin Kauf at 75.42 and 70.87. It was Kauf’s fourth silver this season, out of seven events!

Anthony got back on track in the Dual Moguls, defeating Kauf in the final, with Giaccio winning the bronze race. In Dual Moguls this season, Anthony has five wins, Kauf has three straight silvers and Giaccio has three straight thirds. Between the three, they have won 15 of the 18 medals awarded!

In Aerials, Canadian Alexandre Duchaine, 19, scored 102.57 to win his first-ever World Cup medal – a gold – over Connor Curran, 19, of the U.S. (102.22), with two-time Worlds winner Guangpu Qi (CHN: 100.81) third. American Winter Vinecki won her second straight World Cup at 77.90, beating Australia’s three-time Worlds medalist Danielle Scott (77.90) on a tie-breaker and Abbey Willcox (AUS: 76.85).

Two FIS World Cup SkiCross races were held in Allegre (ITA), with two-time Worlds medalist Erik Mobaerg (SWE) winning the first men’s race over 2021 World Champion Alex Fiva (SUI), and Reece Howden (CAN) won his second race of the season over Worlds runner-up Florian Wilmsmann (GER).

The women’s winners were India Sherret (CAN), the 2015 World Junior champ over Saskja Lack (SUI), and 2014 Olympic champ Marielle Thompson (CAN) won the second event, ahead of 2018 Olympic silver winner Brittany Phelan (CAN).

● Judo ● Lots of interest in the IJF World Tour’s Paris Grand Slam, a dress rehearsal for the Olympic tournament to come this summer, with 621 judoka from 107 nations on hand, including superstar (and 11-time World Champion) Teddy Riner.

And the French were on fire in front of their home crowd, winning six golds and 12 medals overall to dominate this tournament. They started by winning four classes on Saturday, with victories for Tokyo bronze winner Luka Mkheidze in the men’s 60 kg class, World silver medalist Shirine Boukli in the women’s 48 kg, Faiza Mokdar at 57 kg and Tokyo Olympic champ Clarisse Agbegnenou at 63 kg.

On Sunday, 2022 World women’s +78 kg champ Romane Dicko won her class and then Riner thrilled the crowd with another victory in the men’s +100 kg class, over Korea’s Min-jong Kim.

Japan also sent a strong team, with wins by Takeshi Takeoka in the men’s 66 kg, Tatsuki Ishihara at 73 kg and Tokyo 2020 gold winner Aaron Wolf in the men’s 100 kg final, beating Spain’s 2021 World Champion Nikoloz Sherazadishvili.

Tokyo Olympic champ Distria Krasniqi (KOS) in the women’s 52 kg division, and the 2021 women’s World Champion at 78 kg, German Anna-Maria Wagner, won her class over 2018 World Junior Champion Alice Bellandi (ITA).

● Luge ● Following the World Championships, the FIL World Cup circuit resumed in Altenberg (GER), where the Worlds took place the week before!

Max Langenhan, the 2024 World Champion, took the men’s Singles in 1:51.162 for his fourth win of the season, edging David Gleirscher (AUT: 1:51.283) and Latvian Kristers Aparjods (1:51.289). Tucker West of the U.S. finished seventh in 1:51.559 as the top American.

Austria’s Juri Gatt and Riccardo Schopf and Beijing 2022 bronzers Thomas Steu and Wolfgang Kindl were 1-2 at the 2024 Worlds men’s Doubles, and were 1-2 here, in 1:24.911 and 1:24.999, with Italy’s Emanuel Rieder and Simon Kainzwaldner third (1:25.116). American Dana Kellogg and Frank Ike had the top American sled and finished sixth 1:25.362.

German Julia Taubitz, the 2021 World Champion, won her second World Cup Singles of the season in the Sunday women’s race, in 1:47.971, beating Latvian home favorite Elina Vitola (1:48.120) and Lisa Schulte (AUT: 1:48.268). Emily Sweeney was the top American in fifth (1:48.322) and Summer Britcher was 10th (1:48.478).

Three-time Worlds women’s Doubles medalist Andrea Votter (ITA) teamed with Marion Oberhofer to win their first World Cup of the season in 1:25.337, ahead of Latvia’s Anda Upite and Kitija Bogdanova (1:25.538). Germany’s 2018 Olympic runner-up, Dajana Eitberger, and Saskia Schirmer finished third (1:25.548), just ahead of Americans Chevonne Forgan and Sophia Kirkby (1:25.552).

In the Team Relay, Latvia crowned a great World Cup with the victory, with Vitola, Martins Bots and Roberts Plume, Aparjods and Upite and Bogdanova clocking 3:14.445, ahead of the U.S. squad of Sweeney, Kellogg and Ike, West and Forgan and Kirkby (1:15.448). Romania was third (3:16.301).

● Nordic Combined ● The Norwegian steamroller continued through the FIS World Cup stop in Seefeld (AUT) for the 11th Seefeld Triple for the men, and two more wins for Norway in the women’s competitions.

Norway’s Jarl Magnus Riiber had already won the Seefeld Triple twice and was rolling in with four straight World Cup wins. He won all three events in Seefeld, taking the jumping lead off the 109 m hill and winning the 7.5 km race in 18:40.6, with teammate Joergen Graabak second in 19:18.7 and 2023 World Cup winner Johannes Lamparter (AUT) third (19:29.1). On Saturday, it was a Norwegian sweep over 10.0 km with Riiber winning in 25:19.2, followed by Graabak (25:41.9) and Jens Oftebro (25:42.6). Sunday saw high winds, so the Thursday jumping results were used, with the 12.5 km race, with Riiber winning at 34:39.8, Graabak second at 35:02.9 and Stefan Rettenegger (AUT: 35:17.4) third.

With the three wins, Riiber also claimed the record for the most career World Cup medals with 93 in all.

But Norway’s wins didn’t stop there. Norwegian women had won all eight events coming into Seefeld and 2022 World Cup seasonal runner-up Ida Marie Hagen made it 10 straight with two wins.

She took Friday’s 109 m hill/5 km Gundersen win in 14:42.5, ahead of fellow Norwegian Mari Leinan Lund (15:41.9) and German Nathalie Armbruster (15:55.8), then won on Saturday in 14:35.0, passing teammate Gyda Westvold Hansen (15:37.7) with Armbruster third again (15:41.0). It’s Hagen’s fifth win of the season, in 10 events and she has won a medal in all 10 (5-5-0).

● Ski Jumping ● Some surprises at the FIS World Cup off the 147 m hill in Willingen (GER), starting with Norway’s Johann-Andre Forfang. An Olympic gold and silver winner in 2018 in PyeongChang, he hadn’t won a World Cup event since December of 2018 … until Saturday.

He had the best jump in the second round to vault to the top of the podium with 252.7, beating Japanese star Ryoyu Kobayashi (221.7), who came from 15th with the no. 2 jump in the final round. Norwegian teammate Kristoffer Sundal got third at 219.9.

On Sunday, a more familiar winner emerged in PyeongChang 2018 winner Andreas Wellinger (GER), who was only seventh after the first jump, but had the best second jump to win with 237.6. Kobayashi was second again, coming from sixth to second in the last round (235.6).

The first women’s event saw Austria’s Jacqueline Seifriedsberger, 33, claim her second career World Cup individual gold and first since February 2013! She scored 161.4 to edge Japan’s four-time World Cup seasonal winner Sara Takanashi (157.3) – who won her first World Cup medal in a year – and Katharina Schmid (GER: 152.8).

Norway’s Silje Opseth, a three-time Worlds team medal winner, scored her first medal of this World Cup season and first win since March 2023 with 229.8 points, besting 18-year-old Nika Prevc (SLO: 221.7), who came from sixth to second in the second round. Japan’s Yuki Ito got her fourth medal of the season in third (215.5).

● Snowboard ● Weather shortened the program at Mammoth Mountain, California at the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix, cancelling the Slopestyle events, but the Halfpipe competitions on Saturday were held.

Japan’s 2021 World Champion Yuto Totsuka got his second medal of the season and his first win, scoring 94.75, ahead of countryman Ruka Hirano (91.75) and Kaishu Hirano (89.25). American two-time Olympian Chase Josey was fourth (82.50).

Mitsuki Ono, the 2023 Worlds bronzer, completed the Japanese sweep in the women’s event, winning at 95.50, with teammate and Beijing 2022 bronze winner Sena Tomita second, scoring 88.50. American Maddie Mastro, a two-time Worlds medalist, was third for the third time in four events this season, at 83.00.

At the SnowCross World Cup in Gudauri (GEO), Canada’s Olympic runner-up Eliot Grondin scored his second and third wins in a row and now four in five events this season, beating Cameron Bolton (AUS) on both Saturday and Sunday. Beijing 2022 gold medalist Alessandro Hammerle (AUT) was third on Saturday and Beijing bronze winner Omar Visintin (ITA) was third on Sunday.

France’s two-time Olympic medalist Chloe Trespeuch won Saturday’s race and maintained her seasonal lead, with Czech star Eva Adamczykova second, then the 2021 women’s World Champion, Charlotte Bankes, got her first medal of the season with a win over Trespeuch (FRA) on Sunday. Australia’s Belle Brockhoff claimed her third medal of the season (0-1-2) in third.

● Speed Skating ● The sixth and final ISU World Cup of the season was in Quebec (CAN), and a showcase for 19-year-old triple World Champion Jordan Stolz of the U.S., who swept the men’s races at 500 m, 1,000 m and 1,500 m:

● Friday: Stolz opened with a win in the 1,000 m in 1:07.96, ahead of Japan’s 2020 World Sprint Champion Tatsuya Shinhama (1:08.34).

● Saturday: Two wins, first in the 1,500 m in 1:44.01, beating China’s Zhongyan Ning (1:44.79) and Canada’s Connor Howe (1:45.73). Then he took the 500 m in 34.51, ahead of Canada’s Olympic 1,000 m silver medalist Laurent Dubreuil (34.59).

● Sunday: Stolz won the 500 m again, this time with a track record of 34.36, ahead of Poles Marek Kania (34.69) and Piotr Michalski (34.72).

Wow. Stolz won the 500-1,000-1,500 m Worlds golds in 2023, and appears to getting better, not older.

Ted-Jan Bloemen (CAN), the 2018 Olympic 10,000 m winner, took the 5,000 m from Beijing Olympic 10,000 m bronzer Davide Ghiotto (ITA), 6:13.87 to 6:17.18, and Shomu Sasaki (JPN) won the Mass Start in 7:56.06.

Wins by Dutch stars Femke Kok (second 500 m), Joy Beune (1,500 m) and triple Olympic champ Irene Schouten (3,000 m) highlighted the women’s races. However, Japan’s Beijing Olympic 1,000 m winner Miho Takagi (JPN) won the 1,000 m again over Kok, 1:14.19 to 1:15.07, with American Brittany Bowe fourth (1:16.16).

Korea’s Min-sun Kim defeated Kok in the first 500 m race, 37.69 to 37.70, with Olympic gold winner Erin Jackson of the U.S. fifth in 38.36. Jackson was also third in the second 500 m, behind Kok and Kim. Sandrine Tas (BEL) won the Mass Start in 8:27.59.

Next are the World Single Distances Championships from 15-18 February, in Calgary (CAN).

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TSX BULLETIN: Mantz and Young, O’Keeffe dominate U.S. marathon trials

Rich Perelman

February 3, 2024

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At long last, the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials was held in Orlando, Florida, under sunny conditions with starting temperatures just under 60 degrees when the men took off at 10:10 a.m.

In the end, the men’s race followed the script with the two favorites – Conner Mantz and Clayton Young – running comfortably to the finish, but women’s winner Fiona O’Keeffe stealing her race in a stunner.

A big pack moved together through the first six miles, with Zach Panning in the lead, then shrank to 14 by the 8-mile mark, with all of the favorites comfortably situated. Panning, in his fourth career marathon with a 2:09:28 best from 2022 and 13th at the 2023 Worlds, was in the lead through the half in 1:04:07, with Teshome Mekonen beside and 10 now in contention.

Young and Mantz moved ahead at 24, with a 5:09 mile and Panning dropped to third, now 19 seconds back. He was still third by 24 seconds, but his shot at an Olympic qualifying time was gone.

Mantz won at 2:09:05 with Young one second back, and finish-line temps right at 70 degrees (F). Those are the nos. 2-3 performances ever in a men’s Olympic Trials marathon.

Manta and Young were the clear favorites going in and they showed their class and earned their ticket to Paris.

O’Keeffe popped back into the lead at 14, with the lead pack at 12. She remained there through mile 16, but suddenly D’Amato had dropped back, four seconds behind the lead pack of nine. Betsy Saina, 35, a Kenyan 10,000 m Olympian in 2016, but who transferred to the U.S. in 2021, was right in contention in her 11th career marathon. Lindwurm dropped back by the 17-mile mark, leaving seven in the lead group, on pace for a 2:23:13 finish,

O’Keeffe stayed on the gas, running 5:21 to reach 23 miles with a 31-second lead on Sission and looking unbeatable. Lindwurm and Rotich – who gained a U.S. affiliation only in October 2023 – were together at 3-4 and Hall was another 15 seconds down. O’Keeffe timed 5:23 to 24 miles, with Sisson cruising in second and Lindwurm and Rotich still together. Hall’s hopes had faded, now 28 seconds behind them.

Sisson pressed, running a 5:15 mile to 5:22 for O’Keeffe to narrow the gap to 14 seconds by 26 miles, but O’Keeffe won going away in 2:22:10, moving her no. 10 all-time U.S. in her first race at the distance. It’s by far the fastest U.S. Olympic trials marathon ever, blasting Shalane Flanagan’s 2:25:38 from 2012.

Sisson was second at 2:22:42, her third-fastest ever, and Lindwurm, at 28, got third at 2:25:31, her third-fastest ever, to get a trip to Paris. Jessica McClain passed the fading Rotich and Hall and got fourth (2:25:46), with Hall fifth at 2:26:06 and Rotich sixth at 2:26:10.

The top three times were the three-fastest in U.S. marathon trials history and this race now has seven of the all-time top 10.

There was $600,000 in prize money in this race, with 10 places receiving $80,000, $65,000, $55,000, $25,000, $20,000, $15,000, $13,000, $11,000, $9,000 and $7,000.

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TSX REPORT: Asuncion and Lima bid for 2027 Pan Ams; U.S. marathon trials on Saturday; Beamon’s 1968 gold goes for $441,000!

Rich Perelman

February 2, 2024

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Asuncion and Lima bid for 2027 Pan American Games
2. U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials comes Saturday
3. Gangwon 2024 Youth Olympic Games conclude in Korea
4. Beamon’s ‘68 long jump brings $441,000 at auction
5. Cricket tops BCW federation social-media rankings

● Two bids were received by Panam Sports for the 2027 Pan American Games, removed from Barranquilla (COL) on 3 January. Asuncion, Paraguay and Lima, Peru (which hosted in 2019) are confirmed candidates with the choice to be made on 3 March.

● The U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials will be held in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, with reasonable weather expected and the top three women finishers to go to Paris. The U.S. has two men’s spots assured, with a third possible with a fast time.

● The 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games concluded in Gangwon, Korea with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach calling the event “a brilliant success.” The U.S. led the medal table with 21 total.

● Bob Beamon’s 1968 Olympic gold in the long jump – at which he set a staggering world record of 29-2 ½ – was auctioned in New York and drew a final price of $441,000.

● The annual social-media rankings by communications giant BCW showed the International Cricket Council a solid no. 1 again in 2023 across a combined total from seven platforms. FIFA was a clear second, but was far ahead of all other federations.

● Panorama: Beijing 2022 (Bach asks for more sanctions on entourage) = Winter Games 2034 (Salt Lake City has contracted 21,000 rooms) = World Games (Moscoso wins Athlete of the Year for 2023) = Russia (Latvia passes law prohibiting matches against Russia or Belarus) = USOPC (Xfinity launches “Making Team USA” promo platform) = Alpine Skiing (Kilde says athlete schedule is too crowded) = Athletics (French distance star Jazy passes at 87) = Swimming (2: Worlds odds posted on open-water races; Trials warm-up pools headed to Caymans) ●

1.
Asuncion and Lima bid for 2027 Pan American Games

As expected, two bids were received to host the 2027 Pan American Games by the deadline of 31 January, from Asuncion (PAR) and Lima (PER).

This follows the 3 January announcement by Panam Sports that it had revoked the hosting rights of Barranquilla (COL), after multiple breaches of contract, including missing a $4 million rights fee payment at the end of 2023.

Whispers about difficulties with Barranquilla had been circulating for some time, with Asuncion rumored to be ready to step in. Paraguay has never hosted the Pan American Games, which had 6,909 athletes from 41 countries competing in 425 events across 39 sports last October in Santiago (CHI).

Lima, on the other hand, hosted the 2019 Pan Am Games (and Parapan American Games) quite successfully in 2019 and has the advantage of existing venues and other infrastructure at its disposal.

Possible bids from Sao Paulo (BRA) and the Nuevo Leon state of Mexico did not materialize. It is possible that Panam Sports could award both the 2027 and 2031 Pan Ams to Asuncion and Lima in some order to take advantage of their interest. However, for now, the process is limited to 2027:

“To determine the next host city, the Panam Sports Executive Committee has organized an Extraordinary General Assembly to be held virtually on March 12.

“During the Assembly, each of the candidate cities must make a 40-minute presentation, and then proceed to the voting of the member countries, and thus choose the next city that will host the most important sporting event on the continent in 2027.”

2.
U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials comes Saturday

After controversies over selection and starting times, the U.S. Olympic Trials for the marathon is finally here and will start just after 10 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday in downtown Orlando, Florida.

The original start time of noon was bitterly fought by the USA Track & Field Athletes Commission and a compromise of 10 a.m. was agreed, with the weather forecast now showing:

● 10:00 a.m.: Sunny, 59 F, wind of 4 miles per hour
● 11:00 a.m.: Sunny, 64 F, wind of 6 miles per hour
● 12:00 p.m.: Sunny, 67 F, winds of 6 miles per hour
● 1:00 p.m.: Sunny, 70 F, winds of 6 miles per hour

So, the start of the race will be accommodating, but the finish will be in warming temperatures, which could be significant. The men’s race will start at 10:10 a.m. and the women’s race at 10:20 a.m., with everyone running an opening 2.2-mile loop and then three loops of eight miles each.

The two races will be quite different, with the top three in the women’s race expected to be selected for Paris as the U.S. has three spots in the 80-athlete Olympic field already confirmed. For the men, however, only two have run under the 2:08:10 Olympic standard and so only two spots in Paris are confirmed; if a third athlete besides Conner Mantz and Clayton Young runs faster than 2:08:10, a third spot would be confirmed. If not, there is a World Athletics World Rankings protocol which might let a third U.S. man into the field, but that will not be finalized on 5 May.

In terms of the top entries, looking at the 2022-23 qualifying years (the qualifying period began in November 2022):

Men:
(215 entries: 206 marathon qualifiers, seven in half-marathon and two Tokyo Olympians)
● 2:07:47, Conner Mantz (2023 Chicago)
● 2:08:00, Clayton Young (2023 Chicago)
● 2:08:48, Galen Rupp (2023 Chicago)
● 2:08:50, Sam Chelanga (2023 Chicago)
● 2:08:52, Scott Fauble (2022 Boston)
● 2:09:07, Elkaneh Kibet (2022 Boston)
● 2:09:28, Zach Panning (2022 Chicago)
● 2:09:31, Leonard Korir (2023 Paris)
● 2:09:40, Futsum Zienasellassie (2023 Rotterdam)
● 2:09:46, Brian Shader (2023 Chicago)

Rupp, of course, was the Olympic 10,000 m silver winner in 2012 and the marathon bronze winner in 2016. He won the 2020 Olympic Trials at Atlanta in 2:09:20 and is fully capable – if healthy – of running the Olympic standard and winning in Orlando. But he hasn’t finished in the top three in his last five races – in 2022-23-24 – and not since the 2021 Chicago Marathon.

Mantz’s sixth-place finish in Chicago last year got the U.S. a qualifying mark and he was second in the USATF 20 km Championship last September. Training partner Young won the USATF road 10 km title and the 20 km title (over Mantz) and was right behind Mantz (2:08:00) at Chicago. Those two are at the head of the form chart.

Great interest will be paid to first-time marathoner Paul Chelimo, the Rio 2016 5,000 m silver winner and who got the 5,000 m bronze at Tokyo 2020. Five-time Olympian Abdi Abdirahman, now 47, will become the oldest man to run in the Olympic Marathon Trials ever; he made the Tokyo 2020 team with a Trials third.

The rest? The weather may have an impact and the smartest runner may be the one who finished third … but may not make it to the Games.

Women:
(165 entries: 153 marathon qualifiers; 12 in half-marathon)
● 2:18:29, Emily Sisson (2022 Chicago)
● 2:19:12, Keira D’Amato (2022 Houston)
● 2:21:40, Betsy Saina (2023 Tokyo)
● 2:22:10, Sara Hall (2022 Worlds)
● 2:23:07, Molly Seidel (2023 Chicago)
● 2:23:24, Sara Vaughn (2023 Chicago)
● 2:24:35, Gabriella Rooker (2023 Chicago)
● 2:24:37, Aliphine Tuliamuk (2023 Boston)
● 2:24:40, Dakotah Lindwurm (2023 Chicago)
● 2:24:43, Lindsay Flanagan (2022 Gold Coast)

This is an outstanding field, with 21 who have run faster than the Olympic qualifying standard of 2:27:30. Tuliamuk won the Tokyo 2020 Trials, ahead of Molly Seidel and Sally Kipyego; Seidel won the Tokyo Olympic bronze, but withdrew from Orlando due to a knee injury. Emma Bates, who ran 2:22:10 at Boston in 2023, also was unable to achieve the fitness she wanted and won’t run.

Sisson is the American record holder, breaking D’Amato’s mark from earlier in 2022 and was great in 2023, winning national titles at 15 km and 20 km and finishing seventh at the Chicago Marathon. Sara Hall, Bates and D’Amato finished 5-7-8 at the 2022 Worlds, the only country to place three in the top 10.

The women’s field includes 47-year-old Dot McMahon, a five-time Trials qualifier, but there will be a lot of interest in debut marathoner Jenny Simpson, the 2011 World 1,500 m champ and Olympic 1,500 m bronze winner in 2016, who qualified with a 70:35 at the Houston half in 2023. Two-time Olympian Molly Huddle, a 5,000-10,000 m star, is in the field, and Des Linden, already a two-time Olympian, will try to move up one spot from her fourth in 2020; she finished 2-2-4 at the 2012-16-20 Trials.

The races will be shown live on the Peacock subscription service, and then on NBC beginning at noon Eastern. Real-time results should be available here.

3.
Gangwon 2024 Youth Olympic Games conclude in Korea

“You see here a very happy IOC President, and a very happy Chair of the Coordination Commission, because these Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024 have been a brilliant success. …

“These Winter Youth Olympic Games have been a great demonstration of Olympic legacy, the hard legacy and the soft legacy of the very successful Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018. We saw state-of-the-art facilities, and the athletes enjoying to compete in these state-of-the-art facilities , Olympic facilities, because six years ago, they were glued to their TV screen and saw their then-Olympic idols winning gold medals. …

“But we also saw and this may be, in the long term, even more important, is the soft legacy. I met many volunteers who had been volunteers in 2018. …They really deserve a special mention.”

That was International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach (GER), at a wrap-up news conference prior to the closing of the 2024 Winter YOG in Gangwon.

The event, which finished on Thursday evening, had 1,801 athletes from 78 countries, and a heavy dose of K-pop music throughout. The U.S. was the top medal winner, with 21 in total (5-11-5), nearly double the 11 (2-3-6) won at Lausanne in 2020, and more than the 16 (10-6-0) in 2016 and eight in 2012 (2-3-3). Germany won 20 medals (9-5-6) and Italy had the most golds with 11 and was one of three countries with 18 in all.

Three athletes won four medals: biathlete Antonin Guy (FRA: 3-1-0), speed skater Angel Daleman (NED: 3-0-1) and short track star Xinzhe Zhang (CHN: 2-0-2). In addition to Guy and Daleman, Finn Sonnekalb (GER: speed skating) and Maja Waroschitz (AUT: alpine skiing) also won three golds.

Bach was thrilled with the interest in the Winter YOG, not only in Korea, but also in the U.S., noting there were about a million viewers of NBC’s coverage. Worldwide, the social-media traffic was impressive; said Bach:

“By tomorrow, there will be 250 million engagements on the Olympic social-media handles alone. This is something unprecedented, and in particular, unprecedented for any junior event.

“Here, to have over 250 million engagements is really overwhelming success, which we greatly, greatly appreciate.”

He added that the IOC had contributed $25 million to the organizing committee and spent another $12 million on travel, food, preparation and qualifications for the participating National Olympic Committees.

No host for a 2028 Winter Youth Olympic Games has been chosen yet; Bach expects a site to be named later this year or in early 2025.

4.
Beamon’s ‘68 long jump brings $441,000 at auction

The Mexico City 1968 Olympic long jump gold medal won by American Bob Beamon with his historic 8.90 m (29-2 1/2) leap was auctioned on Thursday by Christie’s New York.

Part of the 40-lot The Exceptional Sale, the medal was estimated to sell for $400-600,00 and was sold for $441,000, the third-highest price realized during the sale.

Beamon made history on his first jump of the final and was overwhelmed by his world-record effort; he took one more jump and then skipped his remaining four attempts. Now 77, he decided to sell the medal in order to support his children.

It sold for $350,000, and $441,000 after auction house fees were added on. Said Beamon, “it’s time for me to pass it on.” Christie’s did not identify the buyer.

5.
Cricket tops BCW federation social-media rankings

There’s no doubt about the passion of cricket followers, underscored once again by the BCW International Sports Federation Social Media Rankings for 2023.

The International Cricket Council led all federations by a wide margin, with 106.519 million total followers across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, TikTok, YouTube and X (ex-Twitter); the top five:

● 106,519,541: Cricket (ICC)
● 56,836,902: Football (FIFA)
● 21,869,824: Basketball (FIBA)
● 15,825,447: Volleyball (FIVB)
● 11,983,040: Athletics (World Athletics)

These top five remained unchanged in their overall ranking from 2022 and were the only federations with more than 10 million combined followers. FIBA, which held its men’s World Cup in 2023, saw a 41% increase in total followers in 2023.

In terms of the Olympic-sport federations, the numbers go down rapidly after World Athletics, with World Rugby fifth (9.709 million) down to World Aquatics in 10th (3.172 million).

The individual platform leaders:

● Facebook: 41.014 million: Cricket (ICC)
● Instagram: 29.905 million: Cricket (ICC)
● LinkedIn: 401,020: Football (FIFA)
● Threads: 1.829 million: Cricket (ICC)
● TikTok: 4.900 million: Basketball (FIBA)
● YouTube: 20.200 million: Football (FIFA)
● X: 27.125 million Football (FIFA)

The study noted that despite 2023 being just a year beyond the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, no winter-sport federation made the top-10 list among any of the platforms.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2022: Beijing ● IOC President Bach was asked during his Gangwon news conference the IOC’s view of the Kamila Valieva doping decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. He made special note of the issues with coaches, physicians and others who surround athletes:

“This case overall is another confirmation of our determination and our request which we have been making repeatedly, that in doping cases, it cannot only be a matter for the athletes concerned, but that the entourage of the athletes have to be inquired more and better and deeper and have also to be sanctioned.

“And this is even more true when it comes to minors, and so I cannot only call on all the organizations responsible there for the fight against doping, and all the agencies to really look into the entourage, and to make sure that also with regard to a member of the entourage, we have deterrent sanctions, and again, even tougher sanctions whenever a minor is involved.”

● Olympic Winter Games 2034 ● The march toward selection for the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Olympic Games continues with an announcement that 21,000 of the 24,000 rooms required by the IOC have been secured:

“The Utah bid has now contracted lodging in 11 Utah counties plus Wyoming. The coverage includes Utah’s Box Elder, Cache, Davis, Juab, Morgan, Salt Lake, Summit, Tooele, Utah, Wasatch, and Weber counties, along with Uintah (Evanston) county in Wyoming.”

The bid file must be submitted later this month, with a site visit likely coming in April.

● World Games ● The International World Games Association announced that Bolivian racquetball star Conrrado Moscoso won the World Games Athlete of the Year award for 2023. He polled 75,389 votes to 55,834 for Italy’s Luisa Rizzo (Air Sports).

German’s Latin Dance duo of Marius-Andrei Balan and Khrystyna Moshenska finished third, with 43,560.

● Russia ● Latvian state media reported:

“Latvia’s team sports national teams are prohibited from playing against the national teams of Russia and Belarus, according to the amendments to the Sports Law adopted in the Saeima [legislature] on Thursday, February 1. The ban will also apply if athletes from the aggressor countries participate in the competition in a neutral status. …

“The amendments to the law also provide for a ban on organizing team sports national team competitions in Latvia, where the national teams of Russia or Belarus participate under their flag or in a neutral status. The ban applies to both adult, youth and junior competitions both in Latvia and abroad.

“The main goal of the adopted amendments to the law is to re-emphasize Latvia’s solidarity with Ukraine and to fundamentally block any Russian efforts to legitimize its war crimes through the sports industry, the press service of the Saeima informed. In the Russian foreign policy doctrine, one of the directions of spreading its values is the so-called ‘soft power’ in building relations with foreign countries, and sports is one of the ways of its use.”

Russian response was immediate and shrill, with Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova telling Sport Express:

“This is a manifestation of racism: hatred on national grounds. Nazism in its purest form.”

Former Russian Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov called for sanctions from the IOC:

“We have many precedents in international sports policy when this is interpreted as government intervention in the affairs of public organizations … any interference and prohibitions of this kind are called government interference in the affairs of public organizations.”

● U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee ● “Making Team USA presented by Xfinity aims to tell the untold qualification journey story, inclusive of all sports and athletes, and consisting of live events and competitions, including notable NBCU Trials coverage, athlete-led storytelling, behind-the-scenes content, gamification and other first-of-its-kind digital experiences on the newly launched TeamUSA.com to learn more about each athlete.”

Thursday’s announcement of this new promotional platform from the NBCUniversal family – Xfinity is owned by Comcast Corporation, also the parent of NBCU – creates a new opportunity for fans to track the U.S. team prior to Paris. There is also an Xfinity gift for U.S. Olympians-to-be:

“Xfinity will roll out its Xfinity Athlete Connections program ahead of Paris 2024, which will provide a ‘connections credit’ to each athlete who qualifies for the 2024 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams to help support their access to the Internet at home or on the go via their mobile device.”

● Alpine Skiing ● Injured Norwegian star Aleksander Aamodt Kilde said on Thursday that a better system for managing athlete time is needed to prevent more injuries.

This has been a tough year for crashes, with stars such as Alexis Pinturault (FRA), Petra Vlhova (SVK), Wendy Holdener (SUI), Marco Schwarz (AUT), Kilde and partner Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) – all Olympic medal winners – either out for the season or for a significant portion.

An Associated Press story explained:

“Currently, a top skier’s day can start before sunrise and include inspecting the hill, racing, post-race ceremonies and media work at the course. Later, there is a televised evening event typically in a town square for another trophy presentation, media interviews and presenting start bibs for the next day’s race.”

Said Kilde: “It’s super important that we look at something that’s more sustainable,” referring to the heavy January schedule, where canceled races from November and December were rescheduled, resulting in 13 men’s races across five venues in three countries. The women had 12 races at six venues across four countries. Kilde was injured on his third straight day of racing, in Wengen (SUI) on 13 January, and added:

“We have to sit down with the people involved with this and see what we can do better for the upcoming years. We don’t have any room to lose anybody.”

The International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS) commented, “It is a balancing act to minimize the athletes’ time obligations while still giving World Cup competitions proper promotion both on site and for television.”

● Athletics ● Sad news that Michel Jazy, France’s middle-distance star of the 1960s, has passed at age 87 on Thursday.

The 1960 Olympic silver medalist in the 1,500 m, he set nine world records and was most famous for his mile mark of 3:53.6 in 1965 and the 2,000 m record of 4:56.2 – that stood for 10 years – in 1966.

● Swimming ● Caesars Sportsbook has posted odds on the open-water races at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha (QAT) that opens on Friday:

● Men/5 km: Germany’s defending champion Florian Wellbrock is favored to repeat at 2.62:1, trailed by Italians Gregorio Paltrinieri (4:1, the 2023 silver winner) and Domenico Azcerenza (4.5:1, 2023 bronze).

● Men/10 km: Wellbrock, who won this race last year as well, is 3.75:1 as the favorite, ahead of Azcerenza (4.50:1) and Paltrinieri (8:1).

● Women/5 km: Katie Grimes of the U.S. is the favorite at 3.75:1, ahead of defending champ Leonie Beck (GER: 5.50:1) and 2023 Worlds runner-up Sharon van Rouwendaal (NED: 7:1) and Brazil’s Ana Marcela Cunha (7:1), the 2023 bronze winner.

● Women/10 km: Beck, the defending champ here too, is favored at 4:1, with Grimes – who won bronze in this race last year – at 6.5:1, along with van Rouwendaal (6.5:1).

Paltrinieri has apparently withdrawn in the 10 km race, so look for new odds soon.

Myrtha Pools announced that the warm-up pools for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials – 50 m and 25 m – have been purchased (ahead of time) by the Cayman Islands’ Ministry of Youth, Sports and Heritage. Both will be re-installed at the new Cayman Islands Aquatic Center.

It’s the first Myrtha pool from a U.S. Olympic Trials to be used afterwards outside the U.S.; the company has been providing temporary pools for the Trials since 2008.

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TSX REPORT: Paris 2024 opening ceremony crowd to be 300,000; Putin says ROC and Sports Ministry will decide if Russians go to Paris

Rich Perelman

February 1, 2024

tsx pix 2022-726 paris 24 opcer promo pic — The Paris 2024 concept for the Opening Ceremony on the Seine (Image: Paris 2024)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Paris 2024 opening to host 300,000-plus spectators
2. Paris 2024 details “Marathon Pour Tous” for 40,048 during Games
3. IOC knocks Italian plan for Cortina sliding center
4. Putin says ROC and Sports Ministry will decide on Paris
5. Tokyo 2020 bribery defendant Takahashi begins defense at trial

● The French Interior Minister said that the crowd for the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games on the Seine will be about 300,000, down from the once-projected 600,000 for security and transport reasons.

● The Paris 2024 “Marathon Pour Tous” program will welcome more than 40,000 runners on the Olympic marathon course on the same day as the men’s event will be held. Both a full marathon and a 10 km race will be held.

● The International Olympic Committee once again panned the Italian plan to rush ahead with the building of a new sliding track for bob, luge and skeleton in Cortina d’Ampezzo in 2026. But the issue is now political in Italy; the organizers will keep back-up plans in place.

● Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that the decision on what to do about participation at Paris as “neutrals” is up to the Russian Olympic Committee and the Sports Ministry. Questions are also being asked about who gave skater Kamila Valieva the Trimetazidine that caused her doping positive; no one knows.

● The man at the center of the Tokyo 2020 sponsorship pay-to-play scandal, Haruyuki Takahashi, appeared in court in Tokyo for the first time on Wednesday. His lawyers insisted that the money he received was for legitimate consulting work. Meanwhile, a dozen others have admitted guilt and have received suspended sentences.

● Panorama: Vox Populi (Sobering essay on conflict and Olympic hopes from Prof. Helmut Digel) = Los Angeles 2028 (L.A. City report says LA28 funding has increased sports participation) = World Anti-Doping Agency (Olympic Council of Asia confirmed compliant) = Athletics (big opener for World Champ Mahuchikh in Cottbus!) = Boxing (USA Boxing confirms Olympians, named Olympic qualifier entries) = Fencing (U.S. wins three bronzes at Qatar Epee Grand Prix) = Shooting (Simonton takes Skeet title at ISSF Grand Prix in Egypt) ●

1.
Paris 2024 opening to host 300,000-plus spectators

Finally, an actual number for the spectators who will be watching the Paris 2024 Olympic opening ceremonies along the Seine River in Paris: “around 300,000.”

That’s from French Interior Minister Gerard Darmanin, from a television interview on Wednesday, ending months of speculation on what the finalized limit will be. The logistical plan remains the same:

● About 100,000 spectators will be seated close to the water, on the lower quays; these tickets are being sold by the Paris 2024 organizers.

● Another 200,000 or so will be able to watch the ceremony from the upper quays; they will be required to obtain tickets, which will be free and distributed by the government.

● There will be no restrictions on watching the event from home for those who live along the route.

The 300,000 figure is half what was originally projected as the capacity for the ceremony, with the same 100,000 close to the water, but as many as 500,000 on the upper banks. But this total was seriously opposed by public transportation officials as far more than it could handle.

Darmanin did not explain when or how the final figure was arrived at, but transport and security concerns have been paramount, and a plan by the Paris police to remove hundreds of the river-side second-hand bookseller boxes has been fiercely opposed by the booksellers and their allies.

Darmanin was optimistic, if also realistic about the risks involved:

“I know that we have the best security forces in the world and that we will succeed in showing not only that we can win medals [at the Games] but that we can play host to the world without any problems.”

Ile-de-France regional President Valerie Pecresse, also in charge of the transport authority, welcomed the lower figure:

“It seems to us to be a much more reasonable level that provides security and safety for spectators as well as for travellers on public transport.”

Darmanin acknowledged that “The terror risk is extremely strong,” and the organizers have said that they have contingency plans in development that will maintain the ceremony on the water, but could modify the show to protect athletes and performers in case of a security alert.

The Paris 2024 organizers said that the exact numbers are still to be worked out:

“As the French government has indicated, the final decision on the size of the stadium will be taken at the end of the consultation process in spring 2024.

“When it comes to security, the Minister of the Interior is in the best position to take the right decisions. As you know, it is the State that is responsible for security and for welcoming the spectators who will attend the opening ceremony free of charge on the upper quays.

“Paris 2024 has been working for many months in close collaboration with the public authorities to calibrate the capacity, for which we are taking many parameters into account. Consultations are still underway, under the authority of the chief of police.”

2.
Paris 2024 details “Marathon Pour Tous” for
40,048 during Games

One of the true innovations of the Paris 2024 organizing plan is to offer an opportunity for non-elite runners to be part of the road-running experience on the same day as the men’s Olympic marathon: the “Marathon Pour Tous.”

On 10 August, the men’s marathon will begin at 8 a.m. with an expected field of 80. But in the evening, more than 40,000 runners will take over all or part of the course:

● 9:00 p.m.: The same marathon course will be open to 20,024 runners – half men, half women – who will run the full distance, beginning at the Hotel de Ville and finishing at the famed Esplanade des Invalides.

● 11:30 p.m.: Another 20,024 runners will run in a 10 km race, also starting and finishing in the same locations as the marathon, but with a much shorter route in between.

Some 35,000 entries were allocated out of the 40,048 total to the public, with the right to run won by varying events across France, and registrations from outside the country. In all, entries will come from 110 countries, with the highest registration numbers from France (of course), the U.S., Belgium, Great Britain and Germany.

The marathon entries range from 20-85 years, with a quarter trying the distance for the first time. The 10 km starters range from 16-95.

This is a first-time concept and could become of the signature legacies of the Paris 2024 Games, especially with the nighttime program and a planned showcase of multiple landmarks lit up as the runners pass them during their run.

3.
IOC knocks Italian plan for Cortina sliding center

“The IOC firmly believes that the existing number of sliding centers, globally, is sufficient for the current number of athletes and competitions in the sports of bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton.

“[Only] existing and already operating tracks should be considered due to the very tight timeline remaining.”

The Associated Press reported the International Olympic Committee’s statement on Wednesday, continuing to insist that an existing venue should be used for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

The IOC’s statement also noted that it has been “unequivocal that no permanent venue should be built without a clear and viable legacy plan.”

Confidence in the Italian plan to build a sliding venue in about a year is tempered by the reality that the Cesara Pariol venue for the 2006 Turin Winter Games closed in 2012 as it was too expensive to operate and had drawn little tourism interest.

But the building of a site in Cortina to replace the famed Eugenio Monti track used for the 1956 Winter Games – in Cortina – had become a national political issue, as expressed by Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani on Tuesday on X (ex-Twitter):

“Today the Council of Ministers will approve regulations on the 2026 Winter Olympics. It is not acceptable for the bobsled races to take place outside Italy. The choice is forced: either Cortina or Cesana. We will do everything to achieve the goal. I support Italy!”

After attracting no bids at all for the project last summer, one bidder has come forward, the Parma-based Impresa Pizzarotti & C., at €81.6 million ($88.27 million U.S.), and would be contracted by the Italian government’s infrastructure authority, known as SIMICO. The track has to be completed in a year in order to be tested and certified in the season prior to the 2026 Winter Games.

Just in case the track cannot be finished in time, the Milan Cortina organizers are maintaining contacts with four other possible sites for bob, luge and skeleton: Innsbruck (AUT), Koenigssee (GER), St. Moritz (SUI) and Lake Placid in the U.S.

4.
Putin says ROC and Sports Ministry will decide on Paris

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin stepped into the Olympic controversies surrounding Russia, placing the responsibility of deciding whether any Russian athletes will compete in Paris on others. Speaking at a campaign event, he explained:

“I understand everything that is connected with participation or non-participation, discrimination of our high-achieving athletes in international competitions.

“Now, it seems to me, there is no need to talk about this. It is our Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Sports that must finally decide what to do and what not to do in this regard.”

He added:

“Today’s major international competitions within the framework of the Olympic movement, of course, are becoming flawed. In some sports, without our athletes, competitions become uninteresting. It’s just that our athletes are leaders in many areas.”

And he insisted that “respected individuals in this sphere, athletes, realize what is really going on and regret the current developments.”

Of course, Putin did not say that he would not be discussing the issue with both the Sports Ministry and the Russian Olympic Committee.

As for sports today:

“International sport is a sport of high achievements – it is very commercialized. Everything there, every step, depends on advertisers, on sponsors. Sponsors, in turn – these are large companies – depend on the political elites of their states. So the circle is closed, and so everything, all problems stem from this, around this.”

In the wake of the Court of Arbitration for Sport holding that Russian skater Kamila Valieva was doping based on her positive test on 25 December 2021, calls have come quickly for further inquiries into who provided her with the prohibited substance Trimetazidine.

The question of investigations into her “entourage” was noted by Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) head Veronika Loginova, who said her agency will not pursue it:

“We have investigated the athlete’s entourage within the authority that RUSADA possesses in line with Russian law and the regulations of the World Anti-Doping Agency.

“We believe that the authority of anti-doping organizations is not always sufficient to prove the involvement of an athlete’s entourage in doping cases.

“RUSADA has no power of law enforcement bodies to resort to operative investigative measures. We have repeatedly stated this. Unfortunately, in most cases our investigative activities are limited to voluntary participation and subsequent analysis of the gathered information.

“WADA stated that the investigation could be resumed after the agency studied the reasoned text of the CAS verdict. We are ready to provide them with all the necessary assistance within the framework of our authority and powers.”

Loginova said she would like to find the person responsible for Valieva’s doping positive:

“If there is a person who acted as an accomplice or even the initiator of taking a prohibited substance to Kamila, who at that time was only 15 years old, then this ‘criminal’ – there is no other way to call him, must be punished, including criminal liability for inducing a minor athlete to violate anti-doping rules. In Russia, unlike most, even the most advanced in this area of countries, criminal liability for this was introduced in 2016.”

The Times (London) reported that while all three arbitrators in the Valieva case agreed that a sanction was called for, two were in favor of the four-year ban that was imposed and one preferred two years.

5.
Tokyo 2020 bribery defendant Takahashi begins defense at trial

Former Dentsu senior director and Tokyo 2020 Olympic organizing committee board member Haruyuki Takahashi appeared in a Tokyo District Court on Wednesday, with his attorneys claiming that the funds he received from sponsors and ad agencies were for legitimate consulting work.

Takahashi, 79, has been at the center of the pay-to-play sponsorship bribery scandal disclosed after the Games were concluded, with 15 people indicted in all and about 12 already entering guilty pleas and receiving suspended sentences. They admitted that their payments to Takahashi were intended as bribes to assure that they would be selected as Tokyo 2020 sponsors or licensees.

Prosecutors say that he received payments – either directly or through third parties – to help arrange for Olympic sponsor, supplier and licensee designations for various businesses, as well as to recommend ad agencies to work with sponsors. The total payments are alleged at ¥196 million, or about $1.33 million U.S. today.

Takahashi, a Tokyo 2020 Executive Committee member, is said to have made arrangements to assist Official Supporters Aoki Holdings (¥51 million payment total) and Kadokawa Corp. (¥76 million), licensee Sun Arrow, Inc. (¥7 million) and ad agencies ADK Holdings (¥47 million) and Daiko Advertising (¥26 million). He was assisted by two consulting firms through which the monies were routed.

Takahashi’s attorneys told the Court that the payments were for legitimate consulting work, and that Takahashi could not have had so much authority over sponsor marketing since the solicitation of sponsors was outsourced to ad giant Dentsu. The prosecution contends that as a former Dentsu senior director, he had a central role in the selection of sponsors and suppliers.

The trial is to be continued on 22 February.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Vox Populi ● A very sobering guest essay on conflicts in today’s world and a possible contribution to the idea of peace by the Olympic Movement by Prof. Helmut Digel, the long-time former World Athletics Council member and head of the German track & field federation.

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● A good report from the City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department, filed last week, that despite lingering Covid issues, participation was well ahead of the pre-pandemic baseline totals.

The fiscal year 2022-23 plan showed a projected total of 145,991 participants in the myriad of programs funded by LA28 organizing committee monies advanced by the IOC. Instead, the total enrollment was 176,596, a 21% increase. Even better: the budget of $17.53 million was underspent by 23%, at $13.55 million.

The heaviest users by age were children from 5-13, although the program reached down to a few as young as one, and as old as 17. Compared to the baseline participation total at the start of the program – 148,274 from 2018-19 – the project’s participation was up by 19% for 2022-23. Funding by LA28 will continue through the middle of 2028.

Also noteworthy was support for this project provided by other organizations such as the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, Los Angeles Clippers Foundation, Angel City FC, Kaiser Permanente, the LA84 Foundation, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Nike.

The PlayLA report was actually completed in September, but not forwarded to the City Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on the Olympic and Paralympic Games until now.

● World Anti-Doping Agency ● WADA confirmed that the Olympic Council of Asia paid its $500,000 fine for allowing the North Korean flag to be used at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou (CHN).

North Korea was deemed compliant in the last week, but was not compliant during the Asian Games; both matters are concluded, at least for now.

● Athletics ● A big seasonal opener for Ukraine’s women’s high jump World Champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh in Cottbus (GER) at the annual Internationales Springer-Meeting, winning with a world-leading 2.04 m (6-8 1/4).

She cleared on her second try, but did not attempt a higher height. It ties her third-best performance ever, and is her second-best mark indoors.

● Boxing ● Following the end of the USA Boxing selection camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA Boxing confirmed five Olympians-to-be already qualified and identified seven fighters who will compete at the 29 February-12 March World Qualification Tournament I in Busto Arsizio (ITA).

The five already going to Paris, thanks to their performance at the 2023 Pan American Games, include Jahmal Harvey (57 kg) and Joshua Edwards (+92 kg) in the men’s classes and Jarjaira Gonzalez (60 kg), Morelle McCane (66 kg) and Jennifer Lozano (50 kg) for the women.

Selections for the Worlds qualifier include 2021 World Champion Robby Gonzales (80 kg), 2021 Worlds runner-up Omari Jones (71 kg) and 2022 Americas confederation champions Jamar Talley (92 kg) and Roscoe Hill (51 kg).

Naomi Graham, the 2018 Worlds bronze medalist (75 kg) and national tournament champions Alyssa Mendoza (57 kg) and Shera Mae Patricio (54 kg) will compete for spots in Paris for the women.

● Fencing ● A surprise win for Israel and three bronze medals for the U.S. at the FIE Grand Prix in Epee in Doha (QAT) for men and women.

The men’s final was won by Yuval Freilich of Israel, who had previously taken one World Cup medal in his career, back in 2016. But he overcame 2018 World Champion Yannick Borel (FRA) in the quarters (15-9) and dispatched Federico Vismara of Italy in the final, also by 15-9. Americans Yeisser Ramirez and Sam Imrek took the bronzes.

The women’s title was the second career Grand Prix gold for top-ranked Man Wai Vivian Kong (HKG), who outlasted Guilia Rizzi (ITA) in the final by 14-13. Two-time Worlds bronze winner Kong has – at 29 – won 13 career Grand Prix or World Cup medals. Hadley Husisian of the U.S. lost to Kong in the semis, 15-14, and shared the bronze medals with Darja Varfolonyeyeva (UKR).

All three Americans won their first major international medals!

● Shooting ● American Sam Simonton, the 2022 Worlds bronze medalist in women’s Skeet, won the ISSF World Cup in Cairo (EGY) for the only U.S. medal of the competition. She defeated Italy’s Martina Maruzzo, 50-47, for the gold.

Eleven different countries won events across the Olympic event program, with Greece’s 2016 Olympic 25 m Pistol winner Anna Korakaki taking the women’s 10 m Air Pistol gold, and the silver at 25 m, losing to 2023 World Champion Doreen Vennekamp (GER), 39-37, in the final.

Worlds bronze winner Azmy Mehelba (EGY) won for the home team in men’s Skeet, and India led the overall medal count with six.

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TSX REPORT: ISU re-scores Beijing Team Event, but gives Russia the bronze, ignoring its own rules; U.S. skater Chock wants medal ceremony in Paris!

Rich Perelman

January 31, 2024

tsx pix 2023-325 chock and bates wch 750 (isu) — Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates on their way to an Ice Dance gold at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in 2023 (Photo: ISU)

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. ISU gives Beijing Team Event medals to U.S., Japan and Russia
2. ISU’s re-scoring appears to have ignored its own rules
3. Chock and Bates thrilled with gold, hope for medals in Paris!
4. Milan Cortina 2026 sliding track to be in Cortina (maybe)
5. French police promised up to €1,900 in Olympic bonuses

● The International Skating Union declared Tuesday that with the disqualification of Russian skater Kamila Valieva for doping, the U.S. is the gold medalist in the figure skating Team Event at the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games. Japan was moved up to silver, but Russia was curiously given the bronze over Canada.

● A look at the ISU’s own rules on the scoring of disqualifications indicates that the federation ignored its own Rule 353, which states that in the case of disqualifications, the placers behind the disqualified athlete should be moved up. This was not done and Canada is preparing to appeal.

● U.S. skaters Madison Chock and Evan Bates spoke with reporters on Tuesday and Chock said her dream would be to receive the Team Event gold medals during the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris. U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee chief exec Sarah Hirshland hinted at something earlier and with the U.S. team alone. Bates spoke of the decision as a victory for clean athletes.

● The board of the Milan Cortina 2026 organizing committee approved the building of a new sliding track in Cortina by the Italian government, but will continue to plan for an out-of-country solution if the project is not completed by March of 2025.

● The French Interior Ministry announced bonus payments for police serving extra time during the Olympic period this summer, after protests demanding added pay during the summer, when many would be on vacation.

● Panorama: International Olympic Committee (Bach says Esports Games in 2025 or 2026) = Russia (2: Valieva get almost 50,000 comments in 30 minutes on Monday post; Russian Embassy in D.C. says U.S. using sport as part of war against Russia) = Alpine Skiing (Gut-Behrami wins fifth this season in Kronplatz) = Aquatics (Doha Worlds entries largest ever) = Athletics (world leads for Nader, Klaver, Hailu in Ostrava) = Tennis (Hsieh wins twice in Doubles at Australian Open) ●

1.
ISU gives Beijing Team Event medals to U.S., Japan and Russia

The International Skating Union did not wait for its 7 February Council meeting, but posted a notice on Tuesday that re-scored the Team Event from the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games and showed the United States as the winner, followed by Japan and the Russian Olympic Committee:

● 1. 65, United States
● 2. 63, Japan
● 3. 54, Russia
● 4. 53, Canada

The change from the original scoring, which had Russia with 74 points as the winner, was simply to remove the 20 points scored by Kamila Valieva – confirmed to have committed a doping violation and now suspended during the time of the 2022 Winter Games by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday – and not to change the scoring of any of the other places in either the women’s Short Program or Free Skate.

This leaves Canada in fourth place and China (50) in fifth, and Valieva was disqualified from her fourth-place finish in the women’s Singles competition.

Further, Valieva’s win at the European Championships in January of 2022 in Estonia was also vaporized, with Russian Anna Shcherbakova advanced to first place, ahead of teammate Alexandra Trusova and Belgian Loena Hendrickx.

The ISU statement also noted:

“The ISU welcomes the decision of CAS and firmly maintains its position that the protection of clean athletes and the fight against doping are of the highest priority and will persist in the ongoing effort to uphold the integrity of fair competition and the well-being of athletes.

“The ISU is in close contact with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the relevant ISU Member Federations in regard to the implementation of this decision.”

The statement does not reference any need for confirmation of this action by the ISU Council at its 7 February meeting, and the statement in unsigned.

It should be noted that the CAS decision from Monday can be appealed to the Swiss Federal Tribunal on narrow procedural grounds, and any such appeal is unlikely to overturn the finding against Valieva. But it may delay the ultimate confirmation of the final results of the Team Event, which concluded on 7 February 2022.

2.
ISU’s re-scoring appears to have ignored its own rules

The International Skating Union’s Tuesday announcement of re-stated results for the Beijing 2022 Winter Games Team Event was odd in that it removed only the points scored by Russian star Valieva and did not change any other scores in the women’s Short Program or Free Skate.

The ISU statement referred to Article 10.10 of the ISU Anti-Doping Rules, which speaks directly to disqualifications of competitors in events subsequent to a doping violation, notes that:

“[A]ll other competitive results of the Skater obtained from the date a positive Sample was collected … or other antidoping rule violation occurred, through the commencement of any Provisional Suspension or Ineligibility period, shall, unless fairness requires otherwise, be Disqualified with all of the resulting Consequences including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.”

Under this section, Valieva was quite rightly disqualified and her points removed from the team scoring total (74-20 = 54). However, a deeper look at the rules makes things muddier.

● Rule 11.2.2 of the ISU Anti-Doping Rules is in a section titled “Consequences to Teams” and states:

The key phrase here is “in connection with an Event,” which in the Valieva case would indicate that her doping positive, revealed literally minutes after the Team Event finished on 7 February 2022, would appear to apply here. If so, the entire Russian team should be disqualified.

(The exception in 11.2.3 does not apply, since it lets a team continue without disqualification only if that team was not otherwise affected by the doping violation. Russia was most certainly impacted, since it would have won with a substitute for Valieva.)

● Even more important is Rule 353 of the ISU’s “Special Regulations for Technical Rules for Singles, Pairs and Ice Dance.”

In section 4, titled “Publication of Results,” the text is clear about scoring for disqualified competitors:

This rule was in effect at the time of the Beijing Winter Games and clearly indicates that not only should Valieva’s points been deducted, but that other teams were affected:

● In the Short Program, Valieva won (10 points), but now all nine others should be advanced one place and have one point added to their totals.

● Same in the Free Skate, where Valieva won again, but the nine following skaters should all receive one more point.

This would make the final scores:

● 1. 67, United States (up from 65)
● 2. 65, Japan (up from 63)
● 3. 55, Canada (up from 53)
● 4. 54, Russia (down from 74)
● 5. 52, China (up from 50)

Canada should be the bronze-medal winner by reference to the ISU’s figure skating rules for scoring of disqualified athletes.

Have no doubt that a challenge to the ISU’s scoring – unless corrected – will come from Skate Canada on behalf of its team. The federation said so on Tuesday:

“Skate Canada is extremely disappointed with the International Skating Union’s (ISU) position on the long-awaited awarding of medals for the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games Figure Skating Team Competition.

“The Court for Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that in addition to a four-year ban from competition, the ban includes ‘the disqualification [of] all competitive results’ achieved by Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva since the positive test. The ISU in its recent decision is not applying Rule 353, which states that ‘competitors having finished the competition and who initially placed lower than the disqualified competitor will move up accordingly in their placement.’

“Skate Canada strongly disagrees with the ISU’s position on this matter and will consider all options to appeal this decision.”

And Russia is planning a new appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The Russian Olympic Committee declared Tuesday:

“Our lawyers have already begun preparing the necessary documents for filing an appeal.

“We proceed from the fact that, in accordance with the current, applicable ISU rules, the consequences of the decision on sanctions in relation to an individual athlete, in this case Kamila Valieva, cannot be a basis for reviewing the results of a team tournament. Our legal position is based, among other things, on existing precedents in CAS practice.”

Noting Rule 353 cited above, this appears to be fantasy, but appeals can be filed.

The Russian news agency TASS quoted a statement from the International Olympic Committee, which apparently considers the matter over:

“The IOC welcomes the fact that the CAS decision brings clarity to this matter so that the athletes competing in the team figure skating event at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics can finally receive the medals they have been waiting for.

“The IOC can now award medals in accordance with the final standings, which shall be established by the International Skating Union. The IOC will contact the relevant National Olympic Committees to organize a dignified medal ceremony.”

3.
Chock and Bates thrilled with gold, hope for medals in Paris!

“Yes, we have thought about it. When all of this initially happened, the first thing that came to everyone’s mind was, wow, we would love to have a true Olympic medal ceremony.

“And so, for us, that would be a medal ceremony at the Paris Games this summer. That would be the dream scenario and be able to stand atop the podium at an Olympic event and be there with our families, and just to celebrate and be surrounded by the Olympic spirit and the Olympic Movement would be our dream scenario.”

That’s U.S. Ice Dance star Madison Chock, now a member of the Olympic gold-medal-winning team from the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, from a Tuesday news conference reacting to the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s decision that disqualified Russia’s Kamila Valieva for doping, and if she had considered what a proper medal ceremony would look like.

Chock, who just won her fifth national Ice Dance title with Evan Bates – despite illness – expressed the whirlwind of the past day:

“It’s just a feeling I’ve always dreamed of and one I almost can’t believe is here. I’m still wrapping my head around the reality of everything. It’s just been a very happy 24 hours of news for us.”

Said Bates:

“It’s been quite a surreal experience. It’s been a long – almost two years now – wait for this decision to come through. We’re pleased and we’re here on behalf of the other seven skaters who we’ve bonded so tightly with through this experience. …

“We really, up until the night before, had no idea how this was going to turn out, and it’s just been an unbelievable 24 hours.”

U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee chief executive Sarah Hirshland explained that exactly how a medal ceremony will be done is up in the air:

“I don’t think that it is necessarily mandatory that all of the medals be awarded in the same place at the same time. So we are going to consider all the possibilities, both what will be logistically the best option for Team USA to be together with the people who are most important to them in that celebration. It doesn’t have to be a ceremony with all three of the gold-silver-bronze awarded at the same time.

“So, we’ve got a bit of flexibility to think about what’s going to be best for Team USA independent of what may be best for Japan and ultimately ROC or Canada or however that ends up playing out.

“But our goal and our focus is on Team USA and we know we have some flexibility and latitude to focus on this team independently.”

Ignoring the possible appeals that may be out there, Hirshland said it would be better to do a ceremony sooner rather than later:

“The short answer is, regardless, there is no scenario at this point in which Team USA is not the gold-medal winner, and so we’re focused on getting those gold medals awarded to Team USA and even in my conversations with the IOC last night, they are as eager as we are, and the no. 1 priority is to allow the team to really weigh in and ensure that they have the opportunity to help us craft what that celebration should look like.

“But everybody has a sense of urgency, and there’s no reason for any delay.”

Bates took special notice of what the CAS holding meant in terms of penalizing those who are doping:

“We feel very grateful that case has had due process and has reached this conclusion here, or maybe not a conclusion, but this finding, and I think there are so many clean athletes who historically not had their moment, have not had the recognition that they deserve, whether that’s because those doping didn’t get caught or because the case didn’t come to trial or what have you.

“I mean there are countless athletes in history, through the decades, that have not had the moments that we have just now had, so we’re extremely happy, we’re extremely pleased and we’re just really focusing on that, celebrating the achievement. …

“For clean athletes, for the legacy of clean sport, the integrity of the Olympic Movement, I think this is, I think, a landmark case. It’s a monumental thing. This is an unprecedented event, where 20-something clean athletes left the Olympic Games without a medal that they won – cleanly – and yesterday, in large part, the finding by CAS brought some justice to the clean-sport movement, and I think clean athletes around the world will find some joy and some solace in knowing that clean sport matters, and the fight against doping is ongoing.”

4.
Milan Cortina 2026 sliding track to be in Cortina (maybe)

The Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 board agreed Tuesday to go forward – if possible – with the construction of a new track on Cortina, to replace the historic Eugenio Monti track used for the 1956 Olympic Winter Games.

But it will be ready with an alternative in case of difficulties:

● “The Board of Directors of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation, which met today, listened to the report of the President Giovanni Malagó and the CEO, Andrea Varnier, and expressed optimism on the issue of the sliding center in Cortina d’Ampezzo, waiting for SIMICO (Società Infrastrutture Milano Cortina 2026 SpA) to sign the contract with the contracting company.”

● “[T]he Board of Directors itself, given the negative opinions received from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Federations, concerned by the tight deadlines that the work imposes, and also by virtue of SIMICO’s communication of last 01/03/2024 with which it was recommended to keep any alternative solutions open, decided not to interrupt the dialogue with the other existing and functioning plants, giving the CEO a mandate to continue the work of negotiating a possible plan B which, also in this case, will require a extra budget.”

Time and money are at issue. The building of the new track has been plagued with issues, and not one construction bid was received last summer for the project. The program was reduced a little and a bid for the now €81.6 million project (~$88.50 million U.S.) was received from the Parma-based Impresa Pizzarotti & C., a well-respected firm.

But the Tuesday statement by the Milan Cortina board also noted that more money will be needed to complete the project and that “the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation will initiate discussions with the competent institutions.” The Milan Cortina 2026 sponsorship efforts are now on track to reach their budgeted goals, but the sales effort has proved difficult.

The clock will be ticking, with the project facing a set, acknowledged deadline:

“The Organizing Committee of the Milan Cortina 2026 Games is in continuous contact with the IOC and the International Federations and reiterates that the pre-homologation tests cannot for any reason take place beyond the month of March 2025.”

That’s 13 months from now. The tug-of-war over the sliding venue has become a political issue inside Italy, with minister demanding that money not be sent out of the country to support the 2026 Winter Games. Proposals from Austria (Innsbruck), Germany (Koenigssee), Switzerland (St. Moritz) and the U.S. (Lake Placid) were all sent to the 2026 organizers and, apparently, the talks will continue.

5.
French police promised up to €1,900 in Olympic bonuses

After multiple protests by police units over working hours and the expected longer shifts coming during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the French Interior Ministry announced Tuesday that bonuses of up to €1,900 (~$2,060 U.S.) will be available.

Officers taking less than normal leave during the Olympic and Paralympic period in June, July, August and September, will receive a €1,000 bonus ($1,084 U.S.) with as much as €1,600 ($1,735) for those assigned to Olympic areas. Paris-area and airport officers will receive €300 ($325).

Other public-sector unions, in the medical and transit sectors, are also pushing for extra pay to stay on the job during the two Games, periods which are usually taken for vacations.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● International Olympic Committee ● Speaking to reporters at the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Korea, IOC President Thomas Bach (GER) said the Olympic Esports Games is coming soon:

“I guess we could count on the first edition, offer such an Olympic Esports Games for the year 2025, or the latest 2026.”

● Russia ● Considerable sympathy for 17-year-old Kamila Valieva, who posted a skating video of herself on the ice in a red dress on Monday after being disqualified by the Court of Arbitration for Sport for doping in 2021.

The post, on Telegram, received more than 49,900 visits in the first 30 minutes!

Another post on Telegram, in Russian, was from the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C.:

“We have paid attention to the atmosphere of gloating in local journalistic and sporting circles about the Russophobic decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport to disqualify our figure skater Kamila Valieva for 4 years and deprive her of her awards for allegedly using doping.

“All this fits into the framework of the hybrid war unleashed by the West against the Russian Federation. Local authorities are not a stranger to outright pressure on sports structures in order to prevent the appearance of highly competitive Russian athletes at competitions, especially under the Russian tricolor. In parallel, they are trying to disrupt a number of major events in our country, including the Games of the Future, the BRICS Sports Games and the World Friendship Games.

“America is clearly annoyed that new formats – beyond the control of the Westerners – are attracting growing interest from countries in the Global South, tired of the politicization of high-performance sports.”

● Alpine Skiing ● Swiss star Lara Gut-Behrami continued her hot streak with another win in the Giant Slalom, this time in Kronplatz (ITA), taking control on the first run.

The Olympic Super-G champ from 2022 flew to an 0.59 edge on the first run over New Zealand’s Alice Robinson, 1:00.48 to 1:01.07, and then extended her lead on the second run with the third-fastest time, ending with a total of 2:00.64. It’s her 42nd career win on the FIS World Cup circuit.

Robinson was only 10th-fastest on the second run and ended up in a tie for second (2:01.73) with Swede Sara Hector, the Olympic Giant Slalom winner in Beijing.

Gut-Behrami, 32, has won five races this season: three Giant Slaloms and two Super-G and is now within 95 points of the seasonal lead, as Mikaela Shiffrin of the U.S. recovers from injuries.

● Aquatics ● The registration totals for the World Aquatics Championships in Doha (QAT) that start on Friday (2nd) show the largest event on record, with 2,603 athletes from 197 countries.

SwimSwam.com noted that, if that many athletes show, it will be the first Worlds with more than 2,500 entries, topping the 2,438 for Rome (ITA) in 2009 and 2,418 at Gwangju (KOR) in 2019. The 197 countries would top the 191 at Fukuoka (JPN) last year.

Olympic qualifying will not be on the line in swimming, but spots will be open in artistic swimming, diving, open-water swimming and water polo.

● Athletics ● Spirited running in Ostrava (CZE) at the Czech Indoor Gala, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meet on Tuesday, with a world lead from Isaac Nader of Portugal in the men’s 1,500 m of 3:34.23.

Nader beat Swede Samuel Pihlstrom (3:35.47) for one of three world-leading marks. Dutch 400 m star Lieke Klaver, the 2022 Worlds fourth-placer, won at 50.54, best this season, and 2023 World Road Mile runner-up Freweyni Hailu (ETH) took the lead in the women’s mile by winning in 4:17.36, well ahead of countrywoman Hirut Meshesha (4:19.53), the 2022 World Indoor 1,500 bronze winner.

Hailu moved to no. 6 on the all-time indoor performers (and performances) list and passed 1,500 m in 4:01.03, also the fastest for 2024.

In addition, Olympic men’s long jump champ Miltiadis Tentoglu (GRE) won at 8.09 m (26-6 1/2), and Poland’s Ewa Swoboda, already the women’s world leader at 60 m (7.04), won in 7.07.

● Tennis ● Plenty of coverage of the Australian Open wins for Jannik Sinner (ITA) in the men’s final and Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) for the women, but not much about the Doubles finals.

Mixed-nationality teams won all three divisions, with Rohan Bopanna (IND) and Matthew Ebden (AUS) taking the men’s title over Italy’s Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori, 7–6 (7–0), 7–5, and Su-wei Hsieh (TPE) and Elise Mertens (BEL) winning by 6-1, 7-5 against Lyudmyla Kichenok (UKR) and Jelena Ostapenko (LAT).

The Mixed Doubles saw Hsieh collect a second win in Melbourne, this time partnered with Jan Zielinski (POL) and beating Desirae Krawczyk (USA) and Neal Skupski (GBR) 6–7 (5–7), 6–4, [11–9]. Hsieh’s wins gave her eight major titles in Doubles: her two at the Australian, two French Open wins and four at Wimbledon.

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VOX POPULI: Sport has a mission for peace – An appeal on the occasion of the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024

Rich Perelman

January 31, 2024

/This is an essay by Professor Helmut Digel of Germany, a handball player in his youth, but well known as the President of the DLV, the German track & field federation, from 1993-2001 and was a member of the IAAF (now World Athletics) Council from 1995 to 2015. As a professor of sport sociology, he taught at universities in Frankfurt, Tubingen and Darmstadt between 1978 and 2010. He now edits the online magazine Sport Nach Gedacht, from which he offers this article. His writing offers a sobering perspective, and his views are, of course, his alone./

As each new year dawns, it has long been customary to indulge in rhetorical debate about the weighty concept of ‘peace’. In the many annual speeches by politicians, the peace metaphor is an imperative to suit their populist interests. On television the issue of peace has its seasonal climax. News and entertainment programmes are shaped by it, musical tunes repeat year after year with peace as their refrain, and feature films are shown again and again in which a peaceful “happy ending” is celebrated.

The system of sport, which is very important for Western societies, is understandably no exception. In their speeches at the turn of the year, sports leaders politicians devote their attention to the issue of peace, fair play and the observance of human rights.

The turn of the year 2023/24 had a heightened significance compared to the change of previous years and presented a very special challenge. For more than two years, Russia’s terrorist war of aggression against Ukraine has had a lasting impact on the world’s cultural, economic and socio-political development. War results in the deaths of countless innocent people every day. In this war alone, 500,000 soldiers have already been killed. Every dead civilian and every injured combatant is one too many, and we all have to mourn the senseless deaths of countless Ukrainian and Russian fathers, mothers, sons and daughters.

A few weeks before the turn of the year, there was also the barbaric terrorist attack by Hamas against innocent Jewish citizens, which has triggered an equally barbaric war between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah and resulted in almost endless suffering for many Israeli families. But it is also necessary to think of the many innocent Palestinians whose existence has been repeatedly threatened for several years by an Israeli state that even many self-critical Israeli citizens and internationally recognized Jewish political experts, philosophers and sociologists deny the status of a “democracy.”

“Artists admonish us” (Art posters from the international art park “798″ in Beijing)

If we consider that, in addition to Ukraine, Israel and the Gaza Strip, there are still currently more than 20 other armed conflicts with countless innocent victims. It must probably be stated by all of us that we are currently living in an extremely peaceless time which we could hardly have expected at the dawn of the twenty-first century. At the same time, we must recognise that viable and promising initiatives for a peaceful world and for resolving the many military conflicts around the globe are nowhere to be seen.

The very institutions of our society that tried to outdo each other in their peace during the Christmas season are characterized by a total failure in this regard. This applies to political institutions as well as to ecclesiastical and other religious ones, but also to all other relevant social institutions – including sport. No serious relevant peace efforts can be discerned. In politics, the concept of ‘diplomacy’ and wise diplomatic action seems to have become alien.

In Germany, a party that once defined itself as a “peace party” is locked with other political parties in a competition on the question of how many and with which weapons one should still support the war in Ukraine, even though everyone knows that weapons always result in the death of innocent people, that further arms deliveries will only prolong the duration of the war and that only the arms industry will be the winner – it can look forward to the increase in sales that it owes to its successful war lobbying work. Germany’s foreign policy supports the constant expansion of NATO’s sphere of influence and employs rhetorical threatening gestures that are anything but peacekeeping. And the Federal President and the Federal Government believe that their policies are resolutely countering the dangerously growing anti-Semitism in German society by not allowing a “but” in their support for the State of Israel. But because this support does not distinguish between the State of Israel and its Jewish citizens, who deserve our support, anti-Semitic tendencies in our society are reinforced rather than combated, and equal support for Jews and Muslims in a democratic state of Israel is prevented rather than promoted.

With regard to religions, one must also speak of a total failure. For two years now, the World Council of Churches of the Protestant Church has been waiting in vain for a peace policy initiative that speaks with one voice vis-à-vis international politics. Nor is there any sign of an effort on the part of international business associations to take economic action to end the conflicts. The efforts of the Catholic Church to take a peace measure against the war – together with the Orthodox Churches of the East – have not progressed beyond fruitless initiatives. At best, one can appreciate the open and clear address of Pope Francis, who in his Christmas address clearly expressed the deadly connection between weapons and war. His speech culminated in the statement that peace has never been established with the use of weapons, that guns kill, and that without guns there would be no wars. A “political ban on weapons,” which is now more urgent than ever, has never been more clearly stated.

The various institutional manifestations of Islam that can be found in the world have also failed in every way in relation to the current wars. From all other representatives of the religions of Buddhism, Hinduism and other religious communities, no significant peace initiatives can be observed either. Rather, we must speak of a total failure of the religious leaders. The same applies to the globally active economic institutions and organizations as well as to the world organizations of trade unions.

The IOC is the only international organization that adheres to its self-imposed peace mission and, in cooperation with the United Nations, is at least striving for a ‘temporary peace’ through the staging of its Olympic Games. However, its stakeholders, i.e. the international sports federations and the more than 200 National Olympic Committees, have hardly made any independent peace efforts. In fact, the opposite is often the case.

Particularly consequential is the fact that pacifism and large parts of the Christian canon of values have been overridden by the total failure of all relevant institutions. People who feel they belong to pacifism are discredited. Their peace initiatives are ridiculed in mass communication and misused as cabaret topics. Anyone who invokes the Ten Commandments as a believing Christian in connection with the war in Ukraine or in the armed conflict between Palestine and Israel is contradicted even by his own Christian institutions. In my view, the assumption that the validity of the Ten Commandments may be suspended during a war is unacceptable in every respect. There is certainly no evidence for this in the theological foundations of Christianity.

In view of this situation, it is more important than ever to remember, not least here in Germany, that there have been times when the blue dove of peace has been an almost everyday symbol of our society, that many houses in German and European villages and cities have been draped with peace flags, and that it has been no shame in the most diverse areas of our society’s life when people have been involved in peace initiatives.

This was and is especially true of the system of sport which, with its cultural significance and its concept of values, is committed to the “principle of association” [note 1] in a very special way. For modern sport, “competition” and “cooperation” are constitutional, and both must be held together by the principle of fair play. The imperative of “solidarity” is indispensable for the organisation of sporting competitions. That is why it was long overdue that the Olympic motto “Citius, Altius, Fortius” was supplemented by a “Communiter” (“Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together”). However, IOC President Thomas Bach, who pushed through this continuation of modern Olympism on the occasion of the extremely problematic and in many ways endangered Winter Olympics in Beijing in 2022, did not receive any applause for it. Neither international politics nor large parts of sports policy recognized or heeded the significance of this step.

Initiatives of sport for the sake of peace in our world, as were still widespread in Germany and Europe in the second half of the last century – demonstrations against the torture measures in Argentina on the occasion of the Football World Cup, sporting peace marches, organizational efforts under the motto “Athletes for Peace” – have now receded into the distant past. An effort on my part to launch a sporting peace initiative on the occasion of the terrible war in Ukraine was welcomed by a Protestant regional bishop, who also holds the chairmanship of the World Council of Churches of the Evangelical Church, and he had promised to present this concern to the World Council of Churches as well. However, there has been no response from him to date. Sporting peace marches would be more urgent today than ever, and it would probably be one of the most noble tasks of all responsible sports politicians of the Federal Government and the German Bundestag to make clear demands in favor of diplomatic peace efforts on the occasion of the devastating wars in Ukraine and Israel/Gaza. Unfortunately, the opposite can be observed.

The institutions of German sport are not aware of their autonomous role in relation to the peace mission and have submissively subordinated themselves to Berlin’s wrong political decisions. On the other hand, there is a ridiculous “armband culture” in rainbow colors, led by a Federal Minister of the Interior and Home Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, with whom violations of human rights are hypocritically dealt with. What goes unnoticed is that we are guilty of a division of human rights, which must be indivisible, not only from the point of view of the United Nations, but above all from an ethical, moral and Christian point of view.

When Ukrainian athletes refuse to shake hands with their Russian opponents at award ceremonies, this gesture and deliberate decision is applauded by the German mass media, while when Muslim athletes do the same to their Jewish opponents, these actions are denounced as a violation of the unwritten rules of the principle of fair play in international sport (quite rightly so, in my opinion), and condemned. While the IOC, under the leadership of its IOC President Bach, advocates the participation of innocent Russian athletes as ‘neutral athletes’ under clearly defined conditions at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, German state policy, together with other European states, demanded the exclusion of all Russian and Belarusian athletes, without being supported by the vast majority of German sports organizations. including the athletes‘ representatives. However, I am not aware of any comparable demands for the exclusion of athletes from nations who are irresponsibly engaged in armed conflicts with other nations these days and thus continuously violate human rights.

Summer Olympics in 2024 could become a very special appeal for peace and represent a full memorial to peace. However, this would require all sports organisations to reflect on the values of the Olympic Charter, to respect the principle of the indivisibility of human rights, to actively oppose all forms of racism and discrimination, and to demonstrate and draw attention to their interest in a lasting peace with great unity. Peace congresses and peace marches and runs could be just as much a part of this as independent sporting events dedicated to the message of peace. Gestures of peace by individual athletes should also be welcome. Anyone who objects to the principle of solidarity should have to learn that they are thereby excluding themselves from the community of sport. Gestures of fraternization would be just as desirable as a committed accompaniment of all these measures through art, literature, science and music.

France’s Baron de Coubertin had a vision more than 100 years ago. In my opinion, this has by no means become obsolete. The desire for peace can be observed all over the world, and all those who have lost their loved ones in wars know what peace could have meant to them if it had been established at the right time.

All those responsible and involved in national and international sport are hereby called upon to take up the peace mission and the chance for peace before, during and after the Olympic Games in Paris 2024 and to help create and preserve the peace desired by many people all over the world.

[Note 1: “Association” refers to the result of a process in which two or more cognitive elements (in this case two ideas) are brought into a constitutive connection with each other.]

Comments are welcome here and or direct to Prof. Digel here.

[≡The Sports Examiner encourages expressions of opinion – we really do – but preferably based on facts. Send comments to Editor@TheSportsExaminer.com. 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.≡]

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