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NORWAY: FIS suspends ski jumping stars Lindvik and Forfang, three Norwegian staff members in jump-suit scandal

By
Rich Perelman
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Norwegian ski jumping stars Johann Forfang (l) and Marius Lindvik (Photos: Norges Skiforbund).

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≡ WORLD NORDIC CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

The FIS World Nordic Skiing Championships were a tremendous success in Trondheim (NOR), with more than 200,000 tickets sold and many thousands more watching along the cross-country courses and ski jumps.

Norway dominated the event, winning 33 medals, and winning more golds (14) than Sweden’s second-place overall title of 12. Wow.

Now, the celebration has turned to scandal.

After the Norges Skiforbund admitted that jumping suits for Beijing 2022 Large Hill gold medalist Marius Lindvik – also the Normal Hill winner in Trondheim – and Johann Forfang, a Team gold medalist at the 2018 Winter Games, were improperly altered, the national ski jumping coach, assistant coach and equipment manager were all suspended.

On Wednesday, the International Ski & Snowboard Federation went several steps further:

● “Following the initial information-gathering process over the last few days, today team coach Magnus Brevik, assistant coach Thomas Lobben, service staff member Adrian Livelten, and athletes Marius Lindvik and Johann Andre Forfang have been notified by FIS that they are formally under investigation by the FIS Ethics and Compliance Office and are provisionally suspended, with immediate effect, from participating in FIS events and events organized by a National Ski Association, pending the investigation and adjudication procedure.”

● “[U]pon request from the external investigators of the FIS Independent Ethics and Compliance Office, on Tuesday, 11 March, FIS seized all the jumping suits that have been worn by Norwegian teams at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships Trondheim 2025 – in both Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined, in both the men’s and women’s competitions. The suits will be submitted for re-inspection as part of the ongoing investigation.”

● “Given the seriousness of the case in Trondheim, suit control policy will be immediately adjusted for the remainder of the FIS World Cup season in Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined. These adjustments will be discussed and formalized at this evening’s Team Captains’ Meeting in Oslo/Holmenkollen and made public shortly thereafter.”

The Nordic Combined in implicated, of course, because it includes ski jumping, and the FIS also announced a suspension there:

“In a separate case, a member of the Norwegian Nordic Combined team, Truls Johansen, has also been notified by FIS that he is formally under investigation by the FIS Independent Ethics and Compliance Office and is provisionally suspended, with immediate effect, from participating in FIS events and events organized by a National Ski Association, pending the investigation and adjudication procedure.”

This involved the Nordic Combined Team event on 7 March:

“On that day, the Jury decided on the disqualification of Norwegian athlete Joergen Graabak citing a violation of the competition’s equipment rules related to his ski bindings. The FIS Independent Ethics and Compliance Office is now investigating the circumstances surrounding how the Norwegian team presented the equipment for inspection after they protested the disqualification.”

FIS Secretary General Michel Vion (FRA) said:

“The only thing that matters to FIS is to leave this process 100% convinced that the sport is free from any form of manipulation. We will leave no stone unturned to ensure that respect and fairness prevail – in this specific case and across our entire ecosystem.”

Exactly what happened? The Norges Skiforbund’s statement on Monday (10th) explained the basic facts:

“What appears to have been clarified so far is that Brevik and Livelten made a choice on Friday evening [7th] to sew an extra – and stiffer – thread into the jump suits for Forfang and Lindvik.

“They first tried this on a suit that was not to be used, to test the technique of doing so, before doing it on the competition suits for Forfang and Lindvik. This – that is, sewing in an extra thread – they have not done before.

“What else has been done and tried to optimize the jump suits – both within and outside the regulations – the Jumping Committee does not have an overview of at this time.”

Lindvik and Forfang finished 2-4 in the qualifying in Saturday’s Large Hill competition in Trondheim and progressed to the final round. Lindvik eventually finished second, but both were disqualified after a post-event inspection of the equipment by FIS officials.

Conveniently, the FIS World Cups for both Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping are in Norway (Oslo and Vikersund) this week, with more information to come on instructions to the teams about the scandal and what is being done, no doubt with increased vigilance from FIS.

The Norges Skiforbund Ethics Committee issued a statement on Wednesday which included:

“The Ethics Committee understands that trust in Norwegian ski jumping has been greatly weakened and believes that it is necessary to turn over all stones, show the will and ability to clean up and prevent new cases of cheating. We welcome the FIS investigation and will assess the scope of their mandate before we possibly provide more specific advice on measures.”

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PANORAMA: Milan Cortina ‘26 adds Stellantis as auto sponsor (is LA28 next?); U.S. off the WADA Executive Committee; Kauf sweeps Moguls titles!

By
Rich Perelman
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Britain’s King Charles III initiating the Commonwealth Sport King’s Baton Relay on Monday, with a presentation to cycling star Chris Hoy (Photo: Commonwealth Sport).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● One of the questions about sponsorship sales opportunities for Los Angeles 2028 was partially answered on Tuesday by the Milan Cortina organizing committee for the 2026 Winter Games.

Stellantis, the maker of Italian brands Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia and Maserati “have committed to providing an essential fleet of vehicles to ensure the seamless organization and execution of the sporting event, supporting the Games from their preparation phase all the way through their duration.”

The deal is for Stellantis and its Italian vehicle lines only, as a “Premium Partner” of the 2026 Winter Games. It does not include the conglomerate’s other brands, including U.S. marques Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM trucks. Headquartered in The Netherlands, it is the no. 4 automaker as measured by worldwide sales.

This may signal the willingness of the International Olympic Committee to allow the LA28 organizers to make their own deal for the automotive categories previously sponsored by Japan’s Toyota Motors, which declined to renew its TOP sponsorship at the end of 2024.

Toyota USA has sponsored multiple U.S. national federations, including USA Swimming, USA Track & Field and others.

● Commonwealth Games ● A unique twist on the torch relay concept was started at Buckingham Palace in London as King Charles III initiated the inaugural Commonwealth Sport King’s Baton Relay for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games at on Commonwealth Day on Monday (10th).

The relay began 500 days prior to the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, with cycling star Chris Hoy receiving the souvenir baton, made in Glasgow. Unlike prior relays, the Commonwealth relay will be taken for multi-day celebrations in all 74 Commonwealth Games member countries, starting on 11 March in the Caribbean, finishing in St Vincent and the Grenadines on Saturday 14 June. Each Commonwealth federation will receive its own baton, which can be decorated according to local tastes.

The Relay then moves to Africa (15 June to 24 October), then Asia (25 October to 21 December), Oceania (2 January to 26 March 2026), Americas (27 March to 6 May 2026), and Europe (8 May to 23 July 2026).

● World Anti-Doping Agency ● WADA published the rosters of its Foundation Board and Executive Committee on Tuesday, with the U.S. absent from both bodies.

Relations between the U.S. and WADA have grown increasingly coarse since the Chinese swimming positives incident from January 2021 was revealed in April 2024, and the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy has not made the U.S. dues payment of $3.265 million for 2024.

So, while ONDCP Director Dr. Rahul Gupta was listed as the Americas Representative on the Executive Committee in January 2024 (with a term through April 2026), the March 2025 roster shows only “Member to be confirmed.”

There were no U.S. members on the larger Foundation Board in 2024, with Americas reps from Jamaica, Canada, Venezuela and Chile, and that line-up continues for 2025.

The Executive Committee has 16 members from the Olympic Movement (5), governments (5), five independent members and the head of the WADA Athletes Commission. The 42-member Foundation Board has 20 members from governments, 20 from the Olympic Movement and the WADA President and Vice President.

● U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee ● Sad news that long-time USOC security chief Larry Buendorf passed away last Sunday (9th) in Colorado Springs, at age 87.

Buendorf was the then-USOC (now USOPC) security chief from 1993-2018 and was universally respected for his professionalism and deep sense of responsibility to keep American athletes safe at Olympic Games, Pan American Games, world championships and other events. Former Los Angeles Times Olympic writer Alan Abrahamson shared a moving tribute to Buendorf here.

Buendorf, who started his career as a Naval aviator, was best known as the Secret Service agent who grabbed an assassin’s gun to foil an attempt against U.S. President Gerald Ford on 5 September 1975 in San Francisco. He served with the Secret Service from 1970-93, then joining the USOC.

● Football ● Argentine star Diego Maradona, 60, died from cardiac arrest at his home outside Buenos Aires on 25 November 2020.

Now seven medical professionals are being tried before a three-judge panel which possible prison sentences of 8-25 years if convicted of “homicide with possible intent.”

In a marathon trial which is expected to last into July, more than 100 witnesses may testify against The defendants in the case are a neurosurgeon, a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a medical coordinator, a nursing coordinator, a doctor and the night nurse.

The focus will likely be on neurosurgeon Leonardo Luque, Maradona’s personal physician in his final four years. He removed a blood clot on the brain earlier in November, weeks prior to his death.

● Freestyle Skiing ● A big day for American Moguls star Jaelin Kauf at the FIS Freestyle World Cup finale in Livigno (ITA), a test event for the 2026 Winter Games.

Kauf, the 2022 Beijing Olympic silver medalist in Moguls, won her third World Cup gold of the season at 81.21 points, ahead of 2018 Olympic champ Perrine Laffont (FRA: 77.07) and fellow American Tess Johnson (74.94).

The win clinched the FIS World Cup seasonal title in Moguls, to add her to already-clinched wins in the Dual Moguls and Overall Moguls categories: the triple crown! Kauf won medals in seven of the nine Moguls events and all six Dual Moguls, going into Wednesday’s final race.

Japan’s 2017 World Champion, Ikuma Horishima won the men’s Moguls for the third time this season, ahead of seasonal champion Mikael Kingsbury (CAN: 82.90) and American Charlie Mickel (80.14). It’s the 13th career discipline title for Kingsbury.

● Gymnastics ● Russian artistic star Viktoria Listunova, 19, was denied re-entry into international competition by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique.

A Tokyo Olympic Team gold medalist in 2021 and the 2021 European All-Around champ, Listunova applied, but was refused, according to coach Olga Petrovicheva:

“We found postcards posted on the Internet where she congratulates the country on Victory Day, and on these postcards there is a St. George ribbon. Because of this, they are not giving neutral status. The Federation is going to fight.”

The ribbon of St. George, which dates from the 1700s, is associated with Russian nationalism and militarism, including the invasion of Ukraine.

● Ski Jumping ● In the aftermath of the disqualifications of would-be silver medalist Marius Lindvik and star Johann Forfang from the FIS Nordic World Championships Large Hill competition on Saturday for illegal jump suits, the Norges Skiforbundet suspended coach Magnus Brevik and equipment manager Adrian Livelten:

“What appears to have been clarified so far is that Brevik and Livelten made a choice on Friday evening to sew an extra – and stiffer – thread into the jump suits for Forfang and Lindvik. They first tried this on a suit that was not to be used, to test the technique of doing so, before doing it on the competition suits for Forfang and Lindvik.”

On Tuesday, the federation additionally suspended assistant coach Thomas Lobben, also apparently involved in the decision to modify the suits.

The International Ski & Snowboard Federation is also involved, with the Norwegian federation adding, “FIS requested that all ski jumping suits used by Norwegian ski jumping and combined athletes during the World Championships in Trondheim be submitted to FIS.”

● Swimming ● A look at the gifts given to NCAA Division II swimmers from the University of Tampa in a cute un-boxing video, including an NCAA shoulder bag, a participation medal, two different styles of water bottles, a smaller tote bag, baseball cap, luggage tag, a phone selfie light, a 3-in-1 folding charger and a portable speaker. Nice!

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WOMEN IN SPORT: 28 Congressional Republicans “demand” next IOC chief preserve and protect “female athletes on the Olympic stage”

By
Rich Perelman
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President Donald Trump at the signing of his "Keeping Men out of Women’s Sports” Executive Order on 5 February 2025 at The White House (Photo: C-SPAN video screenshot).

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≡ IOC PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ≡

There are lots of people closely watching next week’s election of the 10th President of the International Olympic Committee. Add 28 Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

Fox News Digital reported Tuesday on a letter sent by 28 Republican Representatives and Senators to the IOC (and all seven Presidential candidates), led by Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Congressman Burgess Owens (R-Utah), which included:

● “The United States looks forward to hosting the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and to welcoming the accomplished athletes who have worked and sacrificed to reach the pinnacle of their respective sports. As the International Olympic Committee (IOC) prepares to elect new leadership, we write to express the critical need for increased protection of the rights of female athletes to fair, safe competition.”

● “In the United States, we honor our female Olympians. These athletes, and so many others, have inspired generations of young women around the world to compete and excel. Their legacy underscores the vital importance of fairness in women’s sports at every level of competition. Future Olympians are counting on the IOC to protect the opportunities of women and girls to contribute to this proud tradition.”

● “To do so, the IOC must base eligibility for women’s athletic competitions on biological sex. Allowing biological males to compete in women’s categories undermines competitive opportunities, safety, and respect for female athletes.”

● “In preparation for the 2028 Summer Olympics, commitment from the IOC to protect women’s sports is paramount. As members of Congress, we stand united with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President [Donald] Trump in calling on the IOC to amend its standards and safeguard the opportunities of female athletes on the Olympic stage.”

● “The Olympic Games should be a model for integrity in sports, and the next IOC president must firmly defend the rights of dedicated female athletes. We look forward to your leadership on this critical issue and demand that the next IOC president preserve the fundamental principles of fair competition.”

Fox News Digital listed, in addition to Risch, Republican Senators Mike Crapo, Jim Banks, Marsha Blackburn, Steve Daines, Lindsey Graham, Josh Hawley, Jim Justice, James Lankford, Tim Sheehy and Tommy Tuberville as signatories to the letter.

In addition to Owens, Republican Reps. Lauren Boebert, Vern Buchanan, Tim Burchett, Kat Cammack, Dan Crenshaw, Brad Finstad, Craig Goldman, Mark Green, Ashley Hinson, Mike Kennedy, Nick LaLota, Blake Moore, Riley Moore, Austin Pfluger, John Rose and Claudia Tenney also signed.

Clear reference was made U.S. President Trump’s Executive Order of 5 February, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.” which included:

● “[I]t is the policy of the United States to rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities, which results in the endangerment, humiliation, and silencing of women and girls and deprives them of privacy. It shall also be the policy of the United States to oppose male competitive participation in women’s sports more broadly, as a matter of safety, fairness, dignity, and truth.”

● “The Secretary of State shall use all appropriate and available measures to see that the International Olympic Committee amends the standards governing Olympic sporting events to promote fairness, safety, and the best interests of female athletes by ensuring that eligibility for participation in women’s sporting events is determined according to sex and not gender identity or testosterone reduction.”

The IOC’s current policy, expressed in the November 2021 “Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sex Variations” provided guidelines, but no hard rules on the questions of transgenders or women with hyperandrogenism. Specifics were left up to each International Federation, and while the IFs in aquatics, athletics, cycling, rowing, tennis and others have taken strict measures, some have done nothing. Equestrian competitions are open with riders allowed to be either male or female.

The IOC’s Presidential election comes on Thursday, 20 March, at the 144th IOC Session in Greece, with the Risch-Owens letter likely to have no impact at all. However, the next IOC President – to take over on 24 June – will have to deal with the issue, and with the Trump Administration.

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GYMNASTICS: IOC Presidential candidate and FIG chief Watanabe tells Russian gymnasts – in Moscow – they can only compete as neutrals for now

By
Rich Perelman
-
Federation Internationale de Gymnastique President Morinari Watanabe (JPN) (Photo: FIG)

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≡ WATANABE IN MOSCOW ≡

Kyodo News reported that Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) President Morinari Watanabe (JPN) “informed Russian gymnasts and coaches Monday in a Moscow suburb that they will not be permitted to represent their nation at international competitions while the invasion of Ukraine continues.”

Watanabe was in Ukraine last week and participated in an online news conference from a gymnasium where Ukrainian rhythmic gymnasts were training. He made clear, however, the Russian athletes will be able – as is currently the case – to continue participating as neutrals:

“In Ukraine, there are athletes who have lost their relatives in the war. It’s very hard, but I should remain neutral as the FIG’s president. I have to protect the rights of Russian athletes, too.”

Watanabe is also running to be the President of the International Olympic Committee, with the vote to be taken on 20 March at the 144th IOC Session in Greece. He is not considered a prime contender, but his profile has been considerably raised during the campaign. As he has supported Russian participation as neutrals, he has been viewed as reasonably friendly to Russia.

The Russian news agency TASS reported on Watanabe’s news conference in Novogorsk, where he explained the situation for Russian gymnasts to compete under the national flag:

“As long as the current conflict continues, there is no such possibility. I want to make this clear.”

He added that the current sanctions imposed by FIG are due to Russia’s “violation of the Olympic Truce. … On the other hand, the rights of every person must be respected, and we as a federation must respect and protect them, so we support participation in a neutral status. …

“I want to continue my efforts to make each athlete’s dream come true.

“I would like to use all my strength to think once again about the role of sport in this world. Sport should unite and give friendship, and not be a tool for increasing hatred. These values need to be clarified once again, this is what the world needs now.”

Observed: Give Watanabe credit for forthrightness and honor for going to Kyiv to see Ukrainian gymnasts on the ground and then to tell Russian gymnasts and coaches – face to face – that they cannot return with their flag and anthem until the Russian aggression against Ukraine ends.

It will not change the outcome of the IOC elections next week – his proposal for a five-continent, 50-sport Olympic Games is too radical – but no one can fail to be impressed by this personal show of leadership on his part.

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LANE ONE: Does FIFA’s $13 billion revenue for 2023-26 make the IOC financially irrelevant?

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ ANALYSIS & OBSERVATIONS ≡

The world football governing body FIFA announced last week in its annual report for 2024 that it had revised its revenue budget for the 2023-26 quadrennial from the already-amazing $11 billion U.S. to $13 billion U.S., now including expected revenue from the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, to be played in the U.S. in June and July.

In contrast, outgoing International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach told a media roundtable last week that, as reported by the Chinese news agency Xinhua, that the IOC had confirmed revenues for the 2021-24 quadrennial – Tokyo to Paris – of $7.7 billion, a slight increase from the $7.6 billion it earned from 2017-20/21 (with the delay of the Tokyo Games), with the details to come in its annual report, out this summer.

So, this is all over, right? FIFA is now the unquestioned leader among the international sports organizations in revenue and the most powerful force in international sport, right?

Uh, not exactly.

First, let’s see where all that money is coming from (mostly the same places; IOC figures from 2017-20/21):

FIFA 2023-26: forecast $13.0 billion
● 32.8%: broadcast rights ($4.264 billion)
● 21.9%: sponsorships ($2.846 billion)
● 23.8%: tickets and hospitality ($3.097 billion)
● 15.4%: FIFA Club World Cup 2025 ($2.000 billion)
● 0.6%: licensing and other ($793 million)

IOC 2017-20/21: actual $7.6 billion
● 61%: broadcast rights (~$4.64 billion)
● 30%: sponsorships (~$2.28 billion)
● 9%: other (~$0.68 billion)
● 0%: tickets and hospitality

Check that last number, a zero for tickets and hospitality, because that’s where this story actually starts. Because FIFA and the IOC, for so long more or less in sync with their business models – like everyone in the Olympic sports universe – have diverged.

Following the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, FIFA dispensed with the traditional “local organizing committee” concept.

There isn’t one for the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. FIFA does it all from its offices in Coral Gables, Florida and receives all of the revenue from broadcasting, corporate partners, tickets and all the rest.

The IOC, on the other hand, has retained the Host City model, although it’s more spread out now thanks to Bach’s Olympic Agenda 2020. The Olympic Host Contract is signed with a city or region, which stands up an organizing committee of thousands of staff – Paris 2024 had 4,200 – and tens of thousands of volunteers, all selected and trained locally.

So, the Olympic model splits its revenue with its organizing partners, taking in money from broadcast rights and some sponsorships, but leaving almost all of the ticketing revenue and single-Games sponsorships (and any government support) to the local organizers.

So, when an Olympic quadrennial revenue total is calculated, it has more parts than FIFA. For the 2025-28 quadrennial which includes the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games and the 2028 Los Angeles Games, the total looks like this:

● $7.4 billion: IOC revenue commitments 2025-28 (now)
● $6.9 billion: Los Angeles 2028 revenue budget (now)
● $1.6 billion: Milan Cortina 2026 revenue budget (€1.5 billion)

That total is $15.9 billion, with the IOC’s revenue expected to climb further; for example, the commitments from new TOP sponsor TCL are not included in the $7.4 billion total shown. The eventual total will surpass $16 billion, about 23% more than FIFA’s stupendous $13 billion projected total.

Bach also noted that the IOC already has commitments for the 2029-32 quadrennial of $6.5 billion U.S., with the organizing committees for French Alps 2030 and Brisbane 2032 just starting up.

Olympic sharpies will quickly note that government expenditures for construction for the new hockey arena, sliding track and Milan Olympic Village are not included in these Olympic totals; quite true, and neither are the construction efforts required by FIFA to adapt stadia to its requirements for the 2026 World Cup, especially in the U.S., where fields need to be widened. These costs are borne by governments in some cases and private facility owners in others, who are banking on a financial bonanza from visitors to the event. However, this money is never seen by either FIFA or the IOC, or the Olympic organizing committees and thus is not shown above.

FIFA’s do-it-yourself approach will be interesting to watch in the coming years, as it takes the men’s World Cup to six countries for 2030 – with multiple stadiums to be built – and then to Saudi Arabia in 2034, with a half-dozen or more facilities to be constructed.

The IOC, under Bach, has moved in the complete opposite direction, insisting that no new venues be built unless part of a long-term plan for use by the community. No doubt, the IOC is watching FIFA’s experience closely, as the IOC itself has gradually taken over elements of the staging of the Olympic Games from local organizers, for example hospitality, results and sports registrations, with more coming.

But despite FIFA’s imposing $13 billion revenue projection for 2023-26, the Olympic Games is no laggard and continues to generate more revenue per four years.

But, as American sports watchers know, both FIFA and the IOC are paupers compared with the annual revenues of of the giant domestic club leagues, led by the National Football League at $19.2 billion annually as of 2023, Major League Baseball ($11.2 billion), the National Basketball Association ($10.6 billion) and so on.

Now that’s real money.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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PANORAMA: Salt Lake City-Utah 2034 CEO Wilson volunteers for now; U.S. sweeps World Archery Indoor Series; USA Swimming has 376,479 members

By
Rich Perelman
-
Olympic medalist Casey Kaufhold of the U.S. celebrates her 2025 World Archery Indoor World Series win in Las Vegas! (Photo: World Archery).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2034: Salt Lake City-Utah ● In an interview with the Deseret News, new SLC-Utah 2034 chief executive Brad Wilson said he may or may not head the organizing committee all the way to the finish line, but is glad to be able to help get it started.

The former Utah House Speaker, Wilson is an unpaid volunteer at present, as the fledgling organizing committee has only two paid staff members at present. He said he was asked by Governor Spencer Cox and Utah Senate leader Stuart Adams if he would be interested in serving and jumped at the chance.

He noted, however, that a search will likely be made for a chief executive for the organizing committee in 2028, with marketing rights and operations responsibilities coming online after the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games are concluded. But he might stay:

“We’ll know more in three years. I think that’s also a time when we’ll decide if the government structure is working the way we hoped it would.

“I recommended for both my benefit and the benefit of the board that as we transition from this phase to the next phase that we pause and let me evaluate whether or not it’s something I want to continue to do and whether or not they think I’m the right person.

“So I’m going to go about doing my job the best I can, and we’ll see. Let’s, three years from now, just take a deep breath and say, ‘Does this still make sense for everybody?’ But I look forward to being involved, and I think there’s a high probability that I’ll stay in this job.”

He added that the state government is more involved now than in 2002 – a different structure is in place – but that the goals have not changed:

“If I’m a state leader, what I want to make sure is that two things happen. One is that we make sure there’s no risk to taxpayers. But we also want to put on the best Games that have ever happened.”

● Archery ● The 2025 World Archery Indoor World Series concluded at the massive Vegas Shoot in Las Vegas, Nevada, with American stars claiming both the men’s and women’s series Recurve titles!

Defending Indoor World Series champ, five-time Olympic medalist – and Paris 2024 runner-up – Brady Ellison faced off with Tokyo 2020 Olympic champ Mete Gazoz (TUR) in the men’s final and was a dominant, 7-1 winner.

France’s Thomas Chirault took the bronze over Florian Unruh (GER), 6-4.

Teammate Casey Kaufhold, 21, who won the Paris Olympic Mixed Team silver with Ellison last summer, was second in the 2024 Indoor World Series, but came out on top this time, but barely. She faced Paris 2024 women’s bronze medalist Lisa Barbelin (FRA) in the final and were tied with two ends each and a tied end after five. That led to shoot-off and they both shot 10, but Kaufhold’s arrow was considered closer to the center, for a 6-5 win.

Denisa Barankova (SVK) took the bronze medal over Chiara Rebagliati (ITA), 6-4.

● Athletics ● Hospitality packages are now available for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September, with three levels:

● Box Hospitality, with an indoor suite behind a group of seats, which appears to be available only to groups. Pricing is on request.

● Lounge Hospitality, with finish line-area seating, with a lounge area next to the stadium for pre-competition bar service and special guests. These are available singly, at ¥75,000 (~$511 U.S.) or ¥125,000 (~$851 U.S.), depending on the day.

● Ticket+, which adds a limited-edition gift to the general admission ticket, selling for ¥10,000 per ticket (~$68 U.S.).

The Tokyo Worlds are scheduled for 13-21 September, at the National Stadium.

● Ski Jumping ● Norway’s Marius Lindvik won the FIS World Championship in the Normal Hill event at the 2025 Trondheim Worlds that closed Sunday and was second at the end of the Large Hill event on Saturday.

But he and teammate Johann Forfang, a two-time 2018 Olympic Team medal winner, were both disqualified from the Large Hill event from a post-event inspection, due to their ski suits containing prohibited, reinforced threads.

Jan-Erik Aalbu, the ski jumping director of the Norwegian ski federation, told reporters:

“The support system has explained that, on Friday, they chose to put a reinforced thread in the jumpsuit of Forfang and Lindvik. This was done knowing that this is not within the regulations, but with a belief that it would not be discovered by FIS’ equipment controller.

“The way I consider this, we have cheated. We have tried to cheat the system. That is unacceptable.”

The FIS explained the disqualifications came “following an inspection of their jumping suits, which were not in compliance with the equipment rules. The FIS Independent Ethics and Compliance Office is now investigating a suspicion of illegal manipulation of the equipment by the Norwegian team.”

Both athletes wrote on Instagram that they did not know the suits were illegal, with Forfang – fourth after the first round – stating, “a clear line was crossed.

“At the same time, I am relieved to ensure you that Saturday was the first time I jumped with this suit. As athletes we are responsible for ensuring that our suits fit properly. However, I have not had routines in place to check the finer details of the work being done – such as seams. This is a heartbreaking situation not just for me, but everyone who loves our sport.”

● Snowboard ● The Snow League, a snowboard halfpipe series founded by three-time Olympic champ Shaun White (USA), debuted in Aspen, Colorado over the weekend, with Japanese riders taking both the men’s and women’s titles.

The men’s final was an all-Japan affair, with 2021 World Champion Yuko Totsuka facing fellow Olympian and 2025 FIS World Cup champ Ruka Hirano. Totsuka took the victory with two straight wins in the best 2-of-3 format. Beijing 2022 Olympic champ Ayumu Hirano was third for a Japanese medal sweep.

The women’s final had Sena Tomita (JPN), the Olympic bronze winner against American Maddie Mastro, the two-time Worlds medalist and each won a round, setting up a final duel, won by Tomita for the overall win. Korean Ga-on Choi, 16, won the bronze.

The Snow League is purely professional, with each entrant receiving a $5,000 appearance fee and then prize money of $50,000-20,000-10,000-5,000 for the top four finishers and $2,500 for places 5-8. The next event is in December.

● Swimming ● USA Swimming’s 2024 Membership Demographics Report was posted, showing the federation with 376,479 individual members and 2,798 club members across the country.

More than half – 53.4% – are girls and women and 46.6% boys or men, with the average age of member swimmers at 12 1/2 years old.

USA Swimming posted membership totals going back to 1986 – 186,761 back then – and is slowly working back toward its pre-pandemic totals. For 2024, there was a net increase of 0.13% (493) over 2023, but up from the 2020 total of 363,093.

It was noted that post-Olympic years tend to see membership increases, as demonstrated consistently in 2001-2005-2009-2013-2017-2022. The all-time high was in 2017, with 419,427 members in all.

Member distribution is quite evenly balanced across the country, with the Western Zone tops at 25.6% of swimmers, followed by the Southern Zone (24.9%), and the Eastern and Central Zones at 24.7%.

● Table Tennis ● The International Table Tennis Federation announced three qualified candidates will run for the federation presidency on 27 May at the ITTF Annual General Meeting:

● Mohamed El Hacen Ahmed Salem (MTN);

● Khalil El-Mohannadi (QAT), head of the Asian Table Tennis Union and the ITTF First Vice President;

● Petra Sorling (SWE), incumbent ITTF President, elected in 2021.

There are 20 candidates for the ITTF Executive Board, to be elected at the same meeting, including Virginia Sung from the U.S., the chief executive of USA Table Tennis.

● Tennis ● The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) suspended Dominican referee Juan Gabriel Castro for six years and fined him $6,000 for 12 breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program:

“Castro, a national-level official, did not respond to the ITIA’s notice of charge, which related to three matches, in which the official was alleged to have manipulated scoring entry to contrive the scorecard and facilitate corruption.”

He has been provisionally suspended since 7 November 2024, until 6 November 2030.

● Weightlifting ● Trouble for Uzbekistan, as super-heavyweight (+109 kg) star Rustam Djangabaev, the now-disqualified 2018 Worlds bronze medalist, was hit with an eight-year sanction, from 11 March 2024 until 10 March 2032.

He failed an out-of-competition test for Ostarine on 22 February 2024, and had previously served a four-year ban from 2019-23 for Human Growth Hormone, thus the eight-year ban.

Now, the Uzbek federation is in trouble, per the International Testing Agency:

“Given that more than three athletes from the Uzbekistan Weightlifting Federation have committed ADRVs within a 12-month period, this has triggered Article 12.3 of the IWF Anti-Doping Rules. As a result, the matter will be referred to IWF’s Independent Member Federation Sanctioning Panel (IMFSP) to impose appropriate consequences.”

Similarly in hot water is Pakistan, for which the ITA noted sanctions against a coach from 2023 and which also have three adverse findings within 12 months, and could be sanctioned as a federation.

German weightlifter Vicky Schlittig was also sanctioned with four years of ineligibility for the use of the steroid turinabol. She tested positive in November 2021, but was cleared in August 2023 for “no fault or negligence” by the Anti-Doping Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport. But an appeal to the full Court of Arbitration for Sport in May 2024 returned a violation and four-year sanction.

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INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: Coe challenges social platform leaders Musk and Zuckerberg to clean up abuse of women

By
Rich Perelman
-
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe (GBR) (Photo: Dan Vernon for World Athletics).

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

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≡ IOC PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ≡

“There’s a huge element of social media that’s actually an act of cowardice.”

That’s World Athletics President Sebastian Coe (GBR), speaking on the sidelines of last weekend’s European Athletics Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn (NED), ripping the leadership of the large social-media platforms Facebook and Instagram (Mark Zuckerberg) and X (Elon Musk) for unacceptable abuse of women.

He told reporters his message to both leaders was simple:

“Sort this out. This is just unacceptable. We’ve got to do a whole heap more.

“I’ve seen the distress this has caused. It’s pond life and I’ve spoken to many of the female athletes about it. Some of the stuff, you just want to cry listening to it.

“I remember an athlete saying to me, ‘I just don’t care anymore.’ And I said, ‘You should care, you should be really angry about this stuff.’

“What you don’t want is people just thinking you get to the highest level in female sport and it’s sort of what happens. We should not accept it as being sort of standard practice.

‘It’s not new, but there’s just more of it. There’s a huge element of social media that’s actually an act of cowardice. It’s saying stuff that you can probably say because it’s anonymous and you wouldn’t say it to somebody’s face.”

He pointed to the 19 February stalking incident against British tennis player Emma Raducanu at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, where she noticed a man sitting in a lower row who had previously accosted her. He was removed from the event, but Raducanu was upset and eventually lost her match to Czech Karolina Muchova. Coe commented:

“It’s vital that women feel that sport is a safe space. You cannot have young athletes thinking the second you get public exposure that this comes at you like a waterfall of horror.”

Coe said he would like to meet with Musk and Zuckerberg directly, explaining:

“We have to talk. You’ve got the technology there. AI can be really helpful in driving some of this stuff out.”

World Athletics has been involved in identifying and fighting online abuse for several years and published a study across four years in December, with data from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021, the 2022 and 2023 World Championships and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. In those cases, X (ex-Twitter) was the predominant avenue for abuse; for Tokyo, 63% of all abusive comments were directed at women and 59% at the 2022 World Championships.

Coe’s comments in The Netherlands follows his visit to Kenya last week, where he praised progress on anti-doping efforts, a huge problem in Kenyan sport, but also met with Kenyan leaders about the need for raised awareness and prevention of gender-based violence against women. The horrific deaths of three-time World Cross Country gold medalist Agnes Tirop (KEN) and 2021 World Mountain Running champion Rebecca Cheptegei (UGA) have highlighted the need for action.

The Kenyan government has begun an effort to combat the issue, noting female stars are instant targets due to their financial success in running, a lack of accountability on behalf of coaches and a need for better reporting systems. Said Coe, noting the importance of athletics in the country:

“There are many ways we at World Athletics can provide support, raise awareness and lend our skills, which we will be doing in the coming weeks and months as the Kenyan Government, together with Athletics Kenya, develop the report recommendations into concrete plans.”

Observed: These are not new areas of comment for Coe, who has been a strident protector of women’s sport for years, with World Athletics in the lead in actions to maintain women’s competitions against athletes with advantages, either transgenders, or those with “differences in sex development,” such as two-time South African women’s 800 m Olympic champion Caster Semenya.

But they are especially newsworthy now, in the final 10 days before the International Olympic Committee vote on a new President, on 20 March in Greece. Protection of women’s sport is already seen as a winning issue, with 48 female IOC members among the total of 109. But none of the contenders have been as outspoken on the issue over time as Coe has.

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PANORAMA: U.S. cross-country skiers help defuse Worlds climate protest; Trump to head U.S. FIFA World Cup task force; Klaebo 6-for-6 at Nordic Worlds!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Record-setting cross country skiing superstar Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR): six races, six golds at the 2025 FIS Nordic World Championships (Image: FIS Cross Country on X).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev is not expecting a full-fledged “Russian team” to compete in the 2026 Winter Games. He told the Russian news agency TASS:

“We have a complicated situation regarding Milan and we have only one year left. Doors to qualifying tournaments open, leaving some of them ajar.”

“Complications are significant at the moment regarding biathlon and luge. Everything is possible regarding bobsleigh and skiing as we will have everyone who managed to break through.

“It is highly unlikely that we will be able to compete as a national team. However, we are still hoping.”

He also told TASS his opinion of the men’s Olympic ice hockey tournament:

“I am convinced that hockey without Russia is stupid. I will say more: our foreign colleagues think so too, they share it behind the scenes. They understand perfectly well where the money and spectators are. The Olympics without Russia are nothing. It won’t fly.”

● Athletics ● World Athletics President Sebastian Coe (GBR) told reporters in Nairobi (KEN) that the country’s track & field anti-doping program, despite more than 100 individuals on suspension by the Athletics Integrity Agency, is getting better:

“We are moving in the right direction,” citing “better systems in place… and we’re moving absolutely in the right direction.

“But we are coming from a little way back. We will keep faith with the system and the people I trust to challenge the scourge.”

Coe added that more suspensions will be coming, thanks to an improved detection effort, funded by the Kenyan government, which has committed to a $25 million, five-year program to eradicate doping.

● Cross Country Skiing ● An athlete-led negotiation led to the cancellation of a planned anti-oil protest at the FIS Nordic World Championships in Trondheim (NOR) on Saturday.

The Folk Mot Fossilmakta activist group had threatened to disrupt Saturday’s men’s 50 m race, but energetic work by four athletes including Americans Julia Kern and Gus Schumacher led to an agreement that included, according to FasterSkier.com:

“‘The pact calls for them to work with climate advocates on two proposals in advance of an International Ski Federation meeting in June – one to create new guidelines prioritizing event sponsors with a “genuine commitment to climate leadership,’ and another calling on the ski federation to endorse the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative.”

● Football ● On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order, establishing a White House Task Force to support “[t]his important event, taking place during the momentous occasion of the 250th anniversary of our country, presents an opportunity to showcase the Nation’s pride and hospitality while promoting economic growth and tourism through sport. My Administration will support preparations through a coordinated Government effort.”

The Department of Homeland Security will provide funding and administrative support, with Trump as the head of the Task Force and Vice President J.D. Vance as Vice Chair, with the specific mission:

“The Task Force shall coordinate with executive departments and agencies (agencies) to assist in the planning, organization, and execution of the events surrounding the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Agencies shall provide information and assistance useful and necessary to the Task Force.”

An Executive Director will be appointed to support the project, with 12 Cabinet members or assistants to the President as initial members.

● Snowboard ● Former Canadian snowboard Olympian Ryan Wedding, sought in connection with multinational drug trafficking and murder, has been placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list:

“The United States Department of State’s Narcotics Rewards Program is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Ryan James Wedding.”

Considered armed and dangerous, Wedding, 43, competed for Canada at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City in the Parallel Giant Slalom event, finishing 24th. The FBI poster noted:

“Ryan James Wedding is wanted for allegedly running and participating in a transnational drug trafficking operation that routinely shipped hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia, through Mexico and Southern California, to Canada, and other locations in the United States. Additionally, it is alleged that Wedding was involved in orchestrating multiple murders in furtherance of these drug crimes.

“On September 17, 2024, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Ryan James Wedding in the United States District Court, Central District of California, Los Angeles, California, after he was charged with Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances; Conspiracy to Export Cocaine; Continuing Criminal Enterprise; Murder in Connection with a Continuing Criminal Enterprise and Drug Crime; and Attempt to Commit Murder in Connection with a Continuing Criminal Enterprise and Drug Crime.”

● Swimming ● The postscript to the withdrawal of Chrissi Rawak as the next chief executive of USA Swimming is that she will also not be continuing in her prior position as the University of Delaware athletic director.

In a Friday statement, the university stated it had “accepted Chrissi Rawak’s resignation as Director of Athletics and Campus Recreation. Her last day in this role is March 28. Jordan Skolnick will lead the department on an interim basis. Next steps and their timeline are still being determined.”

≡ RESULTS ≡

● Alpine Skiing ● More skiing history at the FIS women’s World Cup in Are (SWE) on Sunday, as American star Mikaela Shiffrin finished third in the Slalom, claiming the all-time record for most World Cup medals.

She had been in a tie with Swedish legend Ingemar Stenmark, who piled up 155 total medals from 1973-89, equaled by Shiffrin on 23 February, when she won the Slalom at Sestriere (ITA) for her 100th career World Cup win (also a record).

Now, Shiffrin stands alone with 156 World Cup podiums: 100 wins, 27 silvers and 29 bronzes.

Austria’s Katharina Truppe, 29, made some history of her own on Sunday with her first World Cup win, moving from sixth after the first run and finishing at 1:42.08, just enough to beat teammate Katharina Liensberger (1:42.13) and Shiffrin (1:42.27). Shiffrin was the leader after the first run and was only 25th on the second run and faded to third. Fellow American Paula Moltzan was sixth (1:42.78).

Italy’s Federica Brignone, the seasonal World Cup leader, won her ninth race of the season in Saturday’s Giant Slalom, posting the fastest times on both runs and finishing in 1:52.67. That was more than a second ahead of New Zealand star Alice Robinson (1:54.03) and Albania’s emerging star Lara Colturi (1:54.10). Moltzan, the Worlds bronze medalist, finished sixth in 1:54.78, with Nina O’Brien in 11th (1:55.28). Shiffrin skied out on the first run, but came back to get her record on Sunday.

Italian star Dominik Paris led off the men’s World Cup in Kvitfjell (NOR) with his fifth win at that site, conquering Friday’s Downhill in 1:44.67, just ahead of seasonal leader Marco Odermatt (SUI: 1:44.99) and teammate Stefan Rogentin (1:45.30). Americans Bryce Bennett finished seventh (1:45.783) and Ryan Cochran-Siegle was 10th (1:45.89).

Saturday’s second Downhill saw World Champion Franjo van Allmen (SUI) get his third World Cup gold on the season, in 1:45.46, leading a Swiss sweep! Odermatt was second again (1:45.74) and Rogentin was third again (1:45.84). Cochran-Siegle was the top American, in 19th (1:47.13).

The Super-G on Sunday was another triumph for Paris, his 24th career World Cup win, in 1:08.98, ahead of James Crawford (CAN: 1:09.36) and Miha Hrobat (SLO: 1:09.45). Cochran-Siegle was 11th (1:09.62) and teammate Jared Goldberg (1:09.65) was 12th.

● Athletics ● A hot European Indoor Championships finished Sunday in Apeldoorn (NED), with world-leading marks in eight events:

● Men/60 m: 6.49, Jeremiah Azu (GBR)
● Men/High Jump: 2.34 m (7-8), Oleh Doroshchuk (UKR)
● Men/Triple Jump: 17.71 m (58-1 1/4), Andy Diaz (ITA)
● Men/Heptathlon: 6,558, Sander Skotheim (NOR)

● Women/60 m: 7.01, Zaynab Dosso (ITA)
● Women/4×400 m: 3:24.34, Netherlands
● Women/Shot Put: 20.69 m (67-10 3/4), Jessica Schilder (NED)
● Women/Pentathlon: 4,922, Saga Vanninen (FIN)

Azu, the 2022 European 100 m bronze winner, got his first European individual title in the 60 m and moved to equal-9th on the all-time European list. Diaz, the former Cuban star, moved to no. 5 all-time indoors with his 17.71 m triple jump winner in the fourth round.

Dosso, 25, was the 100 m European bronze winner in 2024, but has never broken 11 seconds. In Apeldoorn, she won her heat in 7.06, and semi in a seasonal best of 7.02. Then, 7.01 in the final to take the world lead.

Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen won the men’s 1,500 m for the third time in a row, in 3:36.56 over Azeddine Habz (FRA: 3:36.92), and then got his third straight 3,000 m title by 7:48.37 to 7:49.41 over George Mills (GBR).

Ukraine’s Olympic champ Yaroslava Mahuchikh won the women’s high jump at 1.99 m (6-6 1/4), her third straight title in the event.

Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui, the 2024 New York City Marathon winner, took the Nagoya Women’s Marathon in Japan on Sunday, in 2:20:40. She broke away after 35 km and was a clear winner, with runner-up Sayaka Sato (JPN) finishing in 2:20:59. Natosha Rogers was the top American finisher, placing seventh in a lifetime best of 2:23:51 in just her second marathon. She’s no. 17 all-time U.S.

● Badminton ● Korea dominated the BWF World Tour Orleans Masters in Orleans (FRA), with top-seeded (and Olympic champ) Se Young An winning the women’s Singles, 21-14, 21-15 over Yu Fei Chen (CHN), Min-hyuk Kang and Dong-ju Ki (KOR) taking the men’s Doubles against Wei Keng Liang and Chang Wang (CHN), 21-13, 18-21, 21-18, and in the all-Korean women’s Doubles final, Hye-jeong Kim and Hee-yong Kong (KOR) defeated Ha-na Baek and So-hee Lee (KOR), 21-18, 23-21.

Fourth-seed Alex Lanier (FRA) won the men’s Singles over Chun-Yi Lin (TPE), 21-13, 21-18 and Denmark’s Jesper Toft and Amalie Magelund won the Mixed Doubles, 21-17, 21-13, over Rehan Kusharjanto and Gloria Widjaja (INA).

● Biathlon ● French women continued to dominate the IBU World Cup, as it resumed in Nove Mesto (CZE), winning four of six medals in the two women’s races.

Four-time Worlds relay gold medalist Astrid Tandrevold (NOR) got her first win of the season in the women’s 7.5 km Sprint in 19:13.5 (0 penalties), trailed by 2025 Sprint World Champion Justine Braisaz-Bouchet (FRA: 19:28.6/1) and Julia Simon (FRA: 19:34.4/0). Deedra Irwin was the top American, in 23rd.

On Saturday, it was 2025 Individual event World Champion Simon at the top of the podium in the 10 km Pursuit in 30:56.0 (1), well clear of Hanna Oeberg (SWE: 31:13.22) and French teammate Oceane Michelon (31:15.2/2).

The men’s 10 km Sprint winner was five-time Worlds gold medalist France’s Emilien Jacquelin in 23:13.3 (0), almost 20 seconds up on four-time Worlds medalist Tommaso Giacomel (ITA: 23:33.1/1), followed by seasonal leader Johannes Thingnes Boe (NOR: 23:34.2/2). Campbell Wright of the U.S. was ninth (23:52.0/0).

The men’s 12.5 km Pursuit was a huge win for Sweden’s 2018 Olympic runner-up Sebastian Samuelsson, by more than 26 seconds in 32:22.1 (0), with Giacomel second again (32:48.5/2) and Boe third again (33:00.8/3). Wright was ninth again (34:04.0/4).

Sunday’s relays saw France sweep both, winning the men’s 4×7.5 km in 1:16:24.3 (4) ahead of Norway (1:17:50.9/8) and taking the women’s 4×6 km in 1:11:11.1 (5), again over Norway (1:11:36.2/11).

● Bobsled & Skeleton ● The first of two weekends of the IBSF World Championships in Lake Placid, New York, was a good one for the home team, especially for Kaysha Love.

The former UNLV sprinter was a four-time women’s Monobob medalist during the World Cup season, and led at halfway by a scant 0.02. But a third-best third run left her with a bigger lead – 0.17 seconds – over Germany’s two-time defending champion Laura Nolte, who had the best third.

But Love was equal to the challenge and posted the fastest final run to finish with the Worlds gold in 3:57.82, with Nolte second in 3:58.26 (+0.44). Fellow American Elana Meyers Taylor, the Beijing 2022 Olympic runner-up, moved up to third and the bronze medal in 3:58.31. The third American, Olympic champ Kaillie Armbruster Humphries, finished eighth (3:59.50).

Love had previously won a Worlds bronze with Humphries in the 2023 Two-Woman races, but now has a gold of her own, and will be a favorite for an 2026 Olympic medal in Cortina … or perhaps back in Lake Placid, if the new sliding track under construction is not completed in time!

The racing began with the men’s and women’s Skeleton racing, with Britain’s Matt Weston winning his second Worlds golds in the last three years.

Weston won the first three heats and cruised to a winning combined time of 3:35.48 at the head of a British 1-2, with Marcus Wyatt second at 3:37.38, and German Axel Jungk, the 2022 Beijing Olympic runner-up, third at 3:37.41. American Austin Florian was sixth in 3:37.65, and Daniel Barefoot was 11th (3:38.82).

Beijing Olympic bronze winner Kimberley Bos (NED) got her first Worlds gold, moving up from silver in 2024 by winning the last two heats for a total time of 3:40.06. That was 0.67 better than American Mystique Ro (3:40.73), who was second, 10th, third and third to win the silver medal, over Czech Anna Fernstaedt (3:40.81). Kelly Curtis of the U.S. was 10th (3:41.60).

Ro and Florian teamed up to win the Mixed Team title in 1:54.53, beating Britain (Weston and Tabitha Stoecker) by 0.10; China was third in 1:54.81.

In the Two-Man Bob, it was the ninth Worlds gold in the last 10 editions for German star Francesco Friedrich, with Alexander Schueller for the third time, going 1-1-2-2 in the four runs for a total time of 3:39.32. That was just 0.03 better than 2023 Worlds winners Johannes Lochner and George Fleischhauer (3:39.35), who ranked 2-2-1-1 in the four runs. Adam Ammour and Benedikt Hertel completed the German sweep in 3:40.14.

American Frank Del Duca, with Charles Volker, finished fourth in 3:40.38, and Kris Horn, with Joshua Williamson or Hunter Powell, finished ninth (3:42.72).

● Cycling ● One of the famous races annually on the UCI World Tour circuit is the Strade Bianche, this year a 213 km course in and around Siena (ITA). And Slovenian superstar Tadej Pogacar defended his 2024 title and won for the third time in the last four, in 5:13:58, taking off with 19 km to go.

Britain’s Tom Pidcock, the 2023 winner, was solo in second (+1:24) and Belgian Tim Wellens (+2:12) was also alone in third.

The women’s race was also a runaway, for Dutch star Demi Vollering, who broke free with 500 m left and won the 136 km race in 3:49:04, 18 seconds up on famed teammate Anna van der Breggen, with Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (FRA) a distant third (+1:42). Vollering won for the second time, also in 2023, with van der Breggen a winner of this race in 2018.

● Fencing ● The FIE Foil World Cup series resumed in Cairo (EGY), with Italian Guillaume Bianchi scoring the men’s gold over Alexander Choupenitch (CZE), by 15-12 in the final. It’s the second career World Cup win for Bianchi.

Italy won the men’s team title over the U.S. quartet of Miles Chamley-Watson, Nick Itkin, Gerek Meinhardt and Marcello Oliveras, 45-35.

Paris Olympic bronzer Eleanor Harvey of Canada got her first career World Cup win in the women’s final, defeating Italy’s 2014 Worlds silver winner, Martina Batini, 15-12. Harvey had to defeat five Italian opponents in a row to win!

Italy won the women’s title, again over the U.S. (Mikayla Chusid, Lee Kieffer, Jaelyn Liu and Katerina Lung), 45-36.

At the men’s Sabre World Cup in Padua (ITA), France’s Jean-Philippe Patrice won his first career World Cup with a 15-10 win in the final against Italian Michele Gallo, by 15-10. Patrice got a second win in the team final, helping France to a 45-39 win over the U.S. squad of Silas Choi, Daryl Homer, Walter Ji Cody and Mitchell Saron.

Japan’s two-time World Champion Misaki Emura won the women’s Sabre World Cup in Heraklion (GRE), getting past Yoana Ilieva (BUL), 15-11. China defeated France in the team final, 45-42.

● Gymnastics ● The second FIG Artistic Apparatus World Cup was in Baku (AZE), with four wins for Japan, and one for the U.S.

Kazuki Matsumi (Parallel Bars: 14.200) and Matrumi Kazuji (Horizontal Bar: 14.100) got Japan’s wins on the men’s side, and Haruka Nakamura (Beam: 13.433) and Rina Kishi (Floor: 13.066) won for the women.

The U.S. went 1-2 on the Pommel Horse, with Brandon Dang making his World Cup debut with a victory at 14.633, followed by Patrick Hoopes (14.533). The home crowd was thrilled with a win for Nikita Simonov on Rings (14.233) and American Alex Diab was third (13.766).

Neutral athletes from Belarus won two events: Yahor Sharamkou took the men’s Floor (14.600) and Alena Tsitavits won the women’s Uneven Bars (13.400).

But the most popular winner was probably 49-year-old Oksana Chusovitina (UZB), who won the women’s vault at 13.516, with one of her favorites, the 1.5-twisting Tsukahara!

● Judo ● The IJF World Tour Linz Grand Prix, in Linz (AUT) featured a happy double win for the Esposito family, as Italian brothers Giovanni Esposito (27) won the men’s 73 kg class and 30-year-old Antonio Esposito took the men’s 81 kg class!

Georgia scored two wins on Sunday, with Giorgi Jabniaashvili taking the men’s 90 kg class and Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Guram Tushishvili winning a major battle with two-time Olympic champion Lukas Krpalek (CZE) at +100 kg.

Japan scored victories with Yamado Fukuda (JPN) in the men’s 60 kg division, and Iroha Oi (JPN) won the women’s 52 kg class.

The U.S. got a bronze in the women’s 48 kg class, thanks to Maria Celia Laborde.

● Nordic Skiing ● He did it! Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo completed a clean sweep of the FIS Nordic World Championships in cross country, winning Saturday’s men’s 50 km Mass Start Freestyle for his fourth individual win, plus two relays: six golds in six races!

Klaebo took control on the final lap and win by daylight in 1:57:47.1, ahead of Swede William Ponomaa (1:57:49.2) and Norwegian teammate Simen Krueger (1:57:55.6). Klaebo, still just 28, has now won 15 World Championships golds in his career and 18 Worlds medals in all. He said afterwards:

“I don’t have any words. This is way more than I expected and dreamed of, so it’s unbelievable.

“I feel like I’ve been working so hard to just be here and be in by best shape and managing that and being able to win six out of six… it’s just crazy.

“I feel like the crowd really helped me out there. I was struggling on lap three there. But I managed to stay on the back of the pack and was helped by the thousands of people out there. I feel like I’ve said this every day, but this has been the best day so far. Winning the 50K – I was so close two years ago, disqualified four years ago – it’s been a crazy journey.”

Klaebo claimed a record for the most golds ever in a single Worlds, eclipsing the five by Russian Yelena Valbe (RUS) in 1997.

On Sunday, the women’s 50 km Freestyle Mass Start completed a six-event sweep for Sweden (!), with Frida Karlsson getting her second gold (also in the relay) in 2:24:55.3, barely ahead of Norway’s Heidi Weng (2:24:57.4) and Therese Johaug (2:24:58.2). It’s Karlsson’s 13th career Worlds medal, but first individual gold; Johaug won four medals in Trondheim (0-3-1) and now has 23 career Worlds medals (14-5-4).

The U.S. entries were closely bunched, with Julia Kern 19th (2:42:05.5), Sophia Laukli in 21st (2:41:59.9), Jessie Diggins in 22nd (2:42:14.3) and Alayna Sonnesyn in 23rd (2:42:38.9).

In the women’s 4×7.5 km relay held on Friday, Sweden took the title at 1:15:41.5, barely ahead of Norway (1:15:42.2), with Germany well back in third (1:16:54.9). The U.S., with Rosie Brennan, Kern, Laukli and Diggins, was sixth in 1:19:02.6.

The Nordic Combined program concluded on Saturday with a second individual gold for the retiring Jarl Magnus Riiber (NOR), who won the Large Hill and 10 km race in front of a thrilled home crowd in 24:57.5, way ahead of teammate Jorgen Graabak (26:08.2) and German Vinzenz Geiger (26:08.6). Ben Loomis was the top American, in 23rd (29:14.5).

For Riiber, his four medals in Trondheim (3-0-1) conclude his Worlds career with 15 medals: 11 golds, three silvers and a bronze, as one of the greatest – if not the greatest in the event.

The men’s Team Large Hill event on Friday was a clear win for Germany, in 50:37.7, anchored by Geiger and starting with 33-year-old Johannes Rydzek, who won his seventh career World Championships gold. Austria was second at 50:44.5 and Norway – with Riiber on anchor – won bronze at 52:17.5. The U.S. was eighth, with Erik Lynch, Stephen Schumann, Niklas Malacinski and Loomis (54:33.3).

Slovenia dominated the final two days of the Ski Jumping competitions, starting with a win for teen star Nika Prevc, who followed up her Normal Hill win with a gold in the Large Hill final (138 m), scoring 150.9 to out-pace Selina Freitag (GER: 136.7) and Norway’s Eirin Kvandal (132.4).

Paige Jones was the top American, in 23rd (80.2).

On Saturday, the men’s Large Hill final made it a family affair as Prevc’s older brother, Domen Prevc, won his second gold of the Championships – also in the Team event – scoring 301.8, ahead of Austria’s Jan Hoerl (286.6, his third medal) and Japanese star Ryoyu Kobayashi (284.7). Tate Frantz of the U.S. was 14th (248.4).

Out of seven events in jumping, the Prevcs won six medals between them!

All together, Norway put together a sensational performance in front of a huge home crowd, winning 33 medals (14-11-8) to 12 for Sweden (7-1-4) and 11 for Germany (1-4-6). The U.S. won four medals in all: three silvers and a bronze.

● Ski Mountaineering ● Swiss star Remi Bonnet won his second event at the ISMF World Championships in Morgins (SUI), taking the Individual Race in 1:33:07.4, more two minutes ahead of Davide Magnini (ITA: 1:35:30.6) and more than five minutes up on bronze winner Xavier Gachet (FRA: 1:38:57.6). David Sinclair was the top American, in 18th (1:46:35.3).

Bonnet won the Vertical Race earlier, repeating his double from 2023. He now has six career Worlds golds.

The women’s Individual Race was the first Worlds medal and first Worlds gold for Sweden’s Tove Alexandersson, who won in 1:34:01.8, far in front of French stars Axelle Gachet Mollaret – the defending champion – (1:36:03.5) and Emily Harrop (1:40:43.1). Jessie Young was the top U.S. finisher, in 16th (1:52:31.5).

The Team Race was a French sweep, with Gachet and William Bon Mardion taking the men’s race in 2:12:42.1, ahead of Bonnet and Aurelien Gay (SUI: 2:13:33.4), with the U.S. in 10th (Sinclair and Cameron Smith: 2:25:31.5).

Gachet Mollaret and Celia Pressley-Pessey won the women’s Team Race in 2:20:46.8, well ahead of Lisa Moreschini and Alba de Silvestro (2:22:04.6). Sarah Burke and Kelly Wolf of the U.S. were ninth (2:50:21.1).

● Snowboard ● At the FIS Snowcross World Cup in Gudauri (GEO), Austria’s Jakob Dusek got his second win of the season on Saturday, beating Adam Lambert (AUS) and 2022 Olympic runner-up Eliot Grondin (CAN) to the line.

Sunday’s second event saw France’s Julien Tomas get his first medal and first win of the season, ahead of Lukas Pachner and Loan Bozzolo (FRA).

France’s Julia Pereira de Sousa Mabileau, the 2018 Olympic silver winner, got her first win of the season in the first women’s final, ahead of teammate Lea Casta, who won her third World Cup silver in a row! Italy’s Michaela Moioli, the 2018 Olympic Champion, finished third, for her second medal of the season.

On Sunday, Britain’s 2021 World Champion, Charlotte Bankes, got her fifth win of the season – out of seven events so far – over Mabileau and Casta, and retained her seasonal points lead.

● Swimming ● The Tyr Pro Swim Series opener for 2025 was in Westmont, Illinois, with Paris Olympian Shaine Casas of the U.S. and World Aquatics women’s swimmer of the year Summer McIntosh (CAN) the big stars.

Casas, who finished fifth in Paris in the men’s 200 m Medley, was brilliant, winning six events:

● 100 m Free: 48.31 (world leader)
● 200 m Free: 1:47.17
● 50 m Back: 24.23 (world leader)
● 100 m Back: 53.43
● 200 m Back: 1:58.51
● 100 m Fly: 50.82 (world leader)

He said after his fourth win:

“I’m pretty tired. It feels great, I’ve been training really hard and this is a new set for me, so I’m just sticking to the process and trusting what my coach has planned for me. [My training] has changed a lot [since Paris] …I’m just working towards L.A.”

McIntosh, the triple gold medalist in Paris and still 18, was brilliant, winning the 200 m Fly in 2:04.00, the no. 8 performance of all-time, as well as the two Medleys. She won the 200 Medley in 2:07.42 and the 400 Medley in 4:26.98, the no. 4 performance ever! All three were world-leading performances in 2025.

Australia’s Sam Short, the 2023 World 400 m Free champ, won the men’s 400 m (3:44.83) and 800 m (7:45.02) Freestyles, and Aruba’s Mikel Schreuders took the 50 m Free (22.13) and the 50 m Breast, in a tie with South Africa’s Michael Houlie (27.08).

American sprint star Michael Andrew won the 100 m Breast in 1:00.85 and the 50 m Fly in 23.57, and Carson Foster, the 400 m Medley Olympic bronze winner in Paris, won the Medleys, at 1:57.04 for the 200 and 4:09.51 for the 400.

Beyond McIntosh, U.S. stars Kate Douglass and Regan Smith were busy. Douglass, the Olympic 200 m Breast gold medalist, won the 50 m Free (24.62) over Rio 2016 100 m Free co-champ Simone Manuel (24.79), then took the 100 m Breast (1:06.51), 200 m Breast (2:22.60 world leader) and 50 m Fly (25.71).

Smith won the 100 m Back (58.64 world leader), the 200 m Back (2:08.33 world leader), the 100 m Fly (56.85 world leader) and was second to McIntosh in the 200 m Fly. Manuel was busy as well, winning the 100 m Free (53.23 world leader), the 200 m Free (1:58.54) and finishing second to Douglass in the 50 Free and second to Smith in the 100 m Fly.

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ATHLETICS: Lyles, Benjamin slam Grand Slam Track, but hope it succeeds; Benjamin says Olympic champs should get $5 million

By
Rich Perelman
-
Olympic gold medalists Vernon Norwood (l), Noah Lyles (c) and Rai Benjamin on the Beyond The Records podcast (video screenshot).

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≡ WHAT THREE STARS THINK ≡

It’s not hard to find out what track & field stars Noah Lyles and Rai Benjamin, who – at 27 – between them already own seven Olympic medals and 12 World Championships medals, are thinking. They tell you monthly on their Beyond The Records podcast.

Most recently, they sat with two-time Olympic relay gold medalist Vernon Norwood for a 1 February show that was released on 6 March. That’s actually too bad, since some of their comments were superseded by what happened in between. But they had a lot to say, much of it about the state of track & field and about the upcoming Grand Slam Track circuit.

Lyles and Benjamin both have serious reservations about Grand Slam Track, but both hope it succeeds. Said Lyles after nearly a half-hour of criticism:

“As my last, final comment on this. I would love to be proven wrong. 100%. All the way. … I would love nothing [more] than for this to be successful, because, if it does, the amount of benefits it would provide, this could be a way for athletes to not have to only rely on World Championships, because you could be potentially be making more money consistently throughout the year, this would be able to provide a home for sponsors in the U.S. to come to, it would be a consistent place for people to watch track & field. You can bank off of World Championships, you can bank off of the Olympics, hype, Sprint, all that stuff.”

Benjamin injected, “That would disrupt the whole sport … So World Championships would be, like, legit pointless.” And Lyles seized on that: “It would disrupt the sport. … We wouldn’t be amateur any more.” Said Norwood: “I think that’s the initial goal.”

During an ensuing discussion of what makes a “professional” track & field athlete, and it was agreed that Grand Slam Track is clearly open only to professionals, Lyles added:

“I don’t think we should be involved with USATF. I think USATF should handle everything amateur, and a new league should be created to handle everything professionally.”

Benjamin asked, then what about the Olympic Games, as USA Track & Field operates the only pathway to the Games, the Olympic Trials? Lyles shot back:

“Don’t get involved with the Olympics. The Olympic is amateur.”

Benjamin picked up on that but went in a different direction: “I swear, bro, they make so much money every fricking Olympics, I feel like every single Olympic champion should be going home with at least 5 Ms [$5 million], minimum.”

To that point, much earlier in the conversation, Norwood introduced the subject of Grand Slam Track, and while important, emphasized the central role of the World Athletics Championships, and the only way to get there, the U.S. national championships:

“We got to keep the main thing, the main thing, and that’s [U.S.] trials. And so everything is going to be a building step towards that.”

Because the show was recorded on 1 February, Norwood – not selected as a contracted “Racer” for all four Slams – had not yet been signed as a “Challenger” for the first meet in Jamaica in April, and the television agreements with The CW and Peacock in the U.S., and EuroSport and Warner Bros. Discovery in Europe and Asia, had not yet been announced.

Lyles and Benjamin are not, at this point, participating in Grand Slam Track, but could be “Challengers” in one or more of the remaining Slams.

Norwood gave his view on the Grand Slam Track project:

“I want to see everyone having a good time. I want to see more fans engaging with the sport. I want to see that type of development where people are actually having a good time with that type of event, where more athletes want to get involved in it. And more fans want to be more engaged into the sport. That’s the biggest thing I want to see from it.

“It’s a big chunk of change you can make from competing [$10,000 to $100,000 per event group per meet], but we still have to enjoy ourselves in doing it, so if we can get more fans involved and athletes involved doing it and bigger stars like you guys more involved in it too, that will help it as well. But all that’s business side, so they have to get their business straight before we get more heavy hitters into that.

“Because they’re a lot of heavy hitters they missed. They missed you two, they missed Grant [Holloway], they missed Sha’Carri [Richardson], they missed a lot of big names that they didn’t get, but I’m probably pretty sure it came down to management, business side, about contract agreements. …

“So, hopefully, however it goes it goes in the right direction. I always want things to go in the right direction for our sport, always, so we’ll see how it play out though. But at the same time, it’s one of those things we’ve got to see.”

Norwood praised the Athlos NYC held last September: “They did a good job with that. So hopefully, he can continue building off that and maybe doing something like men and women.”

Benjamin, one of the most thoughtful and insight athletes on the circuit, explained why he is not involved:

● “I feel like me and Noah are on the same page with this, is the scheduling. I didn’t really like the scheduling and the back-to-back competitions [two races per athlete per meet] that early in the year. I think for us, it was like, hey, I asked, like, is it possible they can change the schedule, and there was just really, like, no budge. …

“If they consider changing the structure, then it makes sense, because if you want me to come out and run 44-low [400 m] and then come back the next day and run 46, 47 [400 m hurdles], like, ‘bro, what am I going to do for the rest of the week?’

“You never know what might happen. I might run 44 today and be sore tomorrow, and I got to go hurdle? And now I’m at risk to get hurt in April. I don’t get paid [today] to run Grand Slam, like you know what I mean? I get paid to win medals at major championships.”

● “Let’s just take the money out of it. Everybody’s main goal is to win a medal. No one’s going to remember, ‘oh, he won Grand Slam in 2025. But you know what everyone remember? You winning a gold medal, or medaling at World Championships in 2025. People remember that stuff.

“And I’ll even go so far as to say no one will probably remember that. People will remember you winning a gold medal at the Olympic Games. But for me personally, it was the scheduling, one, I don’t anything about a TV deal, that’s two [since announced], because you want to push stories and get, like, the audience involved. Like where’s the audience, where’re they going to watch this stuff at. Three, I was also, I wouldn’t say skeptical, because that’s a bit negative, but how is this going to make money? And one of the big, kind of red flags to me was having that [second] meet in Miramar [Florida].

“Because it’s a very small place. And unless you’re selling those tickets for $1,500 a head, which no one in track & field will buy, you’re not making any money from that.”

● “You think about all that type of stuff and like, we have a product that works, the Diamond League works. People complain about it all they want, but it actually works, it’s a structure that works.

“I understand it [Grand Slam Track] drives competition and it made prize money went up – shout-out to all involved parties – but if we invested that money in the Diamond League and you guys came together, I mean I get it, it’s a business, people have egos, whatever, if you put it aside and you think, this is for the advancement of the sport, we invest that money into the Diamond League and make it more glamorous, then we have something like, that already has a structure, we have the structure, we have the infrastructure, we have more appearance fees, we have people who will actually come to the track meets, because here in America, it’s very, track & field is not as big. Yet you want to tap that American market, but we have a [European] market that works right now.”

Lyles was dubious about any combination of Grand Slam Track and the Diamond League, but saw other issues:

● “The reason I don’t believe that that can work is, the Diamond League meets are actually individual entities. The Grand Slam is under one umbrella, it’s all owned by Grand Slam. It’s a business model … which is why I do like having a league that is all under one umbrella.

● “The biggest issues is, yes, the scheduling is very odd, in my opinion, especially from a marketing standpoint. If I go on [The Tonight Show starring] Jimmy Fallon, and I say, I’m the 100-200 Grand Slam champion, the crowd is going to be like, ‘oh, nice, nice.’ And then Grant comes on the next day, and it’s like, ‘I’m the 100-110 hurdles Grand Slam champion,’ wait, ‘Noah just said he was the 100 meter Grand Slam champion, and you’re also the 100 meter Grand Slam champion? How does that work?’

“It’s like, from a marketing standpoint, how are you going to market things that two people own? There has to be a winner. And, obviously, the times are going to be completely different, so, again, we’re doing track & field extra steps. We don’t need to reinvent track & field in my opinion, we just need to market it better.”

● “And then that goes to the second thing, like Rai said, it needs a home. Track & field needs a home. It needs to be watched. Everybody’s coming off the Olympics, everybody’s coming off [Netflix’s] ‘Sprint.’

“The amount of people who stop me in the street, ‘Oh, Sprint was amazing, where can I watch your next meet?’ ‘Oh, I’m racing next week.’ ‘Where?’

“It [no TV deal at the time] definitely hurts my involvement. … It hurts everybody’s involvement. If a tree falls in the woods and nobody’s around to see it, did that tree fall?”

Benjamin was also worried about joining a project which does not have an obvious path beyond its first year:

“I look at it as a business. At the end of the day, if there’s no ROI [return on investment], then you have a failed business model. And it’s like, how long could you be sustainable?

“They’re not going to make any money this year, they’re not going to make any money next year.”

Lyles followed up on that, asking about what he sees as missing indicia of future success he wants to see:

“Money is not the thing that’s going to drive me every time. Truthfully, even now, looking at it, OK, we’re two months out, and I’m looking, who are your outside sponsors, who are your non-track & field sponsors. I haven’t even heard a blocks sponsor. I want to hear, is there a watch deal? I want to hear, you know, if there a betting company which is getting involved. Where are these other things that being in the U.S. provides you with?

“Because I believe that America is the best marketing factory. So I want to see those companies getting involved, and I haven’t heard anything, like I said, I haven’t seen a commercial, I haven’t seen promos and the promos I have seen are just athletes pointing at the camera, which is nice when they’re going to come onto the track, but I’ve seen enough of those. I’ve seen the last five, where’s the one that gives me the storylines, what’s going to be the driving factor to get people to show up for three days straight?”

Added Benjamin, “Who is going to skip three days of work to go to a track meet?”

And Lyles, always looking to the future, suggested:

“You know what I actually think they should do? I think they should allow one more year. I think they should build one stadium in the U.S., in one central city.

“I’m tell you, you think it’s expensive, until you realize – and you’re talking about all these sponsors he has coming in to sponsor this event – you get in touch with Mondo, you get in touch with a city organization and you create this stadium that’s going to be used year-round and it’s going to host four Grand Slams each year. One place.”

Benjamin was unconvinced: “That’s too expensive, bro.” And Norwood shot back, “But we got a stadium, though. Eugene, Oregon,” which drew a laugh from Lyles, who has been critical of centering the sport in a minor U.S. market.

Benjamin, though, added a sad perspective about any new venue:

“Just for track & field, bro? We’re really a non-revenue sport, bro. Which is unfortunate.”

That’s what Grand Slam Track is trying to change. Although not part of the program so far, it’s clear both Lyles and Benjamin will be watching, and probably calling Norwood to find out how his experience was in Jamaica. The first Slam is 4-6 April, in Kingston.

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INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: IOC chief Bach points to strong finances, says “The first four weeks I guess I will sleep” at term end

By
Rich Perelman
-
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (GER) during his 5 December 2024 news conference (Photo: IOC video screenshot).

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≡ THE LAST ROUND STARTS ≡

There will be a new International Olympic Committee President elected on 20 March in Greece, who will take over on 24 June 2025, replacing two-term President Thomas Bach (GER).

The transition has begun, in a small way, with Bach speaking with The Associated Press and in an online media forum. Some highlights from his AP chat:

● “We have a new world order in the making, and this making … will not happen without rumbling,” Bach said, adding:

“I am also convinced that President Trump and his administration will fully support the Olympic Games.

“President Trump was already involved in his first term in the candidature of L.A. and was promoting L.A., and I don’t think that he has changed his mind there, because I also got to know him as a fan of a sport. He likes sport, so there I don’t see a risk.”

He also noted the U.S. is wild about sports, and “appreciate and love that the Games are about sport but they are about more than sport. They will want to welcome the athletes from all over the world.”

● On the discussions about transgenders in women’s sport, Bach jumped on the confusion created over Paris boxers Yu-ting Lin (TPE) and Imane Khelif (ALG), who won two of the women’s classes:

“This controversy about the boxing at the Paris Games is based on fake news, because it has been converted into a transgender discussion and it’s clearly no transgender issue.

“These two women boxers have been born as women, they have been raised as women, they have competed as women and nobody ever claimed even that they are transgender.

“What happened there was a Russian-led misinformation campaign which then distorted the truth, the facts, and now we have this unfortunate situation that these two athletes are considered to be transgender. But. They. Are. Not.”

● On the future of broadcasting and if the Olympic Games could simply become a streaming event:

“You can say of streaming, ‘They are paying such a lot of money, let’s go for streaming.’ But what does it mean for our values?

“The Olympic Games has to be accessible to everybody and not only the ones that can afford it.”

And Bach, 71, nearing the end of 12 years in which he has dealt with Russian doping, Covid-19, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and many other crises, is looking forward to some time off:

“I’m experiencing the first period during my presidency where I do not have an existential problem of the Olympic Games or the Olympic Movement on my desk. I’m fit and very happy, in great health.”

And starting on 24 June:

“The first four weeks I guess I will sleep. Then I will do a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela [in Spain] all alone and hope I get some inspiration then for my future.”

In his media roundtable, Bach underscored the financial stability of the IOC, with $7.7 billion in revenue for 2021-24, and commitments of $7.4 billion already for 2025-28 and $6.5 billion for 2029-32. But he also noted that the nature of Olympic sponsorship is changing:

“We’re moving from a clean venue policy to a clean field of play policy.”

China is also playing an expanded role, with electronics giant TCL joining as a TOP sponsor. Bach observed:

“China is becoming an ever more important partner in the TOP partnerships. This reflects the development of the world economy. We see China arising, becoming ever more important in the world economy with a special focus on technology and green technology.

“This is well reflected in our new TOP partnership with TCL, our long-term partnership with Alibaba, and the partnership with Mengniu.”

He also express satisfaction with the provisional recognition of World Boxing, reinstating the sport onto the Olympic program for 2028:

“We are satisfied with World Boxing’s development. National Olympic Committees must refer to IOC-recognized federations to nominate athletes. Otherwise, it would be a pity for boxers.”

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INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: Presidential candidate Coe insists sport must be first and wants to use the untapped abilities of IOC members

By
Rich Perelman
-
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe (Photo: Stephen Pond, Getty Images for World Athletics).

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≡ IOC PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ≡

“We have to remember one critical factor: we are a sporting organization. Sport, as I know, can shine a spotlight in extraordinary ways. On human rights, on procurement patterns, on modern slavery, on climate change, and sport should have something to say about that. But that is not how we should be defining ourselves.

“We should be defining ourselves as a sporting organization that has the ability to transform the lives of young people through sport. So we need to remember the unique value that the Olympic Movement brings to sport. We’re a sporting organization.

“Secondly, the Holy Grail in any sporting organization – believe me, I understand that as an athlete, I understood it as a working journalist, I understood it as the President of World Athletics, as a National Olympic Committee president, as the bid chair in London and the organizing committee – the biggest challenge we all have is making sure young people choose sport as a way of fashioning their future.

“I know it is the most potent social worker in all our communities, the deftest of diplomats when it is properly exercised by government and the best policy that government will ever have, in economic development, in social development, in health, and in education. That’s the second point.

“The third point is, we need a membership that is empowered to help shape that journey. And I have concluded, from my many discussions, that there are talented members sitting around me, some of them far smarter than me, whose skill and experience is not being utilized properly.

“And the one thing I know that I’m very good at, and I don’t think I could have delivered in that way I’ve delivered across a range of activities, is the ability to build teams.”

In these comments, taking up just more than a minute during an hour forum organized by the International Sports Journalists Association (AIPS), World Athletics President Sebastian Coe (GBR) crystalized his pitch to be the President of the International Olympic Committee, to be decided on 20 March at the IOC Session in Greece.

Coe, ever enthusiastic and speaking from the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn (NED), explained that the IOC Presidency “is a role that I felt I’d been pretty much in training for most of my life,” detailing his experiences as a two-time Olympic 1,500 m champion, head of an Olympic organizing committee, head of a National Olympic Committee, head of World Athletics, founder of a sports marketing company, a government minister and so on. He really has been on all sides of the Olympic Movement, a breadth of experience which is unmatched by any of the other candidates.

He emphasized the importance of using the talents of the IOC members to meet the challenges, and having them more deeply involved:

“We need to meet more often. We need to have more space. We need to work more closely, more collaboratively with our National Olympic Committees and our International Federations. And I know how important those stakeholders are, because I’ve been the president in both those spaces.

“So we need to bring people together, but we need to give more space for debate. And one of the things I am really open about is that I I do get across the line in a couple of weeks time, look, the first thing I will do is I will set a date in our calendars, while we’re all there and take the membership away, three of four days, where – to mix my metaphors – we will simply put our foot on the ball and figure out what it is we want to achieve in the next 10 years, how we’re going to do it and how do we define ourselves.

“And this has to be a member-led organization. And in a good organization, you have good curation. You have co-curation from members and you have co-curation from really talented, world-class executives, and I know I have that at World Athletics.”

In his many discussions with other IOC members, but also with many others in the Olympic Movement, he also recognizes the position of IOC leadership within its ecosystem:

● “As a potential president of the International Olympic Committee, I want to work very much closer with the International Federations, I want to work more closely with the National Olympic Committees, I want to work more closely with broadcasters, and with media, but I also want to work very closely with the athletes. The athletes are an essential part of this journey. And each one of those stakeholders have their own interdependencies and those interdependencies depend on clarity of thinking from the largest and most influential sporting organization in the world, which is the International Olympic Committee.

“We should be taking thought leadership positions and creating guidelines and principles for International Federations and certainly NOCs. And that’s what they’ve told me that they want.”

● “We have commercial challenges, the commercial model is out of date, I know that. It’s not changing, it changed. I’ve been in the sports marketing business for the last 30 years; at the moment, we [IOC] have transactional sponsorships. They have to become collaborative partnerships.

“We have to bring the commercial partners to the table and you need to create brands that want to be there and are able to activate in marketplaces in many of your countries in markets that will really create new opportunities, yes, again, for the athletes.”

● “The days of command-and-control from the center have to be over. They’ve been out of date for 30 years. We have to open the windows, there has to be oxygen and we have to have collaborative discussions. I would certainly encourage a discussion in that space.”

Coe was asked, as has been the format in this seventh AIPS forum for the IOC candidates, about the hot-button issues in Olympic sport today:

● On dealing with doping:

Coe, with understandable pride, pointed to his creation of the highly-regarded Athletics Integrity Unit within athletics, “where we have an independent unit; I think most people now consider it to be gold-standard,” which covers all forms of cheating, not just doping.

“You have to have fair, free, open competition and you can’t have athletes lining up in lane four worrying that there are better sets of doctors or chemists in lanes three or five,” and he said an important outcome of the Athletics Integrity Unit is that “it’s given confidence back to competitors,” especially having been removed from the control structure of the federation.

● On dealing with worldwide tensions that affect sport:

“Nobody is going to sit here suggesting the world isn’t complicated. But I think as a historian, if I may say so, I’m not sure there’s any generation that hasn’t been able to point – at that moment – to the complexity of the world they live in.

“Sport has been through the complexities of the Cold War. It has been through conflagrations, it has been through challenges, social and cultural. I’m not sure that this is any different. And the principles absolutely remain the same. You can only deal with what you have in front of you.

“And I’m not very good at responding to the observations of ‘what about’? Yes, there are lots of ‘what abouts,’ because the world isn’t perfect, but you have to deal, clearly and concisely with what you have in front of you.”

● On transgender athletes:

“The guiding principle for me is really simple, and it sits with the word integrity. The integrity of competition and the promotion and integrity of women’s sport, and if you lose sight of that, if you don’t have policies that are clear and unambiguous, you are going to get into difficult and dangerous territory.”

He emphasized: “We want young girls entering our sport that feel there are no barriers to what they can do.”

He was also asked about the World Athletics decision to give $50,000 in prize money to the winners at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the first time this was done by the International Federation. Coe explained that it was a decision taken with the agreement of the entire federation, and that he recognizes that the question – from an IOC perspective – is different:

“Nobody should conclude that if I become president of the International Olympic Committee in 13 days time, that [prize money] is simply implemented because we did it in World Athletics.

“That is a much broader conversation. I also recognize this is not a one-size-fits-all. We did it for a very particular reason in athletics and that was many of our competitors have transferable skills. In fact, envious skills for many federations out there. They make good baseball players, they make good basketball players, they make good fast bowlers at cricket, in some parts of the world, netball as well.

“So our athletes are in high demand, we wanted to make sure we created … where possible, the financial well-being for them, sometimes to maintain their presence in the sport, sometimes for another Olympic cycle, sometimes to give them a cushion when they retire, so they may have the ability to go back into higher education. …

“It was really give the athletes that third pillar of welfare that I talk about, alongside mental, which is critical, physical, of course, but actually financial welfare is part of the same picture for me.”

He added later, to be sure he was understood: “Nobody should run away with the idea that [prize money] is something that I would automatically assume every International Federation, every National Olympic Committee, is applicable. There is no one-size-fits-all when you’re talking about such complex issues.”

Coe underscored the importance, however, of supporting athletes in many ways, to help them financially. Not necessarily with prize money, but with other opportunities to monetize their achievements:

“In ‘26, next year, for our World Ultimate Athletics Championships, we’re going to be flying the top athletes, all the athletes, [with] their social-media teams, to Budapest, so they can curate and create their own content and promote their own sponsorships. We have to really free up the equity of the brand for the athletes, and that’s why I said in my [IOC candidate] presentation in Lausanne, it is so important we don’t just listen to the athletes, we share with them.”

Coe related his experience as a champion athlete to what he wants to bring to the IOC Presidency if elected:

“Every morning as a competitor, I woke up trying to figure out how I can be better tomorrow than I am today. How I can be better in a month’s time than I am today, and yes, I craved criticism. I had coaches around me that were prepared to give unvarnished, unchallenged views and we all moved in the same direction.

“So, of course, I always want the organization that I’m working to always want to be better. … I would take that same ambition into the Olympic headquarters in Lausanne and work with people to be as good as we possibly can and to build teams that allow those teams to deliver the best work of their lives on behalf of the athletes.

“I want everybody waking up every morning in that organization understanding they are there for one reason, and that is the delivery of opportunities for the athletes, and I will go to my grave knowing that is the only way you can sit there as an administrator and figure out what the future is.”

Observed: Coe is considered one of the favorites for the IOC Presidency, along with Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) and Spain’s Juan Antonio Samaranch. He is incomparably experienced, well known and highly respected.

The prize money that World Athletics paid to the Paris winners was announced without forewarning or consultation with other International Federations, and Coe has apologized for insufficient communications, but not for the decision to pay the athletes. That has created concerns among some that Coe will go his own way if elected as the IOC President. Hence, his emphasis on team-building and member input.

Coe is a formidable contender and in a world of Trump, Putin, Xi and many other high-profile world leaders, his celebrity, experience and charisma brings instant credibility if elected. But in an election that will be decided with about 50 votes for a majority in whatever round the decision comes, it’s about the trust of the IOC members.

It’s going to be close.

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FOOTBALL: FIFA announces financial explosion to projected $13 billion in revenue for 2023-26 quadrennial; a 64-team FIFA World Cup?

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ HIGH TIMES FOR FIFA ≡

FIFA released its annual report covering 2024 on Wednesday, with a startling budget projection:

“FIFA expects to reach record revenues of USD 13,000 million for this current cycle, which also reflects the expansion of its flagship tournaments in this period – the FIFA World Cup 26™ and the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 – together with the first edition of the new FIFA Club World Cup.

“The revised cycle revenue foresees a significant increase of 72% compared to the revenue achieved in the previous cycle. Compared to the initial budget (2023-2026) approved by the FIFA Congress in March 2023, the cycle revenue budget is anticipated to increase substantially – by USD 2,000 million – demonstrating the commercial strength and global reach of FIFA’s tournaments.

“By the end of 2024, 62% of the revenue budget for the 2023-2026 cycle had been contractually secured, placing FIFA in a strong position to deliver its revised four-year revenue budget.

“The substantial cycle-on-cycle revenue growth continues to maintain FIFA’s commitment to re-invest its revenues in football. The investment budget for the 2023-2026 cycle has increased to a similar extent as the revenue budget, totalling USD 12,900 million. FIFA will reinvest USD 11,673 million or more than 90% of its budgeted investments back in the game to significantly boost global football development.”

The rise in revenue is amazing, powered by the placement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2025 Club World Cup in the United States, with some 2026 World Cup games also to be played in Canada and Mexico. The target of $11 billion was increased by $2 billion from the Club World Cup, not previously included.

The yearly projections:

● $1.170 billion revenue ~ $1.748 billion expenses
● $483 million revenue ~ $1.298 billion expenses
● $2.436 billion revenue ~ $3.460 billion expenses
● $8.911 billion revenue ~ $6.394 billion expenses

FIFA’s balance sheet is already healthy, as of the end of 2024:

● $6.146 billion in assets (up from $5.490 billion in 2023)
● $2.948 billion in reserves (down from $3.565 billion in 2023)

As is usually the pattern, FIFA’s reserves come down from a high during a FIFA World Cup year, from $3.971 billion in 2022, $3.565 billion at the end of 2023 and now $2.948 billion through 2024.

In terms of where FIFA spends its money, in 2024:

● 54.1%: $702.5 million on development and education
● 22.0%: $285.8 million on competitions and events
● 15.8%: $205.6 million on administration and governance
● 4.3%: $55.6 million on marketing and broadcasting
● 3.7%: $48.4 million on governance

Revenue came from three primary sources, in 2024:

● 83.7%: $303.9 million from marketing rights
● 9.9%: $47.7 million from licensing rights
● 8.1%: $39.1 million from television rights
● 17.1%: $82.4 million from other items (smaller tournaments)
● 2.0%: $9.5 million from other income (rentals, contract changes)

The FIFA Council also approved a prize purse of $1 billion for the FIFA Club World Cup this summer.

The Associated Press reported that during Wednesday’s FIFA Council meeting, a request was made to explore the expansion of the 2030 FIFA World Cup from 48 teams in 2026 to 64 teams, per a FIFA statement:

“A proposal to analyze a 64-team FIFA World Cup to celebrate the centenary of the FIFA World Cup in 2030 was spontaneously raised by a FIFA Council member in the ‘miscellaneous’ agenda item near the end of the FIFA Council meeting.

“The idea was acknowledged as FIFA has a duty to analyze any proposal from one of its Council members.”

The request came from Ignacio Alonso, President of the Uruguayan Football Association. Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay will each have a single match at the start of the 2030 World Cup to celebrate the centennial of the World Cup, first played in Uruguay in 1930. The main body of the tournament will take place in Morocco, Portugal and Spain.

A move to 64 teams would likely create a 128-game tournament, expanded from the current 104 matches with 48 teams in 2026. These 24 added matches could then be given to the three South American “hosts” to give them some significant benefit beyond staging one match in South America’s “turn” to host the World Cup.

U.S. Soccer also posted its financial statements for fiscal year 2024, which ended on 31 March and showed that the richest American National Governing Body got a lot richer:

● $192.4 million in assets vs. $152.4 million in 2023
● $78.0 million in reserves vs. $68.9 million in 2023

● $200.7 million in revenue vs. $148.4 million in 2023
● $190.9 million in expenses vs. $187.9 million in 2023

The major revenue contributors were sponsorships and TV rights ($98.2 million), National Team game revenues ($38.1 million) and $10.8 million from international game match fees.

The big expense items were the National Teams ($98.4 million) and management expenses ($77.6 million). Those management expenses covered a total of 1,564 employees in fiscal year 2024, according to the federation’s tax form 990.

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PANORAMA: One year out from Milan Cortina Paralympics; FIFA opens Women’s World Cup bidding for 2031, 2035; Klaebo wins again!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Huge crowds at the FIS Nordic Skiing World Championships in Trondheim (NOR), here at the cross country arena (Photo: Trondheim 2025 on Instagram).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Winter Paralympic Games 2026 ● “In terms of venues, we are in dreamland for Milano Cortina 2026, for certain they will be the most beautiful Paralympic Games yet.

“The Games will begin in the iconic Arena di Verona, Para ice hockey will be held in the world’s fashion capital Milan, the stunning Val di Fiemme will host Para biathlon and Para cross-country skiing, while Para alpine skiing, Para snowboard, wheelchair curling and the Closing Ceremony will take place at the heart of the Dolomites in Cortina, one of the of the most magical places on earth. I cannot wait to be there and for the action to begin.”

That’s International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons (BRA), marking one year to go to the opening of the 2026 Winter Paralympics. And:

“The Paralympic Games are the most transformational sport event on earth; wherever the event is held, it triggers immense change impacting infrastructure, policies and most importantly, lives.

“What is happening across Italy is monumental with so much investment into infrastructure that will benefit absolutely everyone for generations to come. I cannot thank the cities, regions and provinces involved enough for their commitment to using the Games as an opportunity to advance accessibility and inclusion.

“From new accessible trains to barrier-free stations, accessible tourism for all to initiatives to drive sport development, it is truly fantastic that the Games have acted as a catalyst for all these important projects. Once the sport begins next year and the public witnesses the performances of the Paralympic athletes, I am confident the Games will again change attitudes towards disability, further driving social inclusion.”

Tickets are on wide public sale with 89% at €35 or less; up to 665 Para athletes from 50 countries are expected to compete, with 79 medal events in six sports.

NBC announced Thursday that 80 hours of programming will be carried on its channels from the 2026 Winter Paralympics, with eight hours on NBC.

Daily coverage will also be provided on CNBC and USA Network; a large streaming package on Peacock and other NBC Sports Digital platforms – including NBCSports.com – will offer more than 250 hours of coverage. The Winter Paralympics are scheduled from 6-15 March 2026.

● International Fair Play Committee ● Be sure to mark your calendar for 19 May this year, to be the first-ever “World Fair Play Day” as recognized by a United Nations General Assembly Resolution passed last year.

The International Fair Play Committee worked for years for the U.N. to adopt this Resolution, which asks people “to cooperate, observe and raise awareness of World Fair Play Day to promote the practice of sport with a spirit of friendship, solidarity, tolerance and inclusion and without discrimination.”

● Athletics ● Good news for Grand Slam Track, which announced a broadcast rights agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery, with Eurosport (Europe and Asia) and TNT Sports (UK and Ireland) offering live broadcast and/or cable coverage, plus live streaming on Max and discovery+ in more than 40 territories for the 2025 schedule and beyond.

The New York Road Runners announced it received the most-ever applications – more than 200,000 – for the annual New York City Marathon, to be held on 2 November. Unfortunately, “About two to three percent of the more than 200,000 applications will be accepted.”

The applications total was up 22% over 2024.

To the delight of the home crowd, Dutch star Femke Bol anchored her winning Mixed 4×400 m relay to victory on the first day of the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn (NED). She split 50.33 to finish out a 3:15.63 run, ahead of Belgium (3:16.19) and Great Britain (3:16.49). The meet continues through Sunday.

The Athletics Integrity Unit announced a two-year sanction on 59:44 half-marathoner Geoffrey Yegon (KEN), “for 2 years from 11 February 2025 for Presence/Use of a Prohibited Substance (Triamcinolone acetonide). DQ results from 1 December 2024.”

Also, Youssef Taoussi (ESP) – a 3:36.81 1,500 m man, was banned for four years, following a hearing, from 2 July 2024, for using Roxadustat, which stimulates the body’s natural production of erythropoietin (EPO). His results from 24 May 2024 were nullified.

● Fencing ● USA Fencing mourned the passing this week of Carla-Mae Richards, at age 88. She was the first USA Fencing Executive Director, taking charge in 1983 and serving to 1994, creating the key North American Cup series that is the backbone of the national competition schedule today.

She said years later, “In order to have the best team internationally – we weren’t winning medals – we needed some kind of system. We needed to give athletes stronger competitions, not just the local ones. So we said, ‘let’s have a national circuit.’”

● Football ● FIFA announced two new women’s tournaments, with a Women’s Champions Cup – featuring club teams – to debut in 2026, with champions of six continental confederations to meet in a six-match tournament, with the semifinals and finals scheduled for 28 January to 1 February. Succeeding editions will be played in 2027 and 2029.

A new Women’s Club World Cup will be inaugurated in 2028, with six teams competing in a play-in stage and then 16 teams to compete for the trophy in group play and then quarterfinals. The targeted time frame is January and February of 2028, with a second edition in 2032.

FIFA also opened the bidding process for the Women’s World Cup for 2031 and 2035, with the U.S. expected to make a strong effort to secure the 2031 tournament. The decisions will be made in 2026 and the number of teams could be increased to 48, to be in line with the men’s World Cup (and make a lot more money in television rights).

The 2031 tournament is open to national federations in Africa and CONCACAF (North and Central America and the Caribbean) and 2035 is to be available to Africa and Europe (UEFA). Brazil will host in 2027.

Spanish prosecutors asked for a new trial of former Royal Spanish Football Federation President Luis Rubiales on Thursday, saying that the judge in the case did not allow in key evidence.

Rubiales was on trial for sexual assault and coercion in the infamous “kiss” of star  midfielder Jenni Hermoso during the awards ceremony following the FIFA Women’s World Cup final in Australia in 2023. He was found guilty of sexual assault only and fined €10,000 (about $10,800 U.S.) and ordered to stay away from Hermoso for a year.

The prosecution wanted 2 1/2 years of imprisonment; reports indicate a new request for a year in prison will be made, as well as an increase in the fine.

● Gymnastics ● Under the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) rules allowing for Russian and Belarusian gymnasts to compete as neutrals after proper vetting, the Russian Gymnastics Federation announced that 2021 World All-Around champ and Tokyo Olympic All-Around bronze medalist Angelina Melnikova had received approval to compete.

A total of 12 Russian gymnastics (eight women, four men) were reported as approved, with 10 support staff also approved.

● Nordic Skiing ● Five for five. That’s Norwegian cross country star Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo at the 2025 FIS World Nordic Skiing Championships in Trondheim (NOR).

After winning the men’s Sprint, Skiathlon, 10 km Individual and the Team Sprint, Klaebo won his fifth gold on Thursday as anchor on the men’s 4 x 7.5 km relay, finishing in 1:08:13.7, well ahead of Switzerland (1:08:35.3) and Sweden (1:08:35.5). Norwegian teammates Erik Valnes, Martin Nyenget and Harald Amundsen gave Klaebo a 36-second lead and he cruised home.

Klaebo now has 17 Worlds medals (14-2-1), the most by any male skier in Worlds history, as he passed fellow Norwegian Petter Northug, who won 16 (13-3-0) between 2007-15.

The U.S. finished seventh with J.C. Schoonmaker, Zak Ketterson, Kevin Bolger and Ben Ogden, in 1:09:16.7.

In ski jumping, Slovenia defended its men’s Large Hill title, jumping off the 138 m hill, with Lovro Kos, Domen Prevc, Timi Zajc and especially Anze Lanisek combining for 1,080.8 points, to top Austria (1,067.4) and Norway (1,065.3).

The U.S. quartet of Kevin Bickner, Erik Belshaw, Jason Colby and Tate Frantz finished eighth at 888.6.

The Nordic Worlds continue through Sunday and has been a major success, with more than 200,000 sold already and three days of events remaining.

● Swimming ● SwimSwam.com reported on a letter sent from the federation’s Board of Directors to the membership concerning the continuing search for a new chief executive after the withdrawal last week of University of Delaware athletic director Chrissi Rawak. The message included:

“During the initial search, we identified numerous world-class candidates. We will revisit some outstanding talent from the initial search and refresh the candidate pool to ensure we find the best leader to take USA Swimming forward. Our focus remains on selecting a CEO who fits the profile that resulted from the Task Force’s listening tour– a transformational and visionary leader who can fully harness the opportunities of this particular moment for our sport in the United States.”

The letter also noted that the search for a new director of the national team is “progressing well” and is not expected to be impacted by the chief executive search.

● Tennis ● The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and the Saudi Public Investment Fund announced a first-of-its-kind maternity leave program for the sport:

“Through the PIF WTA Maternity Fund Program, WTA players will for the first time receive paid maternity leave up to 12 months, and have access to grants for fertility treatments to build families, as well as other benefits. From launch, the PIF WTA Maternity Fund Program will offer benefits to more than 320 eligible WTA players. …

“The eligibility criteria for participation in the PIF WTA Maternity Fund Program includes competing in a certain number of WTA tournaments in a window of time, and receiving a special ranking, one of the existing benefits available through the WTA’s Family Focus Program that makes it easier to return to competition after starting a family.”

WTA chief executive Portia Archer (USA) noted:

“We are delighted that our partnership with PIF allows us to realize a key ambition to offer paid maternity and parental leave to more than 320 eligible WTA players. This initiative will provide the current and next generation of players the support and flexibility to explore family life, in whatever form they choose.”

● Wrestling ● Three-time Olympic Greco-Roman medalist Riza Kayaalp of Turkey was banned for four years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, after he tested positive for Trimetazidine from an out-of-competition sample collected on 28 May 2024.

Now 35, Kayaalp’s suspension runs from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2028. He finished second in the 2024 European Championships at 130 kg, but did not compete at Paris due to his suspension after the positive test was reported. He is a five-time World Champion between 2011-22 and won Olympic silver at 130 kg in 2016 and bronzes at London 2012 and Tokyo 2020.

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INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: IOC Pres. candidate Prince Feisal impressive in 105-minute forum, and confident: “I’ve got a good chance.”

By
Rich Perelman
-
IOC Presidential candidate Prince Feisal Al Hussein (JOR) during his AIPS interview forum (Photo: AIPS video screen shot).

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≡ IOC PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ≡

Polished and enthusiastic, Jordan’s Prince Feisal Al Hussein talked with reporters for an impressive hour and 45 minutes on Thursday in the sixth of seven IOC Presidential Candidate forums organized by the International Sports Journalists Association (AIPS).

And among his thoughtful and thorough answers was his take on his campaign, with just two weeks to go:

“For me, it’s about becoming a better person. To be honest, my wife, earlier today, said, ‘you know, you’re a far better person now than at the start of this race.’ And coming from my greatest champion and my worst critic, that to me has made it all worthwhile.

“I’m a better person as a result of that. And I’ve got a good chance.

“I really feel that the momentum is growing, it’s building up. A lot more people are coming up and talking to me. I believe, based on the numbers that we’re hearing, I’ll be in the last four. I think I can get to the last three, and depending on who I am up against, there is a real chance, I think, for me to win.

“And I’m in it to win it. I’m not in it just for the sake of appearing and I think I can contribute to making the IOC a better place.”

Al Hussein, now 61, who was educated in the U.S. (Brown University) and Britain (London Business School), also gave a remarkable insight into the campaign process:

“It’s not going to get any lighter. The pressure is on. There are seven good candidates that are out there, and it’s impressing the members, on who they feel and the direction they feel that the Olympic Movement has to go.

“That requires both reaching out and also listening to what the members are telling me. … Somebody asked me, ‘are you nervous, are you stressed?’ And I said, no, this actually has been a good experience for me. …

“The issue is not so much is not that I have concerns, but I had to be in a position where I could actually come up with potential solutions. So it focused me very much to get that through. And what I wanted in the manifesto is to make sure my passion, my feeling is reflected in that manifesto. So the best compliment I got in writing the manifesto, and it took a lot longer – I went through 16 versions before I finally agreed on the final one – but the best compliment I got was, ‘this is you.’ And that’s what I’ve always tried to do, to show me genuinely, what I think, how I act, how I feel. So it’s a reflection on me.

“And actually one of the other candidates said, ‘we finally saw the true Prince, what he stood for, what he’s interested in.’ And so that’s been great.

“Then I had the opportunity, in Lausanne, to present. A number of new IOC members haven’t had a chance to interact with me and so it was an opportunity for them to both listen to me and see the passion that I try to portray in why I am in this race. And I’ve gotten very good feedback from that, and a lot of encouragement.

“So, it’s been a fascinating journey. I think it’s been excellent for me, regardless of what the outcome is going to be. I’ve contributed … I want to make a difference. All of us in the IOC, I think, want to make a difference, and this is an opportunity. Regardless of the outcome, I’ve contributed, I haven’t sat on the sideline and just critiqued everything.

“I tried my best. If I succeed, then I’ve got my work cut out for me. If I don’t, at least I’ve done it and I hope whoever does become President will look at it and say, ‘you know what, actually, Prince Feisal had some good ideas. Maybe I should really think about them.’ And that a contribution to the dialogue and discussion. I think that was important.

“So I’m excited with the last two weeks coming. I have probably, in the last four months, spoken to more, and spent more time talking with IOC members than I had in the previous four years. … And I think that, for me, is a win in and of itself, because I got the time.

People say, ‘oh, well, campaigning must be tough.’ Actually, for me, it was fascinating. I learn from people. I got to listen to different views, different concerns. And each one of them had something different to contribute to the discussion. And I think I’m a better person as a result of that.”

Al Hussein was asked about the current issues, of course:

● On athlete participation from aggressor countries:

“What sports can do, in a post-war conflict, or even in a pre-war conflict, we can try and bring communities together, we can try and raise signs together to celebrate the joint humanity. We can look at how we can build a better and more integrated and a more peaceful society, and that’s part of what the Olympic Movement is all about.

“Sports can also play a role, post-conflict, which is again to rebuild, and that is, rebuild physically, rebuild mentally, re-build the society that they had, most importantly on top of that, is to rebuild hope. I think the Olympics is all about hope. It’s the opportunity that people can have to participate, to dream about participating. …

“Will we be able to solve wars? No, that’s what the politicians are there for, that’s what the United Nations is there for, that’s what other international organizations are there for. But we can play a role in peace-building, and that’s a role I think we should be taking on, and being realistic. We can’t solve all of it, but we can contribute, in particular to build a more peaceful society.”

● On athlete prize money from the Games:

“Prize money, in the Olympic Solidarity model, is usually the purview of the National Olympic Committees.

“National Olympic Committees, quite often do, in Jordan, we do the same thing. If people achieve greatness, they will get monetary compensation for it. And for one simple reason: at the end of the day, people get to see their flags being raised. And that’s why I think it’s the responsibility of NOCs to encourage and support their athletes when they do succeed, because of the national pride that it generates.”

As far as the IOC and prize money, he explained:

“[For the IOC to pay prize money] I think it’s difficult. We believe in equality, we believe in fairness. How do you value a gold medal, in a 100 m race, whether it’s swimming or running, vs. archery? Or badminton? There is, I think, an inequality in terms of what people value, as Olympic medals.

“And so, I think it is a challenge, and I don’t agree with that. It goes against the principles of Olympic Solidarity. And I think the current system, while maybe not perfect, is an effective mechanism.

“What I have proposed in my manifesto, is to look at what other ways that we can provide services … what can we do that will be of real value to athletes?”

● On transgender athletes in women’s sport:

“The underlying principle, and this is why International Federations are better positioned to answer the question, and that is fairness. Is there any significance, change or undue advantage given, for people who go through a transition, vs. people who don’t? I come from a sport – FIA [motor racing], I’m a Senate member in the FIA – and there, we have drivers. It is gender neutral. We don’t have male drivers and female drivers as such, it is just drivers.

“FEI, equestrian, does the same thing. They are riders. So I think, if there is no difference, or there is no undue advantage, that can be scientifically proven, then I don’t see why they should be excluded. I think the Olympic Movement is all about inclusion of all elements of society and all peoples.

“But if there is an unfair advantage, I think it should be treated in much the same way as we fought doping, because doping gave certain athletes an unfair advantage.“

Al Hussein took many questions about how he sees the future of the IOC and what he would do different from the administration of current chief Thomas Bach (GER)? He stressed more interactions with the IOC membership:

● “We need to include people more than is happening. I am excited about this election coming up. It’s the first time in six years that members will have a choice of how they want to see the future move. And that is not a ‘yes or no’: the last time, we had Milano Cortina and Stockholm, but in six years, we haven’t had an effective vote, and the involvement of the membership in deciding the future.

“There are seven candidates … and this, I think, is exciting. They will have a chance to decide on the future of the Olympic leadership, and that, I think, is a good and healthy position to be in.”

● “What are the other alternatives? Can we look beyond the traditional? In the job that I have as chair of the National Policy Council, the most frustrating thing that I come across is when people say, ‘well, that’s the way we’ve always done it.’ Because, yeah, it might be good, but it shouldn’t be an excuse to just continue doing something that might have worked 30 years ago, but is it really working as well right now.

“And I think I’d like to open that debate with the membership, to look at, can there be better ways that we can do things.”

● “I’d like to see people be engaging in debate. I want to see what all the opinions are, and it’s only through consensus that we can find a way to move forward. And I think that is what I am proposing in terms of the style of leadership.

“Involve people, get the different opinions. We can be more effective when we’ve had a chance to debate then when you don’t have a chance to debate. Right now, there’s not much debate in the Olympic Movement and that’s sad. I would far prefer to have a healthier debate, either within the Session, or with experts.

“Both of those are critical. It’s only through that that we learn from each other. It’s only through that we become a better organization. There is no monopoly on good ideas, and we need to use the collective potential. We have a very, very good, capable, smart membership that is being under-utilized at this point in time. So part of what I’m asking for … is to get everybody involved.”

He also wants to expand the IOC’s revenues, to provide more support for athlete development, especially at the NOC level. And in this context, he is concerned about the IOC’s TOP sponsorship program:

“What I would like to do, to focus on, is how to make the pie bigger. We lose three TOP sponsors in a year and that, to me, sent alarm bells. When I asked about it, they say, ‘well, you know, it’s after Tokyo, the Japanese aren’t interested.’ Well, one of them went to FIFA, another one went to World Aquatics. So they still believe in the power of sports, but they obviously, I feel, didn’t feel that they were getting what they needed from the IOC.

“So to me, one of the critical issues is, how can I make that pie bigger? … My feeling now is that the IOC has a cookie-cutter approach, one size fits all, and the world isn’t like that. We know the world isn’t like that. So we need better adaptation.”

(Al Hussein referred to Japanese corporations signing elsewhere, not to the three companies which left the TOP program – Bridgestone, Panasonic and Toyota – which have not signed deals with FIFA or Worlds Aquatics.)

He also noted that future Olympic and Winter Games will have to account for climate changes and that a change – possibly radical – in the calendar may have to be considered: “By opening the dates, we can allow for more countries to potentially host.”

Asked why he has put himself through all of this, he reflected:

“I have been brought up in a family where we were taught, service is our duty, and the importance to be able to provide a service. … It’s what you can do to make a difference. And my father used to tell us, ‘if you can make a difference, it is your duty and obligation to try.’”

Observed: Al Hussein was impressive, no doubt about it, in 105 minutes of discussions, without even a water break, with the interview taking place during Ramadan fasting period.

He made many of the same points as other candidates: more member involvement, the fight against doping, trying to better support small National Olympic Committees, more effective marketing and so on.

His calm, frank manner, personal warmth and his humanitarian work with his “Generations for Peace” effort and that he has the second-longest IOC tenure of the candidates – elected in 2010 – are all in his favor. It is easy to see why an IOC member would think, “well, I could certainly work with him.”

Can he win? He thinks so, and with two weeks left, that’s what counts.

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PANORAMA: Paris 2024 ceremonies social-abuse trial starts; Super Bowl-style halftime for FIFA 2026; Diggins & Kern win first U.S. Nordic medals!

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● The trial of seven defendants charged with cyber-abuse by Olympic ceremonies director Thomas Jolly (FRA) began in Paris on Wednesday, with two of those charged not in the courtroom.

Jolly said he received death threats and abusive social-media comments of a homophobic and anti-Semitic nature; the seven people charged ranged in age from 22 to 79. French laws on such attacks include penalties such as fines and possible imprisonment.

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● The LA28 organizing committee and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee announced Westlake Village, California-based PennyMac Financial Services as “Official Mortgage Supporter of the 2026 and 2028 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams and a Proud Supporter of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

As part of its programming, PennyMac plans to work with U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes with educational efforts to help with homeownership.

● Mediterranean Games 2026: Taranto ● The Italian daily Il Fatto Quotidiano reported that the staging of the 2026 Mediterranean Games requires more government funding. A €275 million allocation was made for venue renovations and construction, with another €25 million to help start up the organizing committee.

The report says that sponsorship and ticket revenues will total only about €10 million and with an estimated cost of €60 million for staging the event, another €25 million is being looked for from the Italian government. (€1 = $1.08 U.S.)

The XX Mediterranean Games are scheduled for 21 August to 3 September 2026.

● Football ● From FIFA President Gianni Infantino (SUI), writing on his Instagram page:

“I can confirm the first ever half-time show at a FIFA World Cup final in New York New Jersey, in association with Global Citizen. This will be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world.

“We also spoke about how FIFA will takeover Times Square for the final weekend of the FIFA World Cup in 2026, during both the bronze final match and final.

“These will be two incredible matches, featuring some of the best players in the world, and what better way to celebrate them than in the historic Times Square in New York City.

My thanks of course to Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans and his incredible team, for helping us put together these amazing shows. I also want to thank Chris Martin and Phil Harvey of Coldplay, who will be working with us at FIFA to finalise the list of artists who will perform during the half time show, as well as at Times Square.”

The FIFA Ethics Committee’s adjudicatory chamber imposed a lifetime ban and a fine of CHF 1,000,000 on former Gabon national boys U-17 team coach Patrick Assoumou Eyi for sexual abuse of four players between 2006-21.

● Nordic Skiing ● Norway and Sweden continued their domination of the cross country portion of the FIS Nordic Skiing World Championships in Trondheim (NOR), each winning again on Wednesday.

Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo won his fourth event (out of four), teaming with Erik Valnes to take the Classical Team Sprint in 18:27.71, clearly ahead of Finland’s Ristomatti Hakola and Lauri Vuorinen (18:31.81) and Oskar Svensson and Edvin Anger (18:31.82). The U.S. pair of Gus Schumacher and J.C. Schoonmaker finished a very creditable sixth in 18:40.01.

In the women’s Classical Team Sprint, it was Sweden sweeping its fourth event in a row in these Championships. Jonna Sundling got a second Sprint gold, with Maja Dahlqvist, in 20:51.63. That was clear of the American pair of Jessie Diggins and Julia Kern, second in 20:54.53 – the first U.S. medals of this Worlds – with Anja Weber and Nadine Faehndrich third (21:00.76).

It’s the seventh career Worlds medal for Diggins (2-3-2) and second for Kern. Competition continues through Sunday.

In ski jumping, the Mixed Team event went to Norway, with second golds for Marius Lindvik, Anna Odine Stroem and Eirin Kvandal (plus Johann Forfang) with 1,020.4 points to 959.3 for Slovenia and 906.8 for Austria. The U.S. squad of Paige Jones, Kevin Bickner, Annika Belshaw and Tate Frantz finished sixth (739.1).

● Ski Mountaineering ● The ISMF World Championships are ongoing in Morgins (SUI), with familiar stars on the awards podiums.

Swiss star Remi Bonnet won the Vertical race in 18:50.3, way ahead of Maximilien Drion du Chapois (BEL: 19:37.0) and fellow Swiss Aurelien Gay (19:40.3). Cameron Smith was the top American, in 20th (+2:04.5).

For Bonnet, it’s his fifth career Worlds gold, including the Vertical title in 2021-23-25.

The women champion was France’s Axelle Gachet-Mollaret, also a runaway winner in 22:24.9, followed by Tove Alexandersson (SWE: 23:06.0) and Sarah Dreier (AUT: 24:01.0). Hali Hafeman was 20th (+4:00.1) was the top U.S. finisher.

Gachet-Mollaret won her 11th career Worlds gold; she had previously won the Vertical in 2021 and 2023.

In the relay opener on Monday, French stars Emily Harrop and Thibault Anselmet won in 32:44.1, barely ahead of Ana Alonso Rodriguez and Oriol Cardona Coll (ESP: 32:45.0), with Swiss Marianne Fatton and Robin Bussard close in third at 33:02.9. Americans Jessie Young and Smith were 12th (37:15.6).

Racing continues on Thursday, on to Saturday.

● Speed Skating ● The years-long doping tug-of-war between German star Claudia Pechstein and the International Skating Union has come to an end, with the parties agreeing to settle their dispute.

Pechstein, now 53, was a German star, winning nine Olympic medals from 1994-2006, including five golds, and an astonishing 41 World Championships medals (6-21-14), beginning in 1996.

She was suspended for blood doping due to elevated reticulocyte counts in 2009, for two years. She appealed the finding to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, explaining the condition as hereditary, and that she never failed a single doping test. Refused entry into the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, she sued the ISU in Swiss courts, but the ban was upheld, and she finally returned to competition in 2011.

Pechstein then sued the ISU for damages in Germany courts, losing at the Federal Court of Justice level in 2016, but her appeal to the Federal Constitutional Court in 2022 succeeded, with the court ruling that her rights had been violated. The case was sent back for further hearings, with Pechstein asking for €8.4 million in damages. In October 2024, the Munich Court of Appeal asked the parties to settle. (€1 = $1.08 U.S.)

Pechstein said last year she would be willing to settle for less, but wants an admission of wrongdoing from the ISU. The ISU statement said Pechstein showed a “mild form of dehydrated hereditary stomatocytosis (DHS)” and the statement was issued Tuesday that “[t]he Parties have mutually agreed to settle their litigation in a spirit of conciliation.”

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ATHLETICS: World Road Running Championships removed from San Diego, another site to be selected

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ WORLD ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

The World Athletics notice was brief and to the point:

“Following detailed discussions between World Athletics and the Local Organising Committee of the World Athletics Road Running Championships San Diego 25, it has been agreed that the World Athletics Road Running Championships will no longer be held in San Diego in September as planned.

“World Athletics is currently talking to other potential hosts and expects to announce another location shortly. We would like to thank the San Diego 25 team for their work over the last few months and hope we are able to find another opportunity to host a World Athletics event in San Diego in the future.”

The posting also included a comment from Tracy Sundlun, the head of the organizing effort:

“We really looked forward to welcoming the running world to San Diego this September but sadly it is not to be at this time. For now, all of us here on Team San Diego will do everything in our power to assist World Athletics in the seamless transition of the 2025 Championships to a new venue.”

Slated for 26-28 September, the event Web site has already been taken down.

This was about money.

Reporting by Ken Stone in the Times of San Diego noted:

“A source with knowledge of the matter who wasn’t authorized to speak on the record told Times of San Diego that ‘San Diego isn’t the problem. (It’s) more the model doesn’t work, same for the for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. These governing bodies – USATF, WA – want the host cities to cover all the expenses to the tune of millions of dollars and don’t want to help.’”

Paul Greer, head of the USATF San Diego-Imperial Association said that a $3 million title sponsor had been found, but that it was not enough.

Canadian Running Magazine reported that the 2025 World Road Running Championships will likely be moved back to November now, contingent on finding a new host. 

This is another blow for San Diego, which has lost multiple teams and events over decades. The NBA San Diego Clippers moved to Los Angeles in 1984 and the beloved NFL Chargers moved to Los Angeles in 2017.

In 2019, San Diego gave back the ANOC World Beach Games for lack of financing and it took place in Doha (QAT), where money was not an issue.

Now the World Road Running Championships has left, underscoring the challenges of U.S. hosting of large events which do not have government funding, either via direct subsidies or through tourism authority support.

In 2022, the World Games was held in Birmingham, Alabama and finished with a $15.6 million debt (on a $65 million budget) that was finally covered by some corporate help, but mostly by the City of Birmingham ($5 million), Jefferson County Commission ($4 million), the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau ($1 million) and finally, the state of Alabama ($5 million).

It’s not easy.

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INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: Presidential candidate Lappartient says national teams are key to the excitement of the Games

By
Rich Perelman
-
CNOSF and UCI President David Lappartient, during his AIPS interview session (Image: AIPS video screen shot).

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≡ IOC PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ≡

Enjoying the success of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris last year, David Lappartient didn’t need another job.

He is already the head of the Union Cycliste Internationale and the National Olympic Committee of France (CNOSF), a key player in the award of the 2030 Olympic Winter Games to the French Alps, not to mention the President of the Morbihan region in northwest France.

But when International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach (GER) told the IOC Session at the close of the 2024 Olympic Games that he would not accept an extension of his term as President, Lappartient had a decision to make:

“Then I was starting to consider if, or not, I will run. So I took this time, in between the end of the Olympic Games and the 15th of September to discuss with members to see if my candidature would be well received, or not, and I reached the conclusion that, yes, this candidature could be well received and so I took my decision at the beginning of September.”

Lappartient met with Bach about the possibility of running, and was also impressed with Bach’s comments at the IOC Session that the digital world is the key to the future. Well, Lappartient was Bach’s liaison to the e-sports community and had done some impressive work in laying the foundation of the Olympic Esports Games, now to be inaugurated in 2027. So:

“The profile he gave on the potential future IOC President, I don’t think I’m so far away from the profile he gave. That’s why it was, in fact, an invitation for me to think whether or not I will run and I decided to answer yes.”

Asked then about esports and its relationship to the Olympic Movement, Lappartient talked about the parallels:

“We have a kind of mission at the IOC, from the beginning, to bring people together through sports, and to bring them in a peaceful way. So, esports can also be a tool to bring people together. Look at today: the new generation, they are gamers, they are playing together.

“I think this is, in a way, another tool – not far away from the first one – that can also give the opportunity to achieve our goals. This is why I am in favor of esports, also because, yes, the goal is how we can bring gamers to also do sports, how we can – yes – even reach a wider audience, how we can renew the audience of the Olympic Games, and I think it’s a great opportunity for the IOC itself, but in a more separate Games, not within the Olympic Games.”

During his hour-long session of questions-and-answers in a forum organized by the International Sports Journalists Association (AIPS), the question of what to do about athletes from countries at war was raised and Lappartient maintained the position that athletes should not be discriminated against on the basis of their passport. So:

“We call for peace. Of course, we are not naive enough to think our voice is going to stop the war, but we call for peace, we pray for peace and we hope that peace can come back. This is clearly our DNA.

“Sport, and this is key, sport is not a tool for sanction. Sport is a tool to bring people together, so we are not a tool, among others, for sanctions like the United Nations can have. So we have to be careful to stay politically neutral, but also to keep our autonomy.”

As for 2026, he explained, “It’s a little bit too early to take a decision regarding the participation in the Milano Cortina Games. There was a decision [for neutral athletes] that has been taken for the Paris Games and also well supported, in fact, more respected by the French Government, President [Emmanuel] Macron, with the autonomy of the sport.”

With some new activity around negotiations with Russian and Ukraine, Lappartient hoped that the war will stop and that Russia can be “re-integrated” in the right way as a country competing in international competition:

“I do believe that the country is not suspended for life. We hope that the conditions will be back as soon as possible to bring everybody back together. This is our desire.”

Lappartient also emphasized the importance of national teams. Asked about whether club teams – as in cycling – might be a better fit to eliminate the question of Russian participation, he was clear:

“The DNA of the Olympic Games is a competition between nations. And, also, this is why everybody is behind the Games, this is why also the athletes, they are so proud to wear the national jersey, the national flag.

“I will just take an example. Look at [Novak] Djokovic in tennis, in Paris. So he was playing for his country, Serbia, with no prize money and he was crying like a kid, in fact [after winning]. And it was so emotional, even for us.

“So I think this is something unique for the Games. And I think it will touch on this, it is clearly part of the success of the Games.”

He added that the issue of national teams also came up in discussions on esports: “Even gamers, they want to reproduce the Games, and I think one of the big value of the Olympic Games is that it is per nation. I don’t want to touch this, this is one of the fundamental point of the Games.”

On other issues:

● Anti-doping, an especially sensitive subject for Lappartient, given the long and ugly history with doping in cycling:

“It takes five minutes to lose your credibility, but it takes 20-30-40 years to regain your credibility. I know that. …

“This is a daily fight. … And I also believe that the budget that is allocated to the World Anti-Doping Agency, is not big enough to face the challenges we have. We don’t spend, and this is something I mentioned in the [WADA] Foundation Board, I think we don’t spend enough money in research. …

“We know the tension now between USADA and also the White House and the anti-doping agency. If I am elected President, I want to solve this issue. Of course, I am a member of the WADA Foundation Board, so I know very well WADA and they are going a great job.

“But I also know USADA, and have a good relationship with [CEO] Travis Tygart. And I think we have the same goal. It’s just to catch cheaters. And so, how we can work together to do this, how we can even reinforce, because one of the solutions is to reinforce the fight against doping.

“The [increased] contribution is one of the points, to be more down-to-earth sometimes is another point and really, we need to work together, also with Interpol, with the police. … The fight against doping, it has no price, but it has a cost.”

● Universality and making sport more accessible worldwide:

“We need more technology, we need more resources. And if we don’t take care, I think we will not enlarge, but reduce the number of countries able to win medals. And universality is key, but not just the universality to take part, universality also to get medals.

“How we can reach this goal, which is key, I think, for the Olympic Movement? It’s by giving the athletes the same opportunities, whether they are coming from countries with solid expertise – and there are many – but also from countries where they don’t have this expertise, whether they don’t have the equipment, or they don’t have the coaches, because it’s a high level of techniques and so on.

“We have here in the UCI, the World Cycling Centre and we have some satellites. … We have 11 satellites in the world, where we can directly train athletes and then the best ones can reach the World Cycling Centre here in Switzerland and we qualify 11 athletes through this system at the last Olympic Games.”

He suggested that regional training centers could be established through the Olympic Solidarity program, using the success of the World Cycling Centre as a template to support athletes from smaller countries to reach their potential.

● Selecting host cities for the Games:

Lappartient explained that the current system of open dialogue and then targeted dialogue was the product of a broken system in which “there were some behaviors of that time that were inappropriate and that even affected the institution of the IOC and a reduction of the number of candidates. So, we are no more in such a situation.”

He sees a future selection process with the possibility of multiple candidates in targeted dialogue and then a decision by the Session between two or three quality candidates who had been carefully reviewed.

Lappartient was finally asked about what he will do with all of his offices if he is elected as the head of the IOC, including his leadership of the Morbihan region:

“I will also stop this one. To be clear, that’s a 100%-focus position, so if I am elected IOC President, there are two reasons why I will be 100% focused, is because you need to have 100% of your time just for this mission. And a second point, you need to avoid any kind of conflict of interest or any kind of situation where you can take a position that can escape from the political neutrality of the IOC.”

If elected, he will resign from all of his offices in June, ahead of the new IOC President’s term that will begin on 24 June 2025.

Observed: Lappartient, 51, is the second-youngest candidate for the IOC Presidency and he effuses enthusiasm as well as experience. His candidate statement was carefully thought out and offered new ideas, such as the IOC-sponsored regional training centers, based on his successes with the UCI.

It is worthwhile to note that his experience with the UCI and the French National Olympic Committee gives him a breadth of understanding that is only shared by one other candidate, Britain’s Sebastian Coe, who has led the British Olympic Association and is the head of World Athletics.

Lappartient is personable, competent and is reported to be generally well-liked and well-respected, especially for juggling all of his responsibilities, including as a government official.

There are good reasons to vote for him, but will he be overshadowed by Coe’s powerful personality, or the preference of Bach for Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry, or that Lappartient joined the IOC only in 2022, vs. Juan Antonio Samaranch’s 24 years as a member?

That’s what he’s campaigning against, with just a couple of weeks remaining until the decision on 20 March in Greece.

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U.S. OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE: Stevens pledges sensational $100 million for post-athletic earnings fund

By
Rich Perelman
-
Stone Ridge Holding Group founder Ross Stevens (Photo: University of Chicago Booth School of Business).

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≡ THE “STEVENS AWARDS” ≡

In a groundbreaking, unprecedented move, Stone Ridge Holding Group founder Ross Stevens, a long-time donor to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, has made a $100 million “anchor funding gift” to create a post-athletic career support awards program for American Olympic & Paralympic athletes.

This is the largest gift ever received by the USOPC, and the “Stevens Financial Security Award” program – to be known as the “Stevens Awards” – will commence next year. Per the announcement:

● “Starting with the Olympic and Paralympic Games Milan-Cortina 2026, and going at least through the 2032 Games, every U.S. Olympian and Paralympian will receive $200,000 in financial benefits for each Games in which they compete.” (Emphasis added)

● “$100,000 to Live: eligible athletes will be able to access this award 20 years after their qualifying Games or at 45 years of age, whichever is later. The grant will be paid over the course of four years and can be used for any purpose, such as starting a business or supporting their families.”

● “$100,000 to Protect: eligible athletes will receive a guaranteed benefit for their families or chosen beneficiaries upon their death.”

● “Multiplier effect: eligible athletes will receive $200,000 in benefits for each Games in which they compete. For instance, an athlete competing in three Olympic or Paralympic Games would receive $600,000 in benefits.”

The financial concept behind the awards and the timing combines the power of compound interest and “the power of guaranteed benefits made possible by life insurance.”

Part of the calculus for the structure of the awards came from an observation that as many as 60% of U.S. Olympic and Paralympic medals are won by athletes who participated in previous Games. The announcement noted:

“By providing financial support for athletes so they can continue competing and by increasing that support for each Games in which they compete, the Stevens Awards will dramatically increase the likelihood that athletes will continue competing, and winning, for America.”

Moreover, Stevens said Stone Ridge will match the contribution of Stone Ridge employees on a dollar-for-dollar basis, and hopes other firms will follow Stone Ridge’s lead.

USOPC Chair Gene Sykes announced the program on Tuesday (4th) at the Stone Ridge Annual Conference, and noted:

“The USOPC is committed to supporting the dreams of Team USA athletes and hopefuls as they strive to represent the U.S. at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. We are profoundly grateful for the extraordinary gift from Ross Stevens which highlights how philanthropy can fundamentally change the lives of athletes.”

Stevens’ gift is to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Foundation, the fund-raising arm of the USOPC.

The award program created by Stevens is separate and apart from the Operation Gold awards provided by the USOPC as direct rewards for Olympic and Paralympic medals: $37,500 for gold, $22,500 for silver and $12,500 for bronze.

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PANORAMA: U.N. praises, pans French security at Paris 2024; Chiles uncommitted on 2028 Games; anti-oil protest action at Nordic Worlds Saturday?

By
Rich Perelman
-
Olympic champion gymnast Jordan Chiles, competing for UCLA (Photo: UCLA Athletics)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● Three United Nations Special Rapporteurs issued a statement on Tuesday which alternately praised and criticized the French government for its successful security procedures during the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games:

● “French authorities took a number of reasonable measures to ensure that the Olympic Games were free from terrorist violence.”

● “Yet, some security measures appeared to be unnecessary or disproportionate, while others were discriminatory or even unlawful.”

● “Under international law, governments must act diligently to prevent threats to life posed by terrorism, but must always comply with human rights law.

● “In too many cases, security measures were seemingly applied in an indiscriminate or overbroad manner, that was not necessary or proportionate to meet any specific, evidence-based risks posed by particular individuals.”

● “The authorities’ strategy of ‘optimised disruption’ of individuals deemed radical or suspect reflects a political determination to reassure the public that all possible precautionary security measures are being taken.”

It urged the French government to review the procedures used at the Games. The three contributors to the statement were Special Rapporteurs Ben Saul (AUS), Gina Romero (COL) and Alexandra Xanthaki (GRE).

Observed: The statement is all well and good, sent after the fact of a safely-conducted Games.

The statement insisted “Excessive measures are not necessary for security,” but that is easy to say from a comfortable office, more than six months after the Paralympic flame was extinguished in Paris. None of the three were indicated to be on the ground with the French authorities to ensure security during the Games.

In truth, an Olympic Games with an opening ceremony on the Seine River, that had no significant security breaches was a remarkable, noteworthy accomplishment. If there had been a security breach, the report from these three “experts” would have had a much different tone.

● Athletics ● World Athletics confirmed the 11 wild-card entries for the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing (CHN) as winner of the World Athletics Indoor Tour in 2025.

Of the 11, two Americans were included: Brian Faust, from the men’s 400 m, and two-time World Champion Chase Jackson in the women’s shot.

● Curling ● Briane Harris is a Canadian curler and the Lead for Kerri Einarson’s rink and a two-time World Championships bronze medalist. She was provisionally suspended in 2024 for the use of muscle-builder Ligandrol by the Canadian Centre for Ethics for Sports, which she appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and was reinstated as “she was exposed to Ligandrol due to intimate contacts with her husband” and “bears no fault or negligence for the violation and ‘no period of ineligibility’ is imposed.”

Harris is now filing a complaint against CCES with the World Anti-Doping Agency for a breach of confidentiality on the Reddit social site. CCES denies that there was a leak. WADA said it will not appeal the Court of Arbitration holding, but skipped comment on Harris’ complaint on the leak.

● Figure Skating ● The International Skating Union’s Figure Skating Awards will be presented during the ISU World Championships in Boston on 30 March, with voting open now through 9 March (Sunday). The categories include:

● Best Costume
● Most Entertaining Program
● Best Coach
● Best Choreographer

U.S. nominees for the Best Costume include Ilia Malinin, Amber Glenn, Isabeau Levito, Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea and Madison Chock and Evan Bates. Chock and Bates, Glenn and Malinin were all nominated in the Most Entertaining Program category as well.

There will be also be awards for Lifetime Achievement and Best Newcomer, but these are not subject to voting.

● Gymnastics ● Jordan Chiles, who won a Paris 2024 Team gold with the U.S. before the continuing bronze medal-controversy in the women’s Floor Exercise final, has released a memoir, I’m That Girl: Living the Power of My Dreams, written with Felice Laverne.

She appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America” to promote the book and was asked about a possible third Olympic appearance in Los Angeles in 2028, a home Olympic Games for her:

“I have another year after this season to represent UCLA and then we’ll see. I think the biggest thing is just to stay positive.

“As an athlete you can mentally do whatever you want to do, but it’s the physical part of everything. So making sure that I can continue physically in a way that I feel comfortable.”

She said her attorneys are continuing to pursue her appeal on the removal of her Floor bronze by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, despite late-arriving video evidence that appeared to clear her.

● Nordic Skiing ● The unstoppable Norwegian star Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo continued his sweep of the men’s cross-country events at the FIS Nordic Skiing World Championships in front of delirious home fans in Trondheim (NOR) with a win in the men’s 10 km Classical race on Tuesday.

Klaebo led a second straight Norwegian men’s event sweep, winning in 28:16.6, followed by Erik Valnes (28:25.4) and Harald Amundsen (28:27.6). Gus Schumacher was the top American, in 13th (29:16.1). For Klaebo, it was his third win in three races and his 12th career Worlds gold.

The women’s 10 km Classical was another repeat, this time for Swede Ebba Andersson, who followed up her 20 km Skiathlon win over Norwegian star Therese Johaug at the line with a more comfortable win, 30:19.8 to 30:21.1, again over Johaug. Fellow Swede Frida Karlsson was third in 30:31.9; Rosie Brennan was the top American, in 22nd place (32:49.0).

The Nordic Worlds continue through Sunday.

A Norwegian anti-fossil fuel group has threatened to infiltrate the course for  a protest at Saturday’s men’s 50 km Freestyle Mass Start race.

Folk Mot Fossilmakta (“People Against Fossil Power”) said it would cancel its protest if a short anti-oil video is shown on the scoreboards and the logo of sponsor Equinor – Norway’s state-owned oil company – is removed.

The answer was no and the protestors plan to “occupy” a location on an uphill part of the course early in the race. They will tell the police the location on Friday, and authorities have promised to stop the protest, but are also constrained by strong legal guarantees for freedom of expression.

The U.S.’s Schumacher met with the protest group and told FasterSkier.com his message to them was:

“The biggest goal for us, in that meeting, was to convince them that obstructing the race wasn’t going to help them advance the message. Because it would stop athletes from wanting to speak out in support of them.”

Discussions are continuing with athletes, protesters and police; it is possible that an agreement not to show on Saturday could be reached ahead of time.

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U.S. GOVERNING BODIES: U.S. federations for cycling, fencing, rowing, sailing, squash band for joint marketing initiative, the “United Sports Collective”

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ “UNITED SPORTS COLLECTIVE” ≡

“In the spirit of collaboration that propels athletes to achieve more together than they could alone, five leading National Governing Bodies (NGBs) – USA Fencing, US Squash, USA Cycling, US Sailing and USRowing – today announced they are collaborating commercially under the banner of the ‘United Sports Collective.’

“This historic partnership marks the first time five premier USA NGBs have formed a collaborative and strategic partnership. All five sports organizations will unify their commercial rights to create a tantalizing singular platform for brands seeking meaningful engagement with approximately 350,000 diverse families around the country, across collectively thousands of owned and sanctioned events – each deeply committed to athletic excellence and community values.

“The goal behind the ‘United Sports Collective’ is simple: to connect corporate partners directly to some of the country’s most engaged and supportive sports families.”

Tuesday’s announcement is a landmark concept for American National Governing Bodies which has been endlessly discussed for years, but now is a reality for these five federations. Four of the five are well known to U.S. Olympic fans as at fairly consistent (if small) medal producers at the Olympic and world championship levels:

● USA Cycling: Six medals (3-2-1) at Paris 2024
● USA Fencing: Four medals (2-1-1) at Paris 2024
● US Rowing: Two medals (1-0-1) at Paris 2024
● US Sailing: One medal (0-0-1) at Paris 2024
● US Squash: Medal sport in 2028

While the announcement touts 350,000 families across the U.S., membership numbers found on the federation web sites showed about 235,000 “members” as defined by each:

● USA Cycling: 60,000
● USA Fencing: 37,000
● US Rowing: 76,000
● US Sailing: 45,000
● US Squash: 17,000

Sportico.com explained, from an interview with USA Fencing chief executive Phil Andrews:

“Revenue from unified agreements will now be split between the five organizations proportionate to membership count, and the collective has picked longtime Six Flags Entertainment executive Stephanie Borges as its dealmaking point person.”

Observed: This is a fine idea and if successful, could be expanded to other sports as well. These smaller federations, headquartered in four different states, can offer access to a significant combined national audience for a fraction of the cost of a sponsorship with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, but share in the build-up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic & Paralympic Games.

There are no guarantees, however. USA Swimming and USA Track & Field announced a joint marketing effort in November 2022, announcing “One & All as their agency of record to lead the organizations’ collective sponsorship sales efforts heading into the Olympic Games Paris 2024.”

Little was heard from about this partnership and One & All, whose background was in non-profit fundraising for humane societies and rescue missions, was acquired by Pennsylvania-based TrueSense Marketing in January 2023.

The new United Sport Collective has some good options for companies looking for a tight marketing integration program, with events indoors and outdoors, on land and water and for all ages, from kids up to masters. And with their manageable sizes, these sports are personal and approachable.

And there are few “normal” experiences to compare with riding a professional competition bike, be jabbed at by an Epee sword, rowing in an Eight or taking part for the first time in an Olympic-class sailing class vessel. Happily for the less adventuresome, squash is a little less intimidating (unless you’re in with one of the U.S.’s six World Championships team members!).

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INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: Presidential candidate Samaranch aims to accelerate change, and modernize the IOC

By
Rich Perelman
-
IOC Presidential candidate Juan Antonio Samaranch of Spain (Image: AIPS video screenshot).

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

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≡ IOC PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ≡

Acceleration. That was the key concept stressed by International Olympic Committee Presidential candidate Juan Antonio Samaranch of Spain, in more than hour of discussion with a worldwide group of reporters online on Tuesday, hosted by the International Sports Journalists Association (AIPS).

Asked about his service, especially as an Executive Board member, in the administration of German Thomas Bach, Samaranch explained with considerable enthusiasm:

“I have seen the extraordinary job, under his leadership, that we have done.

“His motto, when he started, was clear: ‘change or be changed.’ And he went to an accelerated change in the IOC, through Agenda 2020 and 2020+5 to continue to make us relevant in today’s society, that was accelerating itself.

“Well, guess what? My idea, and I think most of us in this call might agree, is that the world continues to accelerate, and what needs to be done for the future is not a revolution, but an extraordinarily rapid evolution of many of our main work lines, because the world continues to accelerate.

“So, I’m not advocating for change just per se, to change, but an acceleration of the change and the rate of change, the rate of adapting ourselves to the reality out there, to society, because we are just part of them.”

He also underlined, as he did in his candidate statement, the need to shift more authority to the IOC members:

“Yes, I think some changes have to be made. I really believe, and it is one of my strong beliefs that the IOC has demonstrated an extraordinary resiliency throughout 130 years of success that led up to wonderful Games in Paris.

“And that is because, I believe, have a very good governance system. We have 100-plus volunteers with no other objective than to make sure that the Olympic values received from the previous generation are passed on, stronger if possible, to the next generation. And this combination of skills, the experiences of these 100 volunteers, I think, confirm a great governance system that has taken us to where we are successfully. …

“We have to give the membership of the Session the powers it needs to continue making the key decisions for our future.”

Samaranch is clearly one of the key contenders in the 20 March election, but with the world in turmoil, why did he decide to run? Essentially because he feels he is ready to lead:

“I’ve had the privilege in my life of being part of the Olympic Movement for a long time, having been an IOC member for 24 years and I have been able to participate in this extraordinary life experience together with so many interesting people.

“Right now, at that moment in my life, where I have a long experience, both in managing and dealing with all the things that the Olympic Movement has to deal with every day, and also I have a very strong experience, life experience, professionally in the world of business, the world of finance. I think, having reached this point of my life, where I have the energy, the stamina, the willingness to do it, and the combination of experiences, it is my time to try to contribute my views and my ideas for the future of the Olympic Movement.”

Told by one reporter that he was a favorite in the race, Samaranch had to keep from laughing:

“It mesmerizes me that people can have an idea of what the result is going to be. I have no clue.

“So I have not looked at any and I wish good luck to anybody who wants to bet on those things. It is for insiders, it is practically impossible to predict what the result will be; imagine for outsiders!”

He was asked about how his father’s legacy – Juan Antonio Samaranch was a transformational IOC President from 1980-2001 – impacts him and the race, the answer was clear for the younger Samaranch, now 65: 

“None of the challenges they faced, none of the recipes that they had to use to get along, have any resemblance of the challenges or the recipes of today. So, unfortunately, there is no connection; these is nothing from there that can be applied today. … This is a completely different ballgame.”

There were many questions on the issues in front of the Olympic Movement and the IOC:

● His priorities if elected:

“The first and most important thing … it’s a simple and successful, relevant and reliable Olympic Games. Period. Without that, there is no universality, without that, there is no financing, without that, there is no pyramid of world sports, everything crumbles down.

“So we have to continue with adapting the program, we have to continue adapting how we do it, we have to make sure we select the right host cities. We have to go to the success of Paris, day in and day out. That is what is going to keep our Movement strong.

“Once you have that, we have to fight for universality, of course, I said it before. Without that, we are nothing. There is no reason to be for the Olympic Movement if we haven’t the inspiration that people, that humanity, have much more in common than not.

“Then I think it is necessary that we enhance our work on finance. We have a very good finance and revenue model with the broadcasting partners, now with the digital included. We have a very good thing with the TOP sponsors, but we need to modernize all those things for new technology. We need to bring new sources of revenue, because it’s not that we are greedy and we want more money. There is no limit to the amount of money to be invested in promoting the base of the sport.”

● On the spread of Olympic venues in the name of sustainability and cost containment:

“Every time we come [to this question], to the best of our ability, I think that compactness is better being dispersed, by a principle. We accepted and promoted dispersion to make sure that we have countries, cities and territories to organize the Olympic Games, and don’t make foolish investments in venues that might have not legacy for the people in that territory in the future. And we will continue to do that.

“But if I am president, decisions on dispersion will have to be made for very serious reasons, because there is no [existing] venue, or there is some sound decision, even it can be a strategic decision of promotion of a sport, but it would have to be the exception and not the rule.

“I think very strongly that we have to protect the essence of the Olympic Games. It’s what makes our thing magic. … And the most important symbol is the Olympic Village.”

● On prize money in the Olympic Games:

“I strongly agree that the champions and the sportsmen that make a living out of that, that they become the living and moving inspiration for the youth of the world, they have to be very well compensated and they have to be very successful in their lives.

“But they have the National Olympic Committees, their sponsors, their countries, to gratify them for their successes. And the World Championships and the World Cups in their own specialties.

“The Olympic Games, sorry, to me, are different. The Olympic Games, in the pinnacle of the world sports pyramid, up there at the top of the pyramid, we have the Olympic Games, that they have generated in the last quadrennial, 7.6 billion U.S. dollars. That money goes back to the base of the pyramid, through financing the next organizing committees, through the National Olympic Committees, through the International Federations and through our Solidarity programs.

“I think that taking any money that we take from that filtering-down to the base of the pyramid, to make it broader, if possible, to compensate to the current, today’s champions, I think it’s unnecessary because they are compensated enough at the Olympic Games. And I think that money has to be used to flatten the curve and make the Olympic Games more accessible for more people.

“Bear in the mind that those champions today, of six months ago in Paris, they were young kids 12 years ago, when other champions did not have prize money. And the money they could have claimed went down through the pyramid to pay for the buses that had to be rented to take them as kids to regional competitions, to take them to buy new equipment for the gym in their neighborhood and all that doesn’t come from thin air. All that basically comes, in today’s organized sports world, with few countries [as] exceptions, from the revenues of the Olympic Games.”

● On protecting the women’s competition category:

“It’s pretty straightforward. Five years ago, when we started dealing at the Executive Board of the IOC with this problem, the idea – and it was very well thought of – was women’s sport has to be safe and fair. Since safety and fairness would be different for different sports – it’s not safe and fair, the same thing, at table tennis or boxing – we passed on to the federations how to execute that safe and fair proposition.

“But no matter what we want, it’s the reality what counts. And reality is that in Paris, we saw that the social alarm about transgenderism and about not only about transgender, but about DSD [differences in sex development], this has been there and the world is expecting from the IOC what we have claimed so long: the leadership in the sports world.

“So, if I make it there to the presidency, I will make sure that it will be the IOC to lead, across the board the decision on how the women’s sport has to be kept safe and fair, and we will do that immediately and we will base that on scientific evidence that is abundant nowadays.”

Samaranch also made a remarkable statement on the difference between the Olympic Games and everything else in the sports world:

“It is very, very different the Olympic competition than the world championships. And the difference is that the people who follow the Olympics has very little to do with sports fans. Most of them, mostly women by the way, most of the people watching the Olympic Games are people that would normally not watch sports competitions.

“They watch the Olympics for the values. For the personal stories of improvement, of becoming better, of fighting against difficulty, for very healthy national pride. That is the difference, and the value of the same competition, in most Olympic sports, of a world championship, of that same competition, same heroes, same everything, under the Olympic Rings, it goes between five and 20 times difference in value.

“So whatever we do in our Olympic Games, we have to preserve, above everything else, that they are a special thing and they are Olympics.”

Observed: Samaranch came across with a notable, relaxed warmth and an enthusiastic vision of what can be in the future, the near future, under his leadership.

His clear command of where the Olympic Movement is and where he wants to go has made him a convincing candidate and he is one of the real contenders for the office.

But, as he said, the issue will be decided by about 100 people in a ballroom of a resort in Costa Navarino, Greece on 20 March. How it will turn out will depend, inevitably, in the level of trust and belief that the IOC members have in each candidate.

Samaranch’s enthusiasm, experience and expertise makes him a prime contender.

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PANORAMA: U.S. Senate Democrats block women-in-sports bill; MacLean gets U.S. women’s 1,500 m record; $1.2 million raised for AE 5342 victims

By
Rich Perelman
-
North wing of the U.S. Capitol, containing the Senate Chamber (Photo: Wikipedia via Scrumshus).

★ 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 ≡

● Anti-Doping ● Following the success of the 2022 European expansion initiative of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Intelligence & Investigations (I&I) initiative that touched 48 countries, 51 anti-doping organizations and 48 law enforcement agencies, a new program is being formed in Asia and Oceania.

The first of six workshops for Asia and Oceania began on Sunday (2nd) in Gold Coast (AUS), with Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and India all scheduled as hosts. The program will run for two years and be followed by projects in the Americas (2026-27) and Africa (2028-29).

● Transgender ● As had been expected, the U.S. Senate failed to advance S. 9, the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025” with 51 Republicans voting for it and 45 Democrats against it, short of the 60 votes needed to end debate and go to a final vote.

The bill passed in the U.S. House (H.R. 28), but now is stalled in the Senate. The text follows up on the Presidential Executive Order and includes:

“It shall be a violation … for a recipient of Federal funds who operates, sponsors, or facilitates athletic programs or activities to permit a person whose sex is male to participate in an athletic program or activity that is designated for women or girls.

“For purposes of this subsection, sex shall be recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.”

U.S. President Donald Trump signed his Executive Order – Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports – on 5 February, which included:

“Therefore, it is the policy of the United States to rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities, which results in the endangerment, humiliation, and silencing of women and girls and deprives them of privacy. It shall also be the policy of the United States to oppose male competitive participation in women’s sports more broadly, as a matter of safety, fairness, dignity, and truth.”

● Athletics ● More from the Last Chance Indoor Qualifier at Boston University on Sunday, with en-route times available in the fast men’s mile, won by former world indoor record holder Yared Nuguse in 3:47.22. He passed 1,500 m in 3:32.29, the no. 3 performance in U.S. indoor history.

Heather MacLean’s world-leading 4:17.01 women’s mile win included a 3:59.60 time at 1,500 m, moving her to no. 3 on the 2025 world indoor list and setting the American Record, crushing Regina Jacobs’ 3:59.98 from 2003. She is now no. 11 all-time indoors.

Graham Blanks won the men’s 3,000 m in a fast 7:29.72, no. 5 in the world for 2025 and now no. 4 on the all-time U.S. men’s indoor list. Nico Young took the men’s 5,000 m in a screaming 12:51.56, no. 2 on the world indoor list for 2025 behind Grant Fisher’s 12:44.09 in February, and no. 4 all-time U.S. indoors. He’s also now no. 5 all-time indoors worldwide.

In the women’s 5,000 m, Josette Andrews won a 1×1 duel with Emily MacKay, 14:44.80 to 14:45.81, now 1-2 on the 2025 world list, nos. 2-3 on the all-time U.S. list and nos. 11 and 13 on the all-time world indoor list. Wow.

“My time as the USATF Head Women’s Relays Coach has come to an end.”

That’s from an Instagram post by Mechelle Freeman, a Beijing 2008 relay Olympian, who handled the relay coordination for the American women’s teams at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games and 2022 and 2023 World Championships.

Her teams won both World Champs 4×100 m golds, a Tokyo Olympic silver and Paris gold in the 4×100 m and three of the four 4×400 m golds, but were disqualified for an errant pass 2023 Worlds.

Mike Marsh, the 1992 Barcelona men’s 200 m and 4×100 m champion, was also reported to have been let go as the men’s relays coach. He took over the men’s relays in 2022, with the U.S. 4×100 m squads getting silver at the 2022 Worlds, gold at the 2023 Worlds and passing out of the zone in Paris in 2024 and disqualified. All three men’s 4×400 m squads won gold.

● Figure Skating ● Sunday’s “Legacy on Ice” tribute show in Washington, D.C. honoring the skating victims of the 29 January crash of American Eagle flight 5342 drew a full house to the Capitol One Arena according to organizers Monumental Sports & Entertainment, Entertainment Gang and U.S. Figure Skating:

“The sellout event of more than 15,000 – including nearly 500 first responders and approximately 150 family members of victims in attendance to honor their loved ones – has raised nearly $1.2 million to date. That figure is expected to increase throughout this month with the live national broadcast on NBC taking place on March 30 where viewers will be encouraged to donate throughout the broadcast and upon the conclusion of an online auction featuring sports memorabilia, culinary and entertainment experiences, among other items.”

A display of 67 stars – one for each of those who perished on the flight and the Army helicopter which crashed into it – were displayed on the dasher boards around the rink. World Champion Ilia Malinin performed, as did current and former U.S. champions Amber Glenn, Alysia Liu, Johnny Weir, Jason Brown and others. The Associated Press reported:

“The poignant, two-plus-hour event was full of raw emotion, like 13-year-old Isabella Aparicio skating in memory of her brother, Franco, and father, Luciano, who were on the flight and weeping on her knees at the conclusion of her appearance. Maxim Naumov, who lost his parents in the crash, performed in their honor and wiped away tears as he left the ice, holding up an electric candle as applause rained down.”

The plan is for a third of the funds raised to go to the skating community, a third to first responders and a third to families.

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MILAN CORTINA 2026: Official hospitality packages now available, with a dizzying array of choices and (some high) prices

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ HOSPITALITY SALES OPEN ≡

Initial ticket sales for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games have been strong, with the organizing committee reporting 613,000 sales out of about 1.5 million available – about 41% – in less than a month on the market.

The companion hospitality program from Endeavor subsidiary On Location, the official provider for 2026 and Los Angeles 2028, is now available, with a wide array of events, styles and prices.

Simplified, the On Location offers are for seating or viewing of the Olympic events in four, escalating levels of service:

● Winter Essentials: Priority entry to the venue, grand-and-go snack and a special souvenir in addition to a ticket, usually in Category B or C

● Clubhouse 26: In-town hospitality center, priority venue entry, light food and drink, and a ticket, usually in Category A or B.

● Classic Lounge: On-venue lounge with “light Italian fare” before and during the event and a ticket, usually in Category A or B (some in Category C).

● Premium Lounge: On-venue lounge with buffet-style service before and during the event (with wine and beer), priority venue entry and Category A tickets. For some events, this level also requires that an accommodations package be purchased.

A simplified review of the sports and sessions available so far show a wide variety of options and packages for many sessions, but not for all as yet. Some highlights (remember, not all sessions are on offer; prices are in Euro: €1 = $1.05 U.S.; prices are for one person for one session):

Opening Ceremony (Milan):
● €7,750 per person: Premium Lounge only (accommodations required).

Closing Ceremony (Verona):
● €10,000 per person: Premium Lounge only.

Alpine Skiing/Men (Bormio):
● €2,000-2,500 per person depending on the event: Premium Lounge only.

Alpine Skiing/Women (Cortina):
● €650-695 per person depending on event: Clubhouse 26.
● Add €1,300-1,305 per person for Premium Lounge.

Biathlon (Cortina):
● €425-475-575 per person depending on event: Classic Lounge.
● Add €350-375-425 per person for Premium Lounge.

Bobsleigh (Cortina):
● €325-375-395-415 per person depending on event: Clubhouse 26

Cross Country (Predazzo):
● €750-850-900 per person depending on event: Premium Lounge.

Curling (Cortina; packages vary greatly by round and match):
● €225-250-275-300-350-375-495 per person depending on round: Clubhouse 26.
● Add €100-155 depending on round for Classic Lounge.
● Add €75 depending on round for Premium Lounge

Figure Skating (Milan):
● Accommodations package required for Premium Lounge program.
● 06 Feb.: €2,250 per person: Premium Lounge only
● 07 Feb.: €875 per person: Clubhouse 26; +€1,625 for Premium Lounge.
● 08 Feb.: €1,050 per person: Clubhouse 26
● 09 Feb.: €1,050 per person: Clubhouse 26; +€1,700 for Premium Lounge.
● 10 Feb.: €875 per person: Clubhouse 26; +€1,625 for Premium Lounge.
● 11 Feb.: €1,050 per person: Clubhouse 26; +€1,700 for Premium Lounge.
● 13 Feb.: €1,050 per person: Clubhouse 26; +€1,700 for Premium Lounge.
● 15 Feb.: €875 per person: Clubhouse 26; +€1,625 for Premium Lounge.
● 16 Feb.: €1,050 per person: Clubhouse 26; +€1,700 for Premium Lounge.
● 17 Feb.: €875 per person: Clubhouse 26; +€1,625 for Premium Lounge.
● 19 Feb.: €1,500 per person: Clubhouse 26; +€2,250 for Premium Lounge.
● 21 Feb.: €1,750 per person: Clubhouse 26; +€2,750 for Premium Lounge.

The final two, big-money sessions are for the women’s Free Skate on the 19th and the exhibition gala on the 21st.

Freestyle Skiing (Livigno):
● €325-375-425 per person depending on event: Clubhouse 26
● Add €425 depending on event: Premium Lounge.

Ice Hockey (Milano Rho Arena):
● €200-275-500 per person, depending on game: Clubhouse 26.
● €325-500-600-1,000 per person, depending on game: Classic Lounge.

Ice Hockey (Santagiulia Arena):
● €150-250-300-375-950 per person, for some games: Winter Essentials
● Add €175-200-225-350 for some games: Clubhouse 26
● Add €125-350 for some games: Classic Lounge
● Add €875-1,175-1,200 for some games: Premium Lounge
● €850 for men’s semifinals: Clubhouse 26; +€1,400 for Premium Lounge.

Luge (Cortina):
● €265-285-315 per person, depending on event: Clubhouse 26.

Short Track (Milan):
● €500-550-700 per person, depending on event: Clubhouse 26.
● Add € 500-700-800 depending on event: Premium Lounge.
● €1,000 for one session: Premium Lounge only.

Skeleton (Cortina):
● €270 per person: Clubhouse 26.

Ski Jumping (Predazzo):
● €1,250-1,500 per person, depending on event: Premium Lounge.

Ski Mountaineering (Bormio):
● €250 per person: Classic Lounge.

Snowboard (Livigno):
● €425-475 per person, depending on event: Clubhouse 26.
● Add €475 for some events: Premium Lounge.
● €800-1,100 per person, for some events: Premium Lounge.

Speed Skating (Milan):
● €400-450 per person, depending on event: Clubhouse 26.
● Add €150-200, depending on event: Classic Lounge.

The €1,100 offer for Snowboard is for the women’s Halfpipe qualifying, where American Chloe Kim could be trying to qualify to go for a third straight Winter Games gold. The Halfpipe final is not yet being offered!

It’s a pretty wild range of events, levels and prices and will only get more complex as more sessions are released. And, the order site reminds potential buyers that these prices do not include any applicable taxes!

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INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: Presidential candidate Watanabe stresses innovative 5-continent Olympics, AI in gymnastics judging

By
Rich Perelman
-
IOC Presidential candidate Morinari Watanabe (JPN), during his AIPS forum chat from a gymnastics training center in Ukraine! (AIPS video screenshot).

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

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≡ IOC PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ≡

The image was dramatic, as International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) president Morinari Watanabe (JPN) came on-screen for his hour-long interview session, discussing his campaign to be the next President of the International Olympic Committee in a forum arranged by the International Sports Journalists Association (AIPS).

Watanabe was speaking from a rhythmic gymnastics practice session in Ukraine!

Perhaps half a dozen girls were practicing with the Ribbon, in a gym adorned with the Ukrainian flag and the Olympic rings, and Watanabe confirmed that he was in Kyiv, having traveled from Frankfurt (GER) and the European Olympic Committees General Assembly that finished on Saturday. He explained:

“Why I am in Kyiv, Ukraine? We knew the result of the [Friday] meeting between President Trump and President Zelenskyy. I don’t know what everyone thought, but I became very worried about the Ukraine gymnasts. Because I always say that I am the father of gymnastics, and my gymnasts are my sons, and my daughters.

“People are worried about their future by the current situation. I think people should be here for people during difficult times. So that’s why I changed my schedule and I am here.”

Asked about the view of what he has seen in Kyiv, and the people he has talked to, he added:

“They are very worried, especially after the meeting with President Zelenskyy and Trump, but they like gymnastics. They like sports, they are continuing with the sports. That’s why we must support [them]. I was thinking, we must contribute for the peace, by sports. And my feeling [on this] is now more stronger.”

This follows Watanabe’s consistent pattern of showing support for those in difficulty. In January, as the firestorms raged in the Los Angeles area, the FIG was the only International Federation to post a message of support for Los Angeles, the site of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

He was asked about his radical idea to change the Olympic Games to a 24-hours-a-day event, held concurrently on five continents, with 10 sports – 50 total – held in each of five host cities or regions.

His idea is to share the impact of the Games simultaneously in all areas:

● “Paris 2024 was a historic success. However, I believe we should not be satisfied and that we must build on the success of these Games.”

● “[I]n contrast to the spectacular Olympic Games, the situation of the [National Olympic Committees] is far from strong. Economically, these countries are not [supportive]. In many countries, [the NOC’s] relationship with the government are not good. Olympians have no guarantee of a career once they retire. In addition, the way people look at the Olympic Games is not always welcome.”

● “The purpose of the Olympic Games is for as many people as possible to understand Olympism. And to contribute to the development of sports and peace. So, if we will organize this five-continent Olympic Games, we will get many benefits.”

● “For the athlete, each sport will take place in one of the five countries that offers the best climate and facilities for that sport. For the host countries, each country will host 10 sports, greatly reducing the financial burden.”

● “For marketing and the TV rights, there will be 24 hours coverage and more sponsorship potential. And new sources of continental sponsorship.”

As for prize money and the Olympic Games. Watanabe’s response was simple: no. He added:

“I do not agree that the IOC pay for the prize money. Because, I have visited 162 countries; you know, every country is different environment, situation, especially for the developing countries.

“They don’t have facilities, they don’t have a training system; we must support those developing countries. IOC should provide support to developing countries.”

He was further clear that as for the future of trans athletes, that human rights are important and that decisions must be taken on the basis of medical evidence.

Watanabe was also asked about fairness in judging and the manipulation of results. He’s all for a technological solution:

“In judging sports, we must be more fair. In reality, we have a problem, not just in gymnastics, and in many other sports. That’s why I started [pushing] for the AI judging system. We need technology, so I think we will see – in this year – in the world championships in gymnastics in Jakarta [INA], we can see with the judging – AI – how is judging in that [way].

“We need more transparent [judging], we need more, better judging.”

He sees gymnastics in the vanguard of the change to technology in judging. A follow-up question asked if removing people as judges in the future removes a “human” element in sport, and Watanabe pointed to other sports which are timed or measured:

“I want gymnastics to be like track & field, and sailing; no ‘human touch.’ It’s only calculated by AI, computer.”

He noted that people all have different views, as in art, which are informed by their own culture, which is necessarily regional, local and personal. But the judging in sports has to be universal, according to the criteria in the rules and should not be subject to the influences of people’s backgrounds and beliefs. Here is where technology can play an important, neutral role.

Observed: In a free-flowing conversation, Watanabe’s warmth and caring personal qualities come forward and make him a more attractive candidate than in his radical manifesto.

He is, nevertheless, a free-thinking futurist and his vision as expressed makes him almost sure to be the first candidate to be eliminated in the IOC Presidential vote on 20 March.

But as with other visionaries, do not be surprised if some of his ideas creep into the IOC’s thinking in the years to come, notably on the use of artificial intelligence and more direct development funding in countries which need facilities to encourage the development of sport.

And, in terms of supporting athletes, would any other candidate dare to go to Ukraine and do a live forum in a war zone?

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PANORAMA: About 41% of Milan Cortina 2026 tickets sold; Seoul skipped over as 2036 Korean OG candidate; three World Cup titles for Jordan Stolz!

By
Rich Perelman
-
The men's World Allround Champion, American Jordan Stolz (Photo: International Skating Union)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● Another big jump in ticket sales, as the Milan Cortina organizers announced that 613,000 – out of about 1.5 million to be available – have now been sold since the opening on 6 February. More details:

“This is a global success: in addition to the large number of tickets sold in Italy, significant demand has come from Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and France.

“The average number of tickets purchased per user during these first two sales windows is 6.5, with ice hockey, biathlon, cross-country skiing, and figure skating among the most in-demand sports. The most active age group so far has been 25 to 34 years old (over 30%), followed by the 35 to 44 age group (around 25%).”

The next sales period will open on 8 April; Paralympic sales will begin in March.

● Olympic Games 2036 ● A shocker in South Korea, as the Korean Sports and Olympic Committee (KSOC) voted by 49-11 to advance the candidature of the North Joella Province as a candidate for the 2036 Olympic Games. Seoul, host of the 1988 Olympic Games, was the other candidate.

The region includes cities such as Daegu, the 2011 host of the World Athletics Championships, Gwangju, which hosted the World Aquatics Championships in 2019 and numerous others, following the IOC’s preference for using existing facilities instead of building new.

The selection of North Joella must be approved by the Korean government and can then open discussions with the International Olympic Committee. There are perhaps a dozen candidates for 2036 already, including India, with no indication of any movement by the IOC until 2026 at the earliest.

≡ RESULTS ≡

● Alpine Skiing ● Austrian star Cornelia Huetter got back on the victory stand at the FIS women’s World Cup in Kvitfjell (NOR), winning Friday’s Downhill for her ninth career World Cup gold in 1:31.46, beating Emma Aicher (GER: 1:31.61) and American Breezy Johnson (1:31.86), the 2025 World Champion. Fellow American Jackie Wiles was eighth in 1:32.30.

Aicher, 21, moved up to the top of the podium in Saturday’s Downhill in 1:31.69, barely ahead of Worlds Super-G bronze winner Lauren Macuga of the U.S. (1:31.72) and Huetter (1:31.88). Johnson was 10th (1:32.31) and Wiles was 14th (1:32.50).

Sunday’s Super-G was an Italian 1-3, with Worlds runner-up Federica Brignone taking her eighth World Cup win of the season and extending her lead in the overall seasonal standings. She won a tight battle by taking the early lead in 1:30.11, ahead of Swiss star Lara Gut-Behrami (1:30.17) and Italy’s Sofia Goggia (1:30.20). Macuga was the top American, in 12th (1:30.95), and Lindsey Vonn was 16th (1:31.22).

The men’s World Cup was in Kranjska Gora (SLO), with Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR: 1:10.73) getting his second win of the season in a Giant Slalom over former Norwegian and now Brazilian Lucas Pinheiro Braathen (1:11.61) and seasonal World Cup leader Marco Odermatt (SUI: 1:10.88). River Radamus was the top American, in 12th (1:12.83).

Kristoffersen doubled his pleasure with a win in the Sunday Slalom, despite ranking only sixth after the first run. His second run was only the ninth-fastest, but his total of 1:39.26 was the best, ahead of Norway’s Timon Haugen (1:39.43) and Manuel Feller (AUT: 1:39.49).

● Artistic Swimming ● The medals were spread around at the the World Aquatics World Cup opener in Paris (FRA), with seven countries winning at least one event.

Paris Olympic Team bronze medal winner Iris Tio Casas (ESP) won the women’s Solo Technical at 240.0167 over China’s Huiyan Xu (239.1651). Germany’s two-time European silver winner Klara Bleyer won the Solo Free, scoring 211.9176, ahead of Vasilina Khandoshka (BLR: 200.0726), who competed as a “neutral” athlete.

Spain scored again in the women’s Duet Technical, with Txelle Ferre Gaset and Lilou Lluis Valette winning with 281.7383 over Japan’s Moka Fujii and Moa Higa (265.4225). Japanese teammates Uta Kobayashi and Tomoka Sato won the women’s Duet Free, scoring 214.9546 over Swiss teens Melody Halbeisen and Aimee Michel (201.4163).

Britain’s Ranjuo Tomblin won the men’s Solo Technical (214.3966) and Viktor Druzin (KAZ) took the Solo Free (127.2000).

Tomblin and Holly Hughes won the Mixed Duet Technical (182.9325), while Greece’s Maria Amerali and Stylianos Koukouselis Fouskis won the Mixed Duet Free (206.2708).

The U.S. – Olympic silver medalists in Paris – won the Team Acrobatic title, and was third in the Team Technical. Kazakhstan won the Team Free.

● Badminton ● At the German Open in Muelheim (GER), two-time Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen (DEN) won another men’s Singles title, this time defeating second-seed Kean Yew Loh (SGP), 21-18, 21-18 in the final. However, Singapore did get a win from top-seed Ja Min Yeo (SGP) in the women’s Singles, winning by 21-16, 21-17 over Thuy Linh Nguyen (VIE).

Won Ho Kim and Seung Jae Seo (KOR) took the men’s Doubles, winning over Christo Popov and Toma Junior Popov (FRA), 21-19, 21-17. The closely-contested women’s Doubles had Mizuki Otake and Miyu Takahashi (JPN) beating Gabriela Stoeva and Stefani Stoeva (BUL), 21-17, 20-22, 21-12.

The mixed team of Robin Tabeling (NED) and Alexandra Boje (DEN) won the Mixed Doubles, 21-17, 21-17 over Rehan Kusharjanto and Gloria Widjaja (INA).

● Cycling ● The Classics season in Europe began with the 80th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad race from Ghent to Ninove (BEL) and a win – off of a mass sprint to the line – for Norway’s Soren Waerendskjold in 4:37:53 for the hilly, 197 km course. It’s his first UCI World Tour win.

He edged France’s Paul Magnier and home favorites Jasper Philipsen and Brent van Moer, with the first 49 finishers receiving the same time.

The women’s race – 137.9 km from Ghent to Ninove – was won by Belgium’s Lotte Claes, who won a 1×1 sprint to the line over Aurela Nerlo (POL), both in 3:39:43. Dutch stars Demi Vollering and Puck Pieterse were 3:25 back.

● Freestyle Skiing ● At the FIS World Cup in Ski Cross in Gudauri (GEO), familiar stars won both men’s races, with 2023 World Champion Simone Deromedis (ITA) beating Ryo Sugai (JPN) to the line on Friday and then Canada’s Reece Howden winning his fourth race of the season, ahead of 2023 Worlds runner-up Florian Wilmsmann (GER) and Deromedis, on Saturday.

Two-time Olympic bronze medalist Fanny Smith (SUI) won Friday’s race for her first World Cup gold of the season, ahead of Italy’s Jole Galli, who won her third medal of the season. Galli got her second win of 2024-25 in Saturday’s race, beating Smith and Canada’s Courtney Hoffos.

Moguls and Aerials were on the schedule in Almaty (KAZ), and Canadian star – and all-time World Cup wins leader – Mikael Kingsbury swept the Moguls and Dual Moguls events for wins nos. 97 and 98. He scored 81.17 to win the Moguls on Friday from Daeyoon Jung (KOR: 79.08) and then defeated 2022 Olympic bronze winner Ikuma Horishima (JPN) in the Dual Moguls on Saturday.

The U.S. dominated the women’s events, with Tess Johnson winning the Moguls over teammate Jaelin Kauf, 77.68 to 77.66, and then Kauf winning the Dual Moguls on Saturday over Rino Yanagimoto (JPN). For Kauf, the Beijing 2022 Olympic runner-up, it was her fifth Dual Moguls wins in six events this season (she won silver in the other).

Sunday’s Aerials saw China’s two-time Olympian Xindi Wang get his first win of the season in the men’s final, scoring 127.50 to edge 2023 World Champion Noe Roth (SUI: 126.70) and 2022 Olympic champ Guangpu Qi (CHN: 122.62).

Australia’s two-time World Champion Laura Peel won the women’s Aerials for the fourth time in sex events this season. She scored 115.91 to beat China’s 2022 Olympic winner Mengtao Xu (101.74) and fellow Australian, three-time Worlds medalist Danielle Scott (87.06). Karenna Elliott of the U.S. was seventh.

● Judo ● Russia and Japan dominated the IJF World Tour Grand Slam in Tashkent (UZB), with Russian men winning six of seven classes: Ayub Bliev (60 kg), Ramazan Abdulaev (66 kg), Karen Galstian (73 kg), Timur Abruzov (81 kg), Matvey Kanikovskiy (100 kg) and Denis Batchaev (+100 kg) .

Japan blew through the women’s tournament with five victories, for Kano Miyaki (48 kg), Nanako Tsubone (52 kg), Akari Omori (57 kg), Kirari Yamaguchi (63 kg),  and Rin Maeda (70 kg).

● Modern Pentathlon ● The UIPM World Cup for 2025 opened in Cairo (EGY), with a tight win for European Team and Relay champ Matteo Cicinelli, scoring 1,565 in the men’s final against Mihaly Koleszar of Hungary (1,557) and Egypt’s Mohanad Shaban (1,554).

Cicinelli was second in fencing and swimming and came into the Laser Run as the second starter, trailing Shaban by 10 seconds. But Cicinelli was much the better runner and finished in 10:38.00 to 10:59.40 for Shaban and won the title; Koleszar ran and shot in 10:33.20 to move up to second.

Egypt’s 14-year-old Farida Khaul was a convincing women’s winner with 1,464 points to 1,445 for Viyaleta Hureyeva (BLR). Khaul won the Obstacle and Swimming and started with an 18-second lead in the Laser Run. She won the overall scoring easily, taking the tape by 19 seconds.

● Nordic Skiing ● Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo continued his winning ways at the FIS World Nordic Championships in Trondheim (NOR), following his men’s cross-country Sprint victory with the men’s 20 km Skiathlon on Saturday, leading a 1-2-3-4 Norwegian sweep.

Klaebo won his 11th career Worlds gold at 44:22.3, just ahead of teammates Martin Nyenget (44:23.7) and Harald Amundsen (same time), with Jan Janssen just 0.1 back at 44:23.8. Gus Schumacher was the top American, in ninth (44:25.9).

Sunday’s Women’s Skiathlon went to Sweden’s Ebba Andersson for her fourth career Worlds golds, winning with a lean at the line to beat Norway’s 14-time Worlds winner Therese Johaug, both in 47:57.1. Sweden’s Jonna Sundling, the Sprint winner, was third in 48:07.3. Jessie Diggins of the U.S. was 13th in 49:59.9.

In the Nordic Combined, the retiring Norwegian star Jarl Magnus Riiber won Saturday’s Compact event, off the 102 m hill and a 7.5 km race, in 17:13.4, edging teammate Jens Oftebro (NOR: 17:14.2) and Vinzenz Geiger (GER: 17:14.5). For Riiber, it was his 13th career Worlds medal (10-3-0) and sixth individual medal (5-0-1), matching Ronny Ackermann (GER: 4-1-1) for the most individual Worlds awards.

Ben Loomis was the top American, in 21st (18:25.4).

Riiber had previously won the Mixed Team event, with Oftebro and Gyda Westvold Hansen and Ida Marie Hagen in 36:37.5, way ahead of Germany (37:26.3). The U.S. squad of Annika Malacinski, Niklas Malacinski, Loomis and Alexa Brabec finished ninth (39:24.3).

On Sunday, the women’s Gundersen event, off the 102 m hill and a 5.0 km race, was a return to normalcy for Norway, going 1-2 with Westvold Hansen winning her third straight Worlds gold in this event in 13:42.9, ahead of Hagen (13:49.5) and Lisa Hirner (AUT: 13:50.4). Brabec finished 11th in 14:50.2.

In Saturday’s ski jumping, Norway took the women’s team gold, scoring 904.5 to 885.1 for Austria and 846.5 for Germany. The U.S. was seventh (613.7) with Paige Jones, Josie Johnson, Sandra Sproch and Annika Belshaw.

The men’s 102 m “Normal Hill” final on Sunday saw the home crowd go wild for Norway’s 2022 Olympic champ Marius Lindvik, who won the first round and totaled 265.5 to win his first Worlds golds. Germany’s Andreas Wellinger, the 2018 Olympic champ, finished second with 263.2 and Jan Hoerl (AUT: 256.3) was third.

American Tate Frantz was 16th (228.9).

● Snowboard ● At the FIS World Cup in Snowcross in Erzurum (TUR), German Leon Ulbricht, 20, scored his second career World Cup win, beating Beijing 2022 runner-up Eliot Grondin (CAN) to the line with American Nick Baumgartner, the two-time Worlds bronze winner, still going strong in third at age 43!

Britain’s 2021 World Champion, Charlotte Brookes, scored her fourth straight World Cup win on the season in the women’s final, winning over Lea Casta (FRA) and 2023 Worlds silver winner Josie Baff (AUS).

Australia won Sunday’s Mixed Team final with Cameron Bolton and Baff, over Huw Nightingale and Brookes for Britain.

The World Cup Parallel Giant Slalom in Krynica (POL) saw 44-year-old, six-time Worlds medalist Roland Fischnaller (ITA) got his first win of the season, beating 2018 Olympic runner-up Sang-ho Lee (KOR) in the men’s final.

Another 44-year-old, Austria’s three-time World Champion, Andreas Prommegger, won on Sunday in the Giant Slalom, over Italy’s Maurizio Bormolini in the final.

The 2018 women’s Olympic bronzer, Germany’s Ramona Theresia Hofmeister, won her sixth Parallel World Cup race of the season, beating Michelle Dekker (NED) in the final. Seasonal leader Tsubaki Miki (JPN) got her fourth win of the season in Sunday’s PGS, winning over Malena Zamfirova (BUL) in the final. Hofmeister won the bronze.

● Speed Skating ● The final ISU World Cup of the season was in Heerenveen (NED), with the home team Dutch scoring eight wins, and American star Jordan Stolz winning three seasonal World Cup titles.

The usually-dominant Stolz was slowed by strep throat and pneumonia after the Milwaukee World Cup at the start of February, explaining, “I’m healthy now, and just getting back into shape, I’ve done some training and my recovery is a little slow now, but I’ll be back.”

On Friday, Stolz was second to 2024 European champ Jenning De Boo (NED) in the first men’s 500 m, 34.18 to 34.27, then finished fifth in the 1,500 m (1:44.72), won by Peder Kongshaug in 1:44.01. However, Stolz took the seasonal title, 340-291 over Kongshaug.

Stolz skipped the men’s 1,000 m on Saturday, won by De Boo in 1:07.45 over American Cooper Mcleod (1:07.87). Stolz won the seasonal 1,000 m title by 300-276 over De Boo, with Mcleod third with 257.

Chris Huizenga won the men’s 5,000 m in 6:08.07, with Norway’s Sander Eitrem second in 6:10.10, but Eitrem took the seasonal trophy, 330-311, over Italian star Davide Ghiotto. Casey Dawson of the U.S. finished fifth in the Saturday race in 6:13.85.

Sunday had the second 500 m, won by emerging star Yevgeniy Koshkin (KAZ: 34.46), ahead of Canada’s 2021 World Champion Laurent Dubreuil (34.51) and De Boo (34.52). Mcleod was fifth in 34.62, but Stolz – who did not compete – won the season’s title with 568 points, to 476 for Dubreuil.

Italian Andrea Giovannini won the Mass Start in 7:48.31 and won the seasonal trophy, overtaking Bart Hoolwerf (NED), 270-252.

The U.S. team of Dawson, Emery Lehman and Ethan Cepuran won the Team Pursuit in 3:39.40 and got the seasonal title, 174-168, over Italy.

The women’s 500 m had two-time World Champion Femke Kok winning both races. She won on Friday in 37.05, with Olympic champ Erin Jackson of the U.S. third in 37.71. Kok then won on Sunday in 37.13, with Jackson second in 37.43. But Jackson won the seasonal title, 524-480 over Poland’s Andzelika Wojcik. Kok won all five races she entered, but did not compete in six others.

In the 1,000 m, Beijing Olympic runner-up Jutta Leerdam won in 1:14.27, ahead of Olympic champ Miho Takagi (JPN: 1:14.49), with American star Brittany Bowe in sixth at 1:15.27. Takagi won the seasonal title, 354-256 over Bowe.

Joy Beune (NED), the 2024 World Allround Champion, won the 1,500 m in 1:53.70, beating Takagi (1:53.99) and Mei Han (CHN: 1:54.52), but Takagi won this seasonal crown as well, with 336 points to Beune’s 282. Bowe was sixth (210).

In the 3,000 m, 2023 World Champion Ragne Wiklund (NOR: 3:57.41) beat Beune (3:58.72) by more than a second, with Italy’s two-time Olympic medalist, Francesca Lollobrigida, third in 3:58.89. On the season, Wiklund was the winner with 326 points to 269 for Lollobrigida.

Dutch Mass Start star Marijke Groenewoud – two-time World Champion – win in 8:27.52, barely edging Canada’s two-time World Champion Ivanie Blondin (8:27.54) and American Mia Manganello (8:27.62). Fellow American Greta Myers was sixth (8:32.55). Groenewoud won the seasonal title, 340-247, over Manganello.

The Dutch won the women’s Team Pursuit in 2:54.87 and took the seasonal trophy with 180 points. The U.S., with Bowe, Manganello and Myers, was third in the race (3:00.19) and third in the seasonal standings as well (144).

● Wrestling ● American Dymond Guilford took the women’s gold in the 76 kg class at the UWW Ranking Series Muhamet Malo in Tirana (ALB) for the only U.S. victory in the women’s Freestyle division.

American women also four bronzes from Erin Golston (50 kg), Amanda Martinez (57 kg), Adaugo Nwachukwu (62 kg) and Alex Glaude (72 kg), and finished third in the women’s team standings (109), behind Japan (158) and Ukraine (110).

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ATHLETICS: World record 20-6 3/4 for Duplantis; world leads for Takele and Asefa at Tokyo Marathon, for Moll at Big 10

By
Rich Perelman
-
Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele wins the Tokyo Marathon in a world-leading 2:03:23 (Photo: Tokyo Marathon on X).

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

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≡ MORE RECORDS! ≡

He did it again! Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis set the 11th world record of his career with a victory at Friday’s All-Star Perche in Clermont-Ferrand (FRA) at 6.27 m (20-6 3/4)!

He was on fire from the start, clearing 5.65 m (18-6 1/2), 5.91 m (19-4 3/4), 6.02 m (19-9) and 6.07 m (19-11) all on his first try, leaving Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis (6.02 m) in second place. Duplantis then arched over 6.27 m on his first try for his second world mark set in this meet (also in 2023). Year-by-year:

● 2020: 2 records set (2 indoor)
● 2022: 3 (2 indoor)
● 2023: 2 (1 indoor)
● 2024: 3
● 2025: 1 (1 indoor: 6 total)

Remember, he’s still just 25.

American Olympic 1,500 m bronze winner Yared Nuguse made a run to re-gain the world record in the indoor mile at the 2025 Last Chance Indoor Qualifier at Boston University on Sunday afternoon, but fell just short.

He was chased throughout by Australian star Olli Hoare but was clear at the front at 3:19.74 with a lap to go. Nuguse won in 3:47.22 with Hoare well back at 3:50.77 and then Luke Houser in third at 3:51.14.

It’s the no. 5 performance all-time indoors and Nuguse now owns three of the top six.

The women’s mile was a world lead for 2002 U.S. Indoor champ Heather MacLean, who broke away by the 800 m mark and won in a world-leading 4:17.01, well ahead of Italian Olympian Sintayehu Vissa (4:21.51) and New Zealand’s Maia Ramsden (4:21.56).

MacLean’s time moves her to no. 4 all-time, with the no. 5 performance and to no. 2 all-time U.S. with the no. 3 performance. Wow.

At the Big 10 Championships in Indianapolis, Washington’s vaulting Moll twins produced a sensational 1-2 finish in the women’s vault, with another collegiate record.

Amanda was already the world leader at 4.88 m (16-0), and she and sister Hana both cleared 4.81 m (15-9 1/4) on their first attempt, and then Amanda increased her world-lead and the collegiate record by clearing 4.91 m (16-1 1/4), moving to equal-8th on the all-time indoor-outdoor world list, and equal-6th all-time indoors. Hana is now equal-6th all-time U.S. indoor.

At the last World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meet in Madrid (ESP), the U.S. got wins from Brian Faust in the men’s 400 m in 45.74, and from two-time World Champion Chase Jackson in the women’s shot at 19.48 m (63-11).

Jonah Koech of the U.S. was second in the men’s 800 m, 1:45.39 to 1:45.78, to Belgium’s Adrian Ben, and Dylan Beard was fifth in the 60 m hurdles in 7.54. Cuba’s Lazaro Martinez won the men’s triple jump with a seasonal best of 17.12 m (56-2) and countrywomen Leyanis Perez won the women’s TJ at 14.42 m (47-3 3/4). Britain’s Molly Caudery won the women’s vault with a season’s best 4.85 m (15-11).

World-leading performances for both men and women at the Tokyo Marathon, the first of the World Marathon Majors for 2025.

The men’s race had nine together at the half, but it was down to five by 30 km, with Kenyan Shadrack Kimining in the lead. He fell off the pace and the race was to be decided between Vincent Ngetich (KEN) and Ethiopians Tadese Takele and Deresa Geleta, running together at 35 km.

Takele, just 22 and a Tokyo Olympian in the Steeple, broke away and ran alone to the finish in 2:03:23, a lifetime best by one second over his 2023 Berlin third-place finish in 2:03:24. Geleta, fifth in the Paris Olympic marathon, was second (2:03:51, his third-best ever) and Ngetich, third in 2024, was third again in 2:04:00. They are 1-2-3 on the 2025 world list; fourth-placer Titus Kipruto (KEN: 2:05:34) ranks 10th.

The women’s race had defending champion Sutume Asefa (ETH) dominating the race from the start. She had a 44-second lead after 5 km, 42 seconds at 10 km, and 1:31 by the half. Fellow Ethiopian Tigist Ketema was similarly all alone in second, 31 seconds in front of Rosemary Wanjiru (KEN) at the halfway mark.

Asefa continued strongly and was never headed, although she slowed in the final 5 km, winning in a world-leading 2:16:31 for back-to-back titles. Kenya’s Winfridah Moraa moved up for second in the second half of the race and finished with a lifetime best of 2:16:56, followed by 2019 World Cross Country champ Hawi Feysa (ETH) in 2:17:00, also a lifetime best.

The women’s top three also moved to 1-2-3 on the year list; fourth-placer Magdalyne Masai (KEN: 2:19:28) stands seventh.

The USATF Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta, Georgia, the selection race for the U.S. team for the 2025 World Road Running Championships in San Diego in September, started in near-freezing conditions, with two-time Steeple Olympian Hillary Bor leading a pack of nine through 10 km of the men’s race in 28:27.

The pack was six by 15 km, with Bor still leading, then he, Shadrack Kipchirchir – the 2016 10,000 m Olympian – and Alex Maier broke away. Maier, the 2022 NCAA 10,000 m runner-up, strode away after 19 km and won easily in 1:00:48, a lifetime best by three seconds.

It’s his first national title, and he was followed by Kipchirchir (1:00:58) and Bor (1:00:59) to make the U.S. team.

The women’s Half saw Weini Kelati, who won the U.S. Cross Country and 10,000 m titles in 2024, out in front at 10 km in 32:03, nicely in front of four others by eight seconds. By 15 km, Emma Grace Hurley and Taylor Roe had taken over and Kelati was third, seven seconds behind Roe. But Roe, eighth at the 2024 Olympic Trials 5,000 m, had the most left and sprinted away at the 19 km mark, winning in a lifetime best of 1:07:22.

Grace Hurley was second in 1:07:35 and Kelati faded, with Amanda Vestri getting third in 1:08:17. Jessica McClain was well back in fourth in 1:08:37; Kelati finished sixth (1:09:07).

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SWIMMING/Update II: Reports say Rawak withdrew as USA Swimming CEO due to SafeSport complaint

By
Rich Perelman
-
Chrissi Rawak will not take the USA Swimming chief executive position after all (Photos: USA Swimming)

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≡ THE LATEST ≡

/1 March p.m. update/New reports indicate that a U.S. Center for SafeSport complaint against USA Swimming CEO-to-be Chrissi Rawak emerged and she then chose to withdraw. A USA Swimming statement sent to Swimming World Magazine read:

“Today’s news is concerning and disappointing to USA Swimming and our broader community. The fundamental responsibility of USA Swimming, above all else, is to protect the safety and well-being of our athletes.

“In the past few days, USA Swimming was made aware, for the first time, of the existence of a report that was filed with the U.S. Center for SafeSport after Chrissi Rawak’s appointment was announced. These matters, which we are only now coming to understand, were previously unknown and were not disclosed to USA Swimming during the rigorous vetting process of Ms. Rawak. This process was led by a reputable search firm and a dedicated stakeholder task force, followed well-established best practices, and was conducted with the highest possible degree of due diligence, including external reference and background checks.

“Immediately upon receiving limited information from the Center earlier this week, USA Swimming raised the matter with Ms. Rawak (with approval from the Center, which has exclusive jurisdiction over this claim), at which point Ms. Rawak informed us of her decision to resign. We are and remain bound by confidentiality obligations under the SafeSport Code, which we take very seriously in order to protect the integrity of the reporting process and of any athletes involved. This matter remains exclusively with the Center. “

No more details were provided. SafeSport does not comment on such matters.

/1 March a.m. update/Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde obtained a text sent by Rawak to the Delaware athletic department which described the reasons for her withdrawal:

“It has been a very difficult last few days. My mother in law passed away unexpectedly and my father in law is not in a good place and will likely come back to DE with us. Because of this I have made the incredibly difficult decision to not become the CEO USA Swimming [sic]. While this is incredibly difficult there is nothing more important than my family and this is what is needed. This is going to be announced tonight and I wanted you to be aware. Not asking you to do anything just did not want you to be surprised. I will be out of the office next week working through this with my family.”

A stunning announcement was posted Friday by USA Swimming:

“USA Swimming today announced that, due to unforeseen personal circumstances that we learned about late this week, Chrissi Rawak will not assume the role of President and CEO. Shana Ferguson remains in place as Interim CEO.

“While this outcome is not what we expected or hoped for, we maintain the utmost confidence in the strength of our organization, leadership team, staff, and strategic direction. The Board and leadership team of USA Swimming are working closely together to continue advancing the organization’s priorities including our search for the next National Team Managing Director where we are making very good progress.”

Rawak was announced on 19 February after a national search, and was slated to take over on 14 March.

The USA Swimming Web site announcement of her hiring has been deleted and she continues to be listed on the Delaware athletics site as the Athletic Director. She came to the Blue Hens in 2016 from Michigan, where she was the Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director. She was a swimmer at Michigan from 1988-92.

Rawak said that her first order of business was to be finding a new director of the national team, which the USAS Board will apparently now undertake, according to its statement.

The search effort that found Rawak was led by NU Advisory Partners, working in coordination with a USA Swimming Board of Directors task force led by At-Large members Katy Arris Wilson and Sabir Muhammad.

Ferguson was appointed as interim chief executive after Tim Hinchey’s departure announced on 29 August 2024, ending a seven-year term heading the organization. He replaced the late Chuck Wielgus, who was lost to colon cancer in April 2017, and had been the head of the federation since July 1997.

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LOS ANGELES 2028: L.A. City Council requests report on waiver of permitting reviews for temporary Olympic and Paralympic installations

By
Rich Perelman
-
The L.A. City Council vote on the motion to commission a report on permit waivers for the LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games (L.A. City Council video screenshot).

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≡ PERMIT EXEMPTIONS FOR 2028? ≡

The Los Angeles City Council cautiously advanced, by an 11-1 vote, a motion directing the City staff to prepare a report on the advisability of waiving the usual, lengthy permitting reviews via an ordinance to assist the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic organizing committee with temporary installations for the 2028 Games.

There was consistent and considerable negative public feedback on the motion, tied to two points:

(1) What constitutes “temporary” installations and what makes a request “related to the Olympics” and

(2) A fear of the proposed “gondola” – the Los Angeles Aerial Rapid Transit project – between Union Station and Dodger Stadium that could somehow use such an ordinance to allow it to be approved against community concerns.

The motion as it came to the City Council was slowed down a bit from discussions in committee, with a report and a draft ordinance to be delivered by City staff, instructed to:

“prepare a report with recommendations, including budgetary/fiscal impacts, and an accompanying draft ordinance that will not be considered until the reports are prepared and considered …”

The actual action of such an ordinance would be to:

“exempt Olympic and Paralympic temporary and permanent venues, training facilities, security perimeters, broadcast and media centers, transit infrastructure, live sites and fan zones, and associated structures (2028 Games Projects) from the requirements of City Planning approvals, zoning regulations, and conditions, if applicable, including but not limited to Conditional Use Permits (CUPs) and conditions tied to such permits, Site Plan Review requirements, height restrictions, setback requirements, limitations imposed by Specific Plans, and any other planning or zoning regulations …”

In order to meet the concerns over the Dodger Stadium gondola project, an amendment was added to specifically exclude from any exemptions, “any large-scale, permanent cable guided transportation project and associated infrastructure.”

The City’s Department of Building and Safety to create a “establish a dedicated unit to manage and expedite all development services related to the 2028 Games Projects and projects related to other major events.”

The vote was unanimous other than by Council member Imelda Padilla (6th District), who told the Council:

“I’m very disappointed that we are still taking a really long time with this. I think those of us who took the time to make the trip to go educate ourselves on what exactly these facilities look like and potentially look like to understand the difference between what is permanent vs. non-permanent, like, are we really going to have another conversation related to what those could potentially be?

“I feel like we are on the cusp of potentially losing all of the benefits that we could potentially get from the fact that we’re going to be hosting the Olympics because we keep having questions.

“I think our Planning Department , with the way we have this presented to us already, will get the job done, to get us moving, so colleagues, I’ve got to just say I’m not convinced with any of these three amendments.”

She voted against the amendments and the overall motion. There was no specified timetable for the report to be delivered. 

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PARIS 2024: French Mint says 220 of the 5,084 medals it produced (4.3%) have been returned for refinishing

By
Rich Perelman
-
French swimming bronze winner Yohann Ndoye Brouard pictured the condition of his Paris 2024 Olympic medal on X on 28 December 2024.

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≡ THE LATEST ≡

Athlete complaints about their Paris Olympic and Paralympic medals deteriorating quickly are being handled directly by the manufacturer, the French Mint.

In a statement to Agence France Presse, the Mint explained:

“The Monnaie de Paris has replaced some of them and is continuing its replacement operation at the request of the athletes,” and added that it had “done everything possible, from August 2024, to ensure the replacement of the medals concerned.”

The earliest complaint was from American skateboard medalist Nyjah Huston of the U.S., who posted an image of his men’s Street bronze with a cracking exterior about 10 days after receiving it and before the Paris Olympic Games ended!

A total of 220 medals out of the 5,084 produced – 4.3% – have been requested to be repaired, with a new coat of varnish to be applied.

The medal design was created by the French jewelry house Chaumet, a unit of the luxury goods conglomerate LVMH, a first-tier sponsor of the Paris 2024 organizing committee, and included a historic piece of iron from the Eiffel Tower, saved during a prior restoration.

The Mint made the medals, and after the aggressive deterioration of the exteriors was report, it identified an issue with a new varnish that did not contain chromium trioxide, which was banned by the European Union as a carcinogenic in September 2024.

In the midst of changing over quickly during the medal manufacturing process, the new varnish did not work as perfectly as hoped, and a new solution was found to deal with the finish problems cited by the athletes.

No timetable was given on how long the repair process will take or when the submitted medals will be returned.

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PANORAMA: Milan Cortina sliding track icing plant starts up (on time!); British diving star Matty Lee retires; Japan shocks at Nordic Worlds

By
Rich Perelman
-
Norwegian star Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo celebrates another World Championships gold (Photo: Wikipedia via Av Stein Langørgen).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● “A historic day, a great result, the result of extraordinary teamwork. I thank the women and men who made all this possible and in particular the Government for their constant closeness and support.”

That’s Fabio Saldini, chief executive of the Società Infrastrutture Milano Cortina 2026 (Simico), responsible for the government’s construction responsibilities for the 2026 Winter Games, commenting on the next step in the completion of the new sliding track in Cortina d’Ampezzo. He added:

“Today we started to ice and will continue throughout next week: this is the beginning of the path that will lead us to the pre-homologation that will begin on March 24, as planned. We respected the schedule and we quickly and well built the new track: some didn’t believe it, today the facts speak for themselves. A track, beautiful, safe, sustainable. The Sliding Centre is a reality, a beautiful reality.”

The track is being built on an extremely tight time schedule, with the 2026 organizers even arranging a back-up plan to hold the bobsled, luge and skeleton events in Lake Placid, New York, if necessary. Controversy continues in Italy as to whether the post-2026 Games use of the track will have been worth the expense and drama.

● Diving ● British star Matty Lee, who teamed with Tom Daley to win the Tokyo 2020 Olympic men’s 3 m Synchro gold, announced his retirement at age 26.

Lee and Daley scored a major upset in 2021, defeating China’s reigning World Champions Aisen Chen and Yuan Cao by a tight 471.81 to 470.58, despite losing on five of the six dives. A 20-point margin in the fourth dive turned out to be decisive.

Lee and Daley won the men’s 3 m Synchro bronze at the 2019 Worlds, and Lee and Noah Williams won silver at the 2022 Worlds. Lee and Lois Toulson took the 2017 Worlds silver in the Mixed 3 m Synchro.

Lee wrote on Instagram:

“After 20 years in the sport, it’s time for me to step away from diving. This decision hasn’t been easy, but after losing my dad in 2022, I struggled to find the same passion I once had, he was my why. Then came injuries, [spinal] surgeries, and the realization that I don’t want to be a broken man moving forward. …

“What’s next? Honestly, I don’t know. And that’s both terrifying and exciting. But I do know this. there’s more to life than diving, and I’m ready for it.”

● Nordic Skiing ● The 44th FIS World Nordic Worlds are underway in Trondheim (NOR), with a shock in the Nordic Combined.

The women’s Nordic Combined has only a short history at the World Championships, held in 2021 and 2023, with Norway’s Gyda Westvold Hansen winning the Individual gold both times and Norway winning four of the six medals in those two editions. In the 2024-25 women’s World Cup, Norwegians had won eight of the 12 races so far.

The women’s Mass Start event – the first ever at the Worlds – started with a 5 km race and followed with jumping off the 102 m hill, and Westvold Hansen led after the race at 13:36.3, followed by teammate Marte Leinan Lund (13:38.3).

But in the jumping, it was the Japanese sisters Yuna Kasai and Haruka Kasai who emerged as contenders. Haruka finished second in the jumping and Yuna was third and with Westvold Hansen only seventh, and so it was Yuna Kasai who became World Champion with 121.0 points to 118.7 for Westvold Hansen and 115.6 for Haruka Kasai!

Moreover, American Alexa Brabec, 20, was seventh in the race and eighth in the jumping, but the consistency placed her fourth at 111.4, just a few points out of the medals, a big surprise.

Seasonal leader Nathalie Armbruster (GER) finished sixth; American Annika Malacinski was 25th.

No such shocks in the men’s Cross Country Freestyle Sprint, as Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo won the men’s race in a tight finish with Federico Pellegrino (ITA), 2:45.74 to 2:46.41, with Finland’s Lauri Vuorinen (2:50.53) in third. American Ben Ogden made it to the semifinals and finished 12th overall in 2:49.68.

It was Klaebo’s 10th career Worlds gold, stretching back to 2019 and his fourth straight Sprint title. Pellegrino was the 2017 World Sprint Champion and a two-time Olympic Sprint silver medalist and won his third Worlds medal in the event (1-2-0).

The women’s Freestyle Sprint was the third straight Worlds gold for Sweden’s 2022 Olympic Sprint champ Jonna Sundling, who crossed the line with a convincing win in 3:03.36, ahead of Kristine Skistad (NOR: 3:05.49) and Nadine Faehndrich (SUI: 3:06.20). Skistad and Faehndrich both won their first individual Worlds medals.

American Julia Kern was a very creditable fifth in 3:13.89; superstar Jessie Diggins and teammate Kate Oldham were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

The Nordic Worlds continue through next week.

● Wrestling ● American Chance Marstellar scored a men’s Freestyle gold at 86 kg at the United World Wrestling Muhamet Malo Ranking Series event in Tirana (ALB).

Marsteller won his three matches by pin (1:17), then 4-0 and 2-0 to finished undefeated and unscored on.

Rio 2016 gold medalist Kyle Snyder won a bronze at 97 kg, losing in the semifinals on criteria to Japan’s Arash Yoshida, at 5-5. Snyder went through a grueling effort just to get the Tirana, competing in a Professional Wrestling League (PWL 8) tournament in Astana (KAZ) on Tuesday and then flying to Albania to compete on Thursday!

The U.S. finished the men’s Freestyle events with five medals (1-0-4) and 97 points, second to Iran (135).

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ATHLETICS: Sprint stars Sears, Asher-Smith and Paris 800 m speedsters Wanyonyi and Hoppel confirmed as Kingston Slam “Challengers”

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ GRAND SLAM TRACK ≡

With the opening of the Grand Slam Track season coming soon from 4-6 April in Kingston, Jamaica, the list of “Challengers” is slowly being filled to complete the fields.

Announced on Thursday were four more entries, who will compete in three of the event groups:

Men/Short Distance (800 m + 1,500 m):
● Challenger (new): Bryce Hoppel (USA) ~ American Record
● Challenger (new): Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) ~ Paris Olympic Champion
● Racer: Marco Arop (CAN) ~ 2023 World Champion
● Racer: Cole Hocker (USA) ~ Paris Olympic 1,500 m Champion
● Racer: Yared Nuguse (USA) ~ Paris Olympic 1,500 bronze
● Racer: Josh Kerr (GBR) ~ 2023 World 1,500 m Champion

Women/Short Sprints (100 m + 200 m):
● Challenger (new): Jacious Sears (USA) ~ World no. 3 in 2024 (10.77)
● Challenger: Alana Reid (JAM) ~ 2024 World Junior Champion
● Racer: Brittany Brown (USA) ~ Paris Olympic 200 m bronze
● Racer: Melissa Jefferson (USA) ~ Paris Olympic 100 m bronze
● Racer: Daryll Neita (GBR) ~ 4th in Paris Olympic 100 m final
● Racer: Gabby Thomas (USA) ~ Paris Olympic 200 m Champion

Women/Long Sprints (200 m + 400 m):
● Challenger (new): Dina Asher-Smith (GBR) ~ 2019 200 m World Champion
● Racer: Salwa Eid Naser (BRN) ~ 2019 World 400 m Champion
● Racer: Alexis Holmes (USA) ~ 2025 USA Indoor 400 m Champion
● Racer: Nickisha Pryce (JAM) ~ 2024 NCAA 400 m Champion
● Racer: Marileidy Paulino (DOM) ~ Paris Olympic 400 m Champion

This brings the total of announced “Challengers” to 10 out of 48, with the full complement of 48 “Racers” already selected.

The fun part of this is that 800 m specialists like Arop, Hoppel and Wanyonyi will now be seen in the 1,500 m and vice versa for mile stars like Hocker, Kerr and Nuguse.

Each race group will have eight athletes, so more “Challengers’ will be signed for each meet and in all race groups, also including Short Distance (800-1,500 m) and Long Distance (3,000 m-5,000 m). A total of 24 events will be held over the three days of each Slam. The scoring:

“Competitors will receive points for their finishing position in each of their two races. From 1st to 8th place the points are distributed as: 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1. The competitor who finishes with the highest total number of points after the completion of both events will be crowned Slam Champion for their event group with prize money being paid out to each corresponding place.”

Prize money will range from $100,000 for the group winner, down to $10,000.

The four meets are in Kingston (4-6 April), Miramar, Florida (2-4 May), Philadelphia (30 May-1 June) and Los Angeles (27-29 June).

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SALT LAKE CITY-UTAH 2034: Winter Games organizing committee starts up, as “a gift for us to be able to serve the world”

By
Rich Perelman
-
Salt Lake City-Utah 2034 chief executive Brad Wilson (l) and Board Chair Fraser Bullock at Thursday's news conference (SLC-Utah 2034 video screenshot).

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≡ SLC-UTAH 2034 STARTS UP ≡

Fraser Bullock was the Chief Operating Officer of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games organizing committee and spent the next 22 years working to bring the event back to Salt Lake City, finally co-leading the bid committee which was awarded the 2034 Winter Games last year.

On Thursday, the first meeting of the Salt Lake City-Utah 2034 Board and Steering Committee was held, part of which was available to be viewed by reporters. Bullock told the Steering Committee by way of introduction:

“We’ve been awarded the Games; it’s really a gift for us to be able to serve the world.

“That’s how I look at the Games and we’ve been given this gift of 2034 hosting, to serve the world. And when I think about that and the opportunity to bring unity to our communities, whether it’s local, national or worldwide, it’s such a powerful tool to look at the great, aspirational and inspirational lives of the athletes, how they inspire us to do better, to do more, to accomplish what we all think is impossible, to embody the Olympic and Paralympic values. …

“And this group here, collectively, is going to drive that opportunity to make sure we make the most of it that we can.”

Bullock and organizing committee chief executive Brad Wilson, a former speaker of the Utah House, explained that the he steering group, seen as an advisory and outreach complement to the Board, will meet three of four times per year, with one meeting designated to be in-person.

First up, however, is how to deal with all of the enthusiasm already percolating inside Utah. Wilson explained:

“We’re gearing up to start a listening tour. We’re going to be meeting with our host venue communities, other communities throughout the state.

“I got a call yesterday from the Mayor of Garden City [population 602], Mayor Mike [Leonhardt] up there, wanting to know how Garden City – up at Bear Lake – could help prepare, to be involved in the Olympic Movement.

“From literally every corner of the state, we’re going to be engaging and listening to you.”

And there is an overarching goal, well beyond the actual staging of the Games in 2034, per Wilson:

“First and foremost, how do we engage the youth? How do we find ways to touch kids across the state. With a nine-year runway, it’s very likely there’s kids in classes today here in this state who could be athletes in 2034.

“And so we want to make sure we do everything we can to engage the youth in this state and we have some strategies. …

“And we want to touch not just kids along the Wasatch Front that are proximate to venues, the kids in rural Utah as well.”

The organizing committee itself is going to be quite small for a while. The SLC-Utah 2034 organizers will not have any commercial rights to sell for several years, at least until the Los Angeles 2028 Games have passed. Wilson noted:

“We are engaging people right now and we have remarkable donors, who have already stood up and said they want to help contribute and really donors are the foundation we’re working from. And they are funding our efforts, over about the next 5-6 years. All of our operating budget will come from the philanthropic community, and not just in Utah, but others. …

“One of the things we did today, we approved the ability to hire, to start hiring and build our team, and we’re going to have maybe 5-6 employees this year, at the most. We’ll start out with two in the month of March and grow from there.

“The reason I point that out is that I just think it illustrates we’re going to be a lean, mean, fighting machine and be very frugal in terms of the way we ramp up towards the Games.”

Those first two staff members will be Cat Raney Norman, the four-time Olympic speed skater who was the much-respected Chair of the Bid Committee, who will lead the fund-raising effort, and Darren Hughes, the technical wizard behind the bid and who was also a member of the 2002 organizing committee.

Bullock and Wilson both pointed out that the bid effort was especially aggressive so that the usual panic starts of many organizing committees could be avoided:

● Wilson: “My job as CEO is very different than what a CEO’s job might be in another host venue. There’s a reason for that. There are things I don’t have to do as the CEO that other CEOs would have to ramp up. It’s a long list of things that were accomplished during the bid process that Fraser and his team did, that were just remarkable.”

● Bullock: “One of the things that we wanted to do during the bid phase was do as much of the early work of the organizing committee we could do, to allow the organizing committee to aspire to loftier expectations.

“And the other thing we wanted to do is we did these things to de-risk the Games, because a lot of these things have economics associated with them, and to the extent we could get them locked in, we knew what our numbers were, instead of speculating what our numbers would be. …

“Some of the key elements of [organizing committee] work that we completed: no. 1, and maybe most important, is that we have all of the venue use agreements done … we have 100% completed those and we’re thrilled with our venue partners.

“Second of all, we have 21,000 hotel rooms under contract already, and we have a few more to go, but we’re thrilled about that, and we have a Games budget that’s very thorough. Most bids, it’s hard to figure out how all the economics are going to work and so it’s a little bit more speculation. Fortunately for us, given our experience in ‘02 and given the experience with people around the table, we put together a very, very robust budget, in which we feel a high level of confidence.

“So with all those pieces in place, it frees up the organizing committee to work on things like engaging our communities and youth.”

Wilson added:

“I’ve been overwhelmed personally with the people that have reached out – and I mean overwhelmed in a good way – that want to be involved, that want to volunteer, and I think our challenge, quite frankly, is going to be keeping track.

“Because we don’t have a lot of work to do right now, but everyone wants to help. And so we don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings wen we say, ‘yeah, we want your help, but we just don’t want it yet.’ And we’re going to want it, down the road.”

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LOS ANGELES 2028: LA28 sales chief sees $2 billion in sponsorships by end of 2025; staff up to 250 now

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ LA28 SALES UPDATE ≡

“Los Angeles is having its Team USA-U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Partners Summit, which is anticipating the [Winter] Games in Milano Cortina, and the Games in Los Angeles in 2028.

“The team for LA 2028 is finally becoming a real team, with now about 250 people and you can see that with a little more than three-and-a-half years away, it’s all very, very real.”

That’s U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee Board Chair Gene Sykes, during Thursday morning’s online first meeting of the Salt Lake City-Utah 2034 Steering Committee, sharing an update on the progress of the LA28 organizing committee.

It was noted that the success of the Los Angeles Games in 2028 will have a major impact on Salt Lake’s success six years later. Explained USOPC chief executive Sarah Hirshland, sharing more from the sponsor meetings in L.A.:

“One of the conversations we had, and the data we’re looking at, is the impact of the success of the Paris Games on Milan Cortina [2026]. And there is, as you can imagine, we all do quite a bit of market research around what the consumer sentiment is, where the American people are, in perceptions of the Olympic & Paralympic Movement.

“And the reality is, the success of the Paris Games and the positive momentum that came from those Games have created incredible energy and a much high propensity to engage in Milan Cortina than where we were coming out of Tokyo [2021], going into the Beijing [2022] Games.

“So the cycle is meaningful and you see how one builds upon the next; the data validates that, so as we look at the success of L.A. will inevitably create incredible momentum around the Movement in this country, that will be a propellant to the success of Salt Lake, no doubt.”

John Slusher, the new chief executive of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Properties sales team, told the Los Angeles Times that is seeing a major urge in discussions and interest around sponsorship support for 2028:

“It would not surprise me if we do three or four [times] the sponsorship deals this year, from a dollar standpoint, than we did all of last year. So business is just on fire.”

But he was also cautious, not mentioning any names and adding, “Things could turn the other direction too. So I think we’ll know a lot more in three months.”

Slusher’s enthusiasm is pointing to reaching close to $2 billion in domestic sponsorship sales by the end of 2025, against a budgeted target of $2.514 billion by the time of the 2028 Games.

From an overall budgeting perspective, LA28 senior staff repeatedly confirmed during 2024 that the organizing committee had contracted for 64-65% of the total budget of $6.882 billion for the 2028 Games, roughly $4.6 billion so far.

That included about $1.5 billion on the sponsorship side, so with another $500 million coming in during 2025, the total contracted revenue would surpass $5 billion or more, perhaps 74% of the 2028 budget, with ticket sales not part of the equation yet. (There is a sizable hospitality sales guarantee as part of the already-contracted revenue, however.)

That is a good sign for the organizers and should bring some comfort to the Los Angeles City Council, reeling under an already-strained budget and new, pressing questions on the rebuilding of the Palisades area from the January fire. (Altadena, badly mauled in the Eaton Fire, is outside the City of Los Angeles.)

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FOOTBALL: Japan scores early in both halves and throttles U.S. offense for 2-1 victory and SheBelieves Cup title

By
Rich Perelman
-
SheBelieves Cup champions Japan (Photo: U.S. Soccer).

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≡ SHEBELIEVES CUP ≡

The 10th edition of the round-robin SheBelieves Cup came down a rematch of the taut 2024 Olympic quarterfinal, a 1-0 extra-time win by the U.S. over Japan, this time at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California.

This time, it ended differently, with Japan frustrating the U.S. attack and winning, 2-1, to claim the championship.

The top-ranked U.S. women found themselves needing to win the game outright to take the tournament title, as both sides were 2-0, but with no. 8 Japan sporting a +7 to +4 edge in goal differential. U.S. coach Emma Hayes (GBR) reverted to 10 starters from the first SheBelieves Cup game against Australia, with five of the 11 with 10 appearances or less with the national team.

The game started with Japan expanding the goal differential, as forward Yuka Momiki scored in the second minute, getting a through-ball from above the box by midfielder Yui Hasegawa, getting a first shot blocked and then turning on the rebound to score at the far side of the U.S. net.

In the three SheBelieves Cup games, Japan scored in the sixth, first and second minutes.

The U.S. got even fairly quickly, with striker Catarina Macario dribbling toward the box in the middle of the field and sending a perfect lead pass to a charging forward Ally Sentnor, who scored her second international goal with a right-footed strike into the right side of the net for the 1-1 tie.

Japan created more chances, but U.S. keeper Jane Campbell was equal to the challenges and the half ended 1-1. Macario missed a great chance in at 45 + 3, sending a right-side shot just wide of the far side of the Japanese net. Japan controlled possession at 55% and a 6-4 lead on shots.

The second half started with more Japanese pressure, and off a free kick above the box in the 50th, Hasegawa sent a strike toward goal that was pushed away by Campbell, but right to substitute defender Toko Koga at the left of the goal. She pounded a right-footed shot that whizzed into the far side of the net for a 2-1 lead.

Hayes responded with offensive-minded subs in forward Lynn Biyendolo (nee Williams) and attacking midfielder Alyssa Thompson in the 58th, but the U.S. mustered only occasional challenges. Substitute midfield attacker Jaedyn Shaw had the best chance with a blast from beyond the box in the 81st, but it was saved by Japan’s keeper, Ayaka Yamashita.

Sub defender Tierna Davidson sent a seeing-eye rocket towards the net from straight away in the 89th, but Yamashita tipped it over the net. And it ended at 2-1, with Japan finishing with just over 50% possession and a 10-9 shots advantage.

Japan became only the third team other than the U.S. to win this tournament, after France in 2017 and Great Britain in 2019; the U.S. had won five in a row and seven overall.

It was also the first defeat for the U.S. with Hayes as coach; the American women had won 15, with two ties, since she took over in May 2024, including the Olympic gold in Paris.

Colombia defeated Australia, 2-1, on a Catalina Usme score in the 73rd, to finish third.

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PANORAMA: SLC-UT 2034 names steering committee; Russian member says IOC election to determine athlete futures; Sjostrom still looking to 2028

By
Rich Perelman
-
Sweden's sprint superstar Sarah Sjostrom

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2034: Salt Lake City ● The Salt Lake City-Utah 2034 organizing committee named a 28-member Steering Committee on Wednesday, created to expand the expertise available and “provide guidance to the board to help ensure a positive athlete experience in 2034, as well as help build a strong legacy of sport across Utah and the nation.”

Eight of the 28 are current or former athletes, including current speed skating superstar Jordan Stolz, the current men’s World Champion at 500, 1,000 and 1,500 m, and 2023 Worlds bobsled bronzer Kaysha Love. The athlete members also include two-time Olympic alpine skiing champion Ted Ligety, 2022 figure skating gold medalist Nathan Chen and 13-time Paralympic medalist Chris Waddell.

Political figures include Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and Park City Mayor Nann Worel.

Special-focus groups will include an Athletes Commission, Host Communities Committee, Sport and Venues Committee and the Technology and Innovation Committee. The Sport and Venue Committee will be chaired by Colin Hilton, a key member of the 2002 Winter Games organizing committee and the head of the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation.

While the choice and cost of the venues for the Brisbane 2032 Games has turned into a major political tug-of-war in Australia, Utah state legislators are busy as well, looking to take advantage of the new NHL franchise in the city and how the 2034 Games can be leveraged for long-term benefit.

A bill (SB 333) to create a “major sporting event venue zone to capture property tax increment and sales and use tax increment” for supporting infrastructure – roads, power, housing – in specific zones related to the 2034 Games was introduced, but the bill also included uses such as “demolishing or remodeling an existing major sporting event venue or portion of a venue.”

Bill sponsor Utah Sen. Jerry Stevenson, was asked if this related to the 2034 Games, and replied: “I can’t say that. We’re not supposed to use that word. This is for a major event in about 2034 in the state of Utah.

“We need some things built. We need some support facilities built, like housing for Olympic employees. We need housing for Olympic athletes and those things. But that’s what this will support.”

No new sports venues are to be constructed for 2034, and the bill is expected to be revised before any vote is taken. The current session of the Utah Legislature is scheduled to end on 7 March.

Another bill (SB306) was voted out of committee on Monday, which would allow Salt Lake County to use existing transportation tax revenues for an upgrade of the Salt Place Convention Center in downtown Salt Lake City. It’s slated to be used for curling in 2034, but an expansion would improve its ability to attract more business for years to come.

● Russia ● Shamil Tarpischev, the only Russian member of the International Olympic Committee, confirmed that nothing will happen concerning the country’s suspension until after the IOC Presidential election in March:

“We held preliminary talks with the IOC. However, all decisions on the issue will be made after the election. This is what they are currently focused on in the organization.

“If the formal issue that led to the ROC’s suspension is closed, then the Russian Olympic Committee should be reinstated. But there are elections coming up, and this issue will be dealt with after them.”

The Russian Olympic Committee’s suspension was related to the takeover of Ukrainian regional sports organizations swallowed in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The decision of IOC President Thomas Bach (GER) to resign after the handover to the next IOC President on 23 June was warmly greeted – as expected – in Russia. Said Dmitry Svishchev, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports:

“The only correct decision. Otherwise, Bach would have continued to attract negativity and other negative consequences for the image of the International Olympic Committee, while maintaining his seat in the organization. The IOC needs a complete overhaul.”

● Technology ● Perhaps the first conference to focus directly on artificial intelligence and the sports industry has been announced for 30 May-1 June in Porto (POR).

The “AI in Sports Conference” is laser-focused on the application of artificial intelligence to sports, with sessions including:

● “Generative AI in Football: Decision-Making Based on Simulation” and a panel discussion on balancing analytics and intuition in team sports.

● “How AI is Transforming Innovations in Products and Services for the Corporate World in the sports industry,” with Ofir Dagan, the head of the British-based Movmenta, incorporating sensors for data intelligence, reducing injuries and enhancing performance.

● “AI in Event Security: From Predictive Policing to On-Site Management” with John Allen (USA), a security advisor to six U.S. Presidents, followed by a panel on integrating AI in security frameworks for major sporting events.

Many more topics are to be covered, including fan experience, ticketing, merchandising and the role that AI can – and will – impact the future.

● Fencing ● USA Fencing announced that it is naming its national championship tournament in men’s Sabre for the late Peter Westbrook, one of the U.S.’s most iconic fencers.

A 13-time national champion in Sabre, he passed away in November 2024.  Westbrook was not only a six-time Olympian, but promoted fencing through his New York-based foundation, introducing young people to the sport.

The “Peter Westbrook Division I Men’s Saber National Championship” will debut at the April 2025 North American Cup in Los Angeles, which includes the Division I National Championships, and Parafencing National Championships.

● Football ● Each of the 16 host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will release a “Sonic ID” – a remix of the Official FIFA World Cup 26 theme – with Houston to debut the first cut on Saturday, 1 March.

The remaining 15 will be released one per day, through Sunday, 16 March.

● Swimming ● Swedish star Sarah Sjostrom, 31, announced on her Instagram page that she is pregnant, but still is aiming to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games:

“We are beyond excited to announce that our family is growing, and we can’t wait to meet our baby in August.

“I knew that many women experience challenges during the first trimester (and throughout pregnancy), but I wasn’t prepared for just how tough it could be. These past weeks have been some of the most mentally and physically challenging I’ve ever faced. I am more in awe than ever of what women go through. I’ve always admired the strength of women, but now I understand it on a whole new level. …

“My dream is to compete at the LA 2028 Olympics and make it to my sixth Olympic Games.”

Sjostrom won the Paris Olympic golds in the 50 m and 100 m Frees, adding to the Rio 2016 100 m Fly gold; she is also a 14-time World Champion on the 50-100 Freestyles and Butterflys.

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ABUSE: Florida judge’s order says U.S. Center for SafeSport committed “fraud, collusion, pretense, and similar wrongdoing” in 2022 case

By
Rich Perelman
-
From Michelangelo's immortal "The Last Judgment" (1535-41) in the Sistine Chapel in Rome.

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≡ U.S. CENTER FOR SAFESPORT ≡

“ORDERED AND ADJUDGED: a) that the United States Center for SafeSport, Inc., perpetrated a fraud upon the Court, the People of the State of Florida, the Sheriff’s Office, the State’s Attorney Office, and defendant; b) that the United States Center for SafeSport, Inc., intentionally withheld exculpatory evidence; c) that the United States Center for SafeSport, Inc., acted in bad faith, intentionally, and with malice; and d) that the court finds the evidence of fraud, collusion, pretense, and similar wrongdoing to be clear, convincing, intentional, and beyond doubt.”

/Updated/That direct language came from a Supplemental Order filed on Tuesday, 25 February, by Seminole County (Fla.) Court Judge John Woodard, pertaining to a 2022 case involving one or more Florida female water polo players, with at least one filing a complaint with the U.S. Center for SafeSport and others participating as witnesses.

A Florida prosecution in 2022 concerning the incident was contributed to by a SafeSport investigator, which the Court described as “provided to influence the present case prosecution.”

However, in August 2022:

“the State learned that SafeSport filtered information, attempting to influence the Sheriff’s investigation. The State learned that SafeSport provided an incomplete file, withholding exculpatory information and withholding witness statements potentially favorable to the defendant.”

The Court then asked for production by SafeSport of all materials related to the case in January 2023, which was promptly refused by SafeSport’s counsel. Subsequent requests were made in December 2023 and February 2024, also refused by SafeSport. Requests from the Seminole County Sheriff in March, April and May 2024 were also refused.

The Sheriff then sent criminal subpoenas for the requested evidence in May, July and August 2024, and in September:

“Complaining witness [name withheld at SafeSport request] admitted that she reported the wrong date, wrong time, and wrong location. She admitted that SafeSport knew the information was false. [Name withheld at SafeSport request] admitted her Sheriff sworn affidavit was not accurate and that she had made no attempts to amend those nor speak to the prosecutors to explain her mistakes. The court makes a credibility determination and finds that the SafeSport reports and [name withheld at SafeSport request] reports are unreliable, unbelievable, and false.

“The exculpatory information is and was within the knowledge, custody, and control of SafeSport.

“The exculpatory information is and was within a SafeSport file that was the subject of numerous court orders and properly issued subpoenas.

“The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, the State’s Attorney Office, and defense counsel went above and beyond any duty, and made every reasonable and good faith effort to obtain the exculpatory material and compliance by SafeSport to no avail.”

That led to this conclusion:

“Therefore, the court finds that it is clear, convincing, and beyond doubt:

“A. That the United States Center for SafeSport, Inc., perpetrated a fraud upon the court, the People of the State of Florida, the Sheriff’s Office, the State’s Attorney Office, and defendant;

“B. That the United States Center for SafeSport, Inc., intentionally withheld exculpatory evidence; and

“C. That the United States Center for SafeSport, Inc., acted in bad faith, intentionally, and with malice.”

It added in its Conclusions of Law (citations omitted):

“The United States Center for SafeSport, Inc., violated defendant’s constitutional right to due process, intentionally withholding exculpatory evidence from the court, the State’s Attorney, and the defendant. Suppression of evidence favorable to an accused violates due process where the evidence is material either to guilt or to punishment, irrespective of the good faith or bad faith of the prosecution.

“Here, the court, the State, and the defendant operated in good faith, but was repeatedly blocked for over two years. SafeSport repeatedly and knowingly interfered with the investigation.”

Woodard’s order noted that his Court has authority to impose sanctions, but did not do so in this order, but he closed the underlying criminal case in view of the statements made by witnesses and left only his Order from Tuesday on the record.

A request for comment was made to SafeSport and will be added to this post if/once received.

SafeSport has been under fire for more than a year and especially in view of the 1 March 2024 report of the Congress’ Commission on the State of the U.S. Olympics and Paralympics, which criticized the lengthy period of investigation and judgement on many cases submitted to it. Two Congressional hearings followed in March 2024, also focusing on SafeSport performance.

A bill introduced last December by U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross (D-North Carolina) and others – H.R. 10326: “Safer Sports for Athletes Act of 2024” – did not progress and has not been re-introduced so far in 2025.

Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) sent a 10 February letter to SafeSport, asking for details of its hiring procedures in view of the arrest of a former SafeSport investigator for alleged criminal activities undertaken at his prior job as a police officer in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

And the Arizona-based Athletes Equity Resource Center has created a Web site with a running log of actions filed against SafeSport, including Judge Woodard’s order.

All of this continues to be a bad look for the Center for SafeSport, which was created by the Congress in 2017 as a means to get bad actors out of Olympic sport in the U.S., and funded in part by a required $20 million payment each January by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.

Judge Woodard’s order now makes SafeSport out as a bad actor – it is also being sued elsewhere – and will only increase pressure for reform within it and the U.S. Olympic Movement.

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BRISBANE 2032: McConnell leaves IOC to be head of sport for 2032; report says Victoria Park will be recommended as main stadium

By
Rich Perelman
-
Victoria Park in Brisbane (AUS), possible site of a new stadium for the 2032 Olympic Games (Photo: City of Brisbane).

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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡

The International Olympic Committee’s long-time sports director, Kit McConnell will return home to Australia to become the Chief Sport Officer for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic organizing committee.

Brisbane 2032 chief executive Cindy Hook (USA) explained the enormous advantage this will give to the organizing committee:

“In his new role, Kit will be responsible for designing our sport program, including the consideration of additional sports, and will lead our engagement with the international federations and national Olympic and Paralympic committees.

“Having worked within the Olympic movement for over two decades and as the IOC’s sports director for the last 11 years is a huge advantage for our team and for the athletes who will compete in 2032.”

McConnell, a dual national of Australia and New Zealand, is hardly new to this, as he served with the organizing committee in Sydney for the 2000 Olympic Games – in the sports department – then moved to the IOC’s sports department from 2000-02; he had previously worked there in 1996 and 1997.

He was the Rugby World Cup tournament director from 2002 to 2013 before coming back for a third stint at the IOC as its Sports Director, a position will he depart from on 30 June. He will begin his work in Brisbane on 21 July.

Brisbane 2032 chief Andrew Liveris added:

“Having had extensive conversations with most of the international federations and many committees during the Paris 2024 Games and since, I know how critical it is to provide constant planning and progress updates and to build good relationships with these key stakeholders.

“The fact that Brisbane 2032 has been able to secure the IOC sports director to lead our sport function is a huge coup.”

McConnell was selected following a global search, and continues the Brisbane 2032 “all-star” approach to hiring. In August, Paris 2024 Organising Committee Senior Director of Partnership and Licensing Francois-Xavier Bonnaillie (FRA) was hired as Chief Commercial Officer. He had worked previously for more than two decades with home products giant and Olympic sponsor Proctor & Gamble.

The chatter over the ceremonies and track & field stadium for the 2032 Games continues, as 9News reported that the draft report of the 100-day review commission – by the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority – has been provided to the Liberal National Party-led Queensland government for review, with the final report to be delivered on 8 March. The Queensland government has promised to make its decisions public on 25 March.

The 9News report stated that a new stadium in Victoria Park is being recommended as the facility for ceremonies and track & field, estimated to cost A$3.4 billion in a prior review from the Labor Party when it was in charge, in March 2024. That report noted (AUD 1 = $0.63 U.S.):

“The cost of a stadium in Victoria Park ($3.0 – $3.4 billion) is likely to be marginally more expensive than the full Gabba rebuild (more than $3.0 billion) with better operational efficiencies and outcomes that would deliver a true international standard venue enabling Brisbane to compete with other top stadiums in Australia and generate additional premium seating revenue.”

The prior Queensland government (Labor) declined to pursue either a renovation of the aging Brisbane Cricket Ground (Gabba) or the Victoria Park idea, instead preferring a less costly upgrade of the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre for track & field and Lang Park for ceremonies.

Cost will be the issue for whatever option is chosen.

Another fight has broken out on the proposed Brisbane Arena, an A$3 billion project designed to create a new entertainment center in the city and which would host swimming – Australia’s biggest Olympic sport – in 2032.

Gold Coast, which successfully hosted the 2018 Commonwealth Games, is pitching its facility instead of the arena, claiming it will save money. Brisbane Mayor Adrian Schwinner slapped back:

“The federal government has promised to fund a new inner city entertainment venue, but only IF it hosts the swimming at the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. But now there are threats to shift the swimming to the Gold Coast.

“No swimming in Brisbane means no new entertainment venue and the opportunity to build a Federally-funded arena in the inner city may be lost forever.

“Building this venue isn’t about the Olympics. It’s about building a legacy that can benefit residents for decades to come.”

This question is also expected to be considered in the 100-day review report.

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INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: President Bach resigns from IOC, effective after handover to new President in June

By
Rich Perelman
-
IOC President Thomas Bach at the 139th IOC Session in Lausanne (Photo: IOC/Christophe Moratal)

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≡ END OF AN ERA ≡

“The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board (EB) today agreed to accept the resignation of IOC President Thomas Bach as an IOC Member, effective after 23 June 2025. This will be the day of the handover to the new IOC President, who will be elected on 20 March 2025 in Costa Navarino, Greece.”

The Executive Board met online Wednesday and Bach, now 71, has decided to retire rather than stay on as a member of the IOC until his term (as a member) would expire at age 80. 

He will be remembered as a transformative leader of the Olympic Movement:

● He managed to get the Olympic Games past the Covid-19 pandemic and still hold the Tokyo 2020 Games in 2021 and the Beijing 2022 Winter Games.

● Bach will also be remembered for dealing with Russia and calamities including the revelations of its state-sponsored doping program from 2011-15 and then the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, just after the close of the Beijing Winter Games.

● He reformed the Olympic Movement through his Olympic Agenda 2020 and Olympic Agenda 2020+5, removing the requirements to build new facilities to host Olympic or Winter Games, allowing Games to be held in multiple cities and regions (even countries) and eliminating a host-city bid process which made humiliated losers out of cities and countries which had spent millions to compete.

These changes have now led to more than a dozen countries involved in discussions on how they might line up as potential Olympic hosts in 2036 or 2040.

Bach led – some will say imposed – a disciplined leadership process on the IOC, creating a capable but quite large staff team at the newly-built Olympic House in Lausanne. He expanded the IOC’s relationship with the United Nations, drawing criticism from some that IOC projects were sometimes not related to sport, but to diplomacy.

And the IOC did very well financially during his tenure, reaching $7.6 billion in revenues in the 2021-24 quadrennial.

So what can be read into all this? Only Bach knows (and knowing Bach, has already planned):

● He could rest for a while before returning to the world scene, either in sports or possibly in an international role, especially with some arm of the United Nations, with which he cooperated so closely during his term.

● Bach will be made, possibly at the IOC Session in Greece, an Honorary Member of the IOC. There is no doubt of this and he deserves it.

● But there is another option, already suggested by one long-time observer, that Bach could be made Honorary President for Life and in that role, could serve as a confident and consultant to a less-experienced new IOC President, such as Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry, just 41.

No one knows but Bach and his closest confidants in the IOC. In any case, the next President – to be elected on 20 March – will get three months to work with Bach until he or she takes over on 24 June.

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LOS ANGELES 2028: World Boxing provisionally recognized by IOC Executive Board; boxing essentially now in for LA28

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ WORLD BOXING APPROVED ≡

“The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) provisionally recognised World Boxing (WB) as the International Federation (IF) within the Olympic Movement governing the sport of boxing at world level, during a remote meeting held today.”

Wednesday’s announcement, followed by a list of actions taken by World Boxing to satisfy the IOC’s requirements, all but assures that boxing will be on the program of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

It appears to also end boxing’s Olympic nightmare that threatened its removal from the program after the IOC had to step in and run the boxing competitions at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.

The IOC statement added:

“The assessment concluded that World Boxing has continued to make progress regarding the identified areas of consideration in order to be recommended for IOC Provisional Recognition as the IF within the Olympic Movement governing the sport of boxing at world level.”

Official recognition can follow at the 144th IOC Session in Greece in March, and World Boxing is holding an online extraordinary Congress on Saturday (1st) to formally admit a host of new members.

It has 78 at present, with 2-3 more coming up for approval this week, bringing its total membership to 80-81 countries. The federation was, of course, delighted at the news of the IOC’s provisional recognition, with President Boris van der Vorst (NED) saying in a statement:

“This is a very significant day for everyone connected with the sport of boxing in the Olympic Movement. Keeping its place at the Olympic Games is absolutely critical to the future of our sport at every level, from the grassroots to the highest echelons of professional boxing, and this decision by the IOC takes us one step closer to our objective of seeing boxing restored to the Olympic programme.

“It has taken a huge team effort from a large number of people across the globe to get to this point and none of it would have been possible without the hard work and commitment of all of the National Federations, boxers, coaches, officials and boxing leaders that have worked together to make this possible.

“Today’s decision by the IOC is an important milestone, however everyone connected with World Boxing understands that being part of the Olympic Movement is a privilege and a responsibility and not a right. There is still a lot of work to do, and everyone is as committed as ever to continuing to work together and doing everything within our power to deliver a better future for our sport and ensuring that boxing remains at heart of the Olympic Movement.”

The action by the IOC continues the process of moving away from the calamitous mismanagement of the former recognition, AIBA, now known as the International Boxing Association:

● 2017: The IOC sent a December letter noting severe financial, governance and refereeing and judging issues to AIBA.

● 2018: In November, the IOC created an inquiry committee to determine the status of AIBA and boxing within the Olympic Movement.

● 2019: The report on AIBA resulted in the IOC’s suspension of AIBA, and set up an IOC Boxing Task Force to ensure the Tokyo 2020 Olympic tournament was held.

● 2020: In December, AIBA elected Russian Boxing Federation Secretary-General  Umar Kremlev as its new President.

● 2021: In December, the initial sports program for Los Angeles 2028 was issued and did not include boxing. Also in December, AIBA changed its name to the International Boxing Association.

● 2022: In June, the Court of Arbitration for Sport held that the IBA had improperly eliminated all candidates for President other than Kremlev in its May election for a full term. Instead of holding a new election with all of the candidates, a September IBA Congress voted not to hold another election, keeping Kremlev in office. In December, the IOC announced it would again organize the boxing events at the Olympic Games, in Paris in 2024.

● 2023: Owing to a lack of progress at the IBA to its requests for financial information, governance reforms and refereeing and judging upgrades, the IOC convened a special, online Session in June and voted to remove recognition of the IBA. It was the first International Federation ever expelled from the Olympic Movement.

World Boxing’s rise came out of the ashes of the electoral chaos of the IBA in 2022, and was formed in mid-2023 and held its inaugural Congress in November 2023, with 26 members. Barely more than 15 months later, it has triple in size and received provisional recognition from the IOC and is poised to become the official governing body of boxing for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Boxing teetered on oblivion, but now is on the road back to the Games. National federations which remain affiliated with the IBA cannot participate in World Boxing events, so there will have to be decisions made by about 100 federations whether they want to be part of Olympic boxing in 2028 … or stay on the sidelines.

Boxing entered the Olympic program in 1904 in St. Louis and has been a part of every Games since, excepting Stockholm 1912 (boxing was illegal in Sweden at the time). World Boxing has rescued it for the future.

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BASKETBALL: Six-time Olympic gold medalist, three-time World Champion Diana Taurasi retires after 20-year WNBA career

By
Rich Perelman
-
Now-retired women’s great Diana Taurasi (Photo: Wikipedia via Lorie Schaull).

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≡ TAURASI RETIRES ≡

One of the greatest players in the history of women’s basketball, at Connecticut, the Phoenix Mercury and the U.S. women’s national team, Diana Taurasi, announced her retirement in an interview with Time Magazine, in a story posted late Tuesday.

She explained that she usually begins her seasonal training on New Year’s Day, but did not feel the desire in 2025. “That was pretty much when I knew it was time to walk away.”

Taurasi, 42, leaves as one of the giants of the women’s game, coming from Don Lugo High School in Chino, California to become a two-time All-American and three-time NCAA champion at Connecticut, a three-time WNBA champion with the Phoenix Mercury and a 10-time first-team All-WNBA selection.

She is, by far, the all-time WNBA scoring leader, with 10,646 points in 20 seasons, averaging 18.8 points per game. She’s almost 3,000 points ahead of no. 2 Tina Charles.

But she has a special standing among American Olympians.

Taurasi was a six-time Olympian and won six gold medals as a member of the American women’s teams in 2004-08-12-16-20-24. Consider:

● She has the most Olympic golds of any team-sport athlete, male or female, from any country, ever. 

● Among American Olympic gold medalists, only swimmers (6), track & field (3) and gymnastics (1) athletes have more.

● The six Olympic teams Taurasi played on had a combined record of 44-0!

She was a major contributor on five of her Olympic teams, but was a down-bench reserve in Paris:

● 2004: Averaged 8.2 points per game for 5 games on 34.9% shooting
● 2008: Averaged 9.4 points per game for 5 games on 47.4% shooting
● 2012: Averaged 12.2 points per game for 5 games on 45.5% shooting
● 2016: Averaged 14.2 points per game for 5 games on 56.4% shooting
● 2020: Averaged 8.0 points per game for 3 games on 57.1% shooting
● 2024: Averaged 0.7 points per game for 3 games on 16.7% shooting

Taurasi was not just an Olympic star. She also won three FIBA World Championships golds and a bronze in 2006-10-14-18. Her teams were 29-1 and won the last 22 in a row with her on the team.

That’s nine international championships and a bronze in 10 teams. And she played overseas as well – the WNBA is a summer-season league – and was a winner everywhere she played:

● 7-time Russian national league champion
● 6-time EuroLeague champion
● 1-time Turkish national league champion

Add those up, with Connecticut, the WNBA, the Olympic Games and the FIBA Worlds and she played on a staggering 26 championship teams across 24 seasons.

She was a winner at every level, and at 42, will no doubt find ways to continue influencing the game. For now, she is the standard against which all others will be measured.

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PANORAMA: Cross country, cyclo-cross at French Alps 2030? Milan Cortina 2026 at €400 million in sponsors; Shiffrin asks $100,000 so kids can ski

By
Rich Perelman
-
Inspectors checking on the good progress of the sliding track under construction in Cortina d’Ampezzo for the 2026 Winter Games (Photo: Simico).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● FrancsJeux.com reported that the Milan Cortina organizers have reached €400 million in domestic sponsorships, against a €500-550 million target with a year to go. (€1 = $1.05 U.S.)

The five Premium Partners are ENEL, Eni, Italian railways, Poste Italiane and Salomon, with seven Official Partners: a2a Life, EA7 Emporio Armani, Esselunga, Fiera Milano, Randstad, TIM and Juniper Networks. There are eight additional Sponsors and five Official Supporters for a total of 25 involved companies so far.

Good review from the International Olympic Committee inspection team on Monday to the under-construction sliding track in Cortina d’Ampezzo, with the government’s Olympic construction oversight company, Simico chief executive Fabio Saldini saying in a statement:

“It was a very positive visit, our international interlocutors were surprised by the quality and quantity of the work done. I had no doubts about the good progress of the construction site.

“We discussed the pre-homologation phases in view of March. We continue with optimism. On Thursday we will turn on the refrigeration system, the beating heart of the track.”

The construction firm working on the project has said it will have the facility ready for testing by 15 March.

● Olympic Winter Games 2030: French Alps ● Looks like World Athletics and the Union Cycliste Internationale have a shot to get into the Winter Games, with the possible additions to the program of cross country and cyclo-cross.

New French Alps 2030 President Edgar Grospiron told Le Dauphine that discussions will commence on multiple possibilities for added sports:

“We will work calmly and study everything on the table with ski mountaineering, speed skiing, telemark, even cross-country or cyclo-cross and why not ice-cross? Afterwards, we will have to budget.”

Cross country and cyclo-cross have been heavily promoted by their federations as sports which will open the Winter Games to new countries, especially in Africa.

● Alpine Skiing ● U.S. superstar Mikaela Shiffrin got her historic 100th World Cup victory last weekend and now wants others to be able to try skiing.

She has set up a partnership with the Share Winter Foundation to raise $100,000 to allow about 200 youngsters to learn skiing and snowboarding. Wrote Shiffrin on Instagram:

“I know that not everyone is blessed with the good fortune I have come across, in fact very few are, and over the years the lack of accessibility for a diverse group of people in winter sports has funneled us into a very not diverse community.

“I love this community, but can’t help but wonder how much more potential there is for it to be stronger if we could help Share Winter with everyone, rather than just those of us who have the means, the access, or the background and bloodlines to support it.”

“I see this 100 victory conversation as an opportunity to bring more eyes and, ideally, more passion to the sport. Helping Share Winter bring more kids to the mountain is really meaningful. It’s far bigger than me winning 100 races. This will make that 100th victory one of the most meaningful to me.”

She donated the first $10,000 herself and has asked her sponsors to contribute, and “MIK100″ items will be offered at auction on the Share Winter Foundation site.

● Athletics ● Grand Slam Track announced a partnership with sports data firm Stats Perform as its “exclusive global data and betting rights distributor and integrity partner.”

Founder and Commissioner Michael Johnson explained, “We look forward to setting a new standard for our sport with Stats Perform’s extensive network of trusted media and betting partners, eye-opening technology, and their true passion for the power of sport to unify and entertain.”

The first Grand Slam Track meet will be from 4-6 April in Kingston, Jamaica. Betting on track has long seemed like a natural fit, but the inability to be sure of who will actually run in any event has made sportsbooks less interested. The GST format of contracted Racers and Challengers eliminates some of that instability, although injuries will still come into the equation.

World Athletics posted a review of its experimental, twice-as-deep long jump “take-off zone” project which was tried at indoor meets in Dusseldorf and Berlin (GER):

● “On average, athletes gained 13 centimetres in performance using the take-off zone, matching the expected 10-centimetre improvement. Under the classic format, the foul rate at the tests would have averaged 66%, compared to 32% at major championships. With the take-off zone, the foul rate dropped to 13% – a scenario virtually impossible in the classic format.”

● “Spectator surveys showed an overall preference for the take-off zone in future competitions. The divide, however, was striking: more than two-thirds of casual fans favoured the innovation, while those actively involved in the sport leaned just as strongly towards the traditional board.”

More testing is coming, with a series of other concepts to be tried in various meets this season, such as the Steeplechase mile, a Mixed 4×100 m relay and others.

The Tokyo 2025 World Championships organizers revealed the name of its mascot, modeled after a Shiba Inu dog – Riku One – which received the most votes in a nationwide poll, just ahead of “Sorashiba,” 7,804 to 7,454.

“Riku” is the Japanese word for track & field athletics.

The three American super-marathons – Boston, Chicago and New York – have joined with the Los Angeles Marathon, operated by The McCourt Foundation, to offer special merchandise to support Together LA.

The project, created by The McCourt Foundation, is designed to provide support for the Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE) and the California Fire Foundation, who are helping with emergency relief, assist displaced families, and support long-term recovery efforts from the brutal Palisades and Eaton fires in the Los Angeles area in January.

Special merchandise with the emblems of all four races is available at a special Web site, offered in conjunction with the 40th anniversary Los Angeles Marathon, coming up on 16 March.

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BOXING: World Boxing admitted to AIMS, next step toward IOC recognition, with membership to hit 80 federations by month’s end

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ BOXING and LA28 ≡

The path for boxing to be confirmed into the program for the 2028 Olympic Games took an important step forward as the World Boxing federation was confirmed as a member of the Alliance of Independent Recognized Members of Sport (AIMS).

Per a notice posted Tuesday (25th) from SportAccord, the umbrella organization which oversees the checking, verification and recognition of sports federations:

“The SportAccord Executive Committee convened on 13th February to review the application of World Boxing for membership in AIMS (Alliance of Independent Recognized Members of Sport).

“Following the completion of its application, World Boxing underwent an evaluation by the SportAccord Membership Commission, which assessed its fulfillment of the required criteria. The Membership Commission subsequently presented a report to the Executive Committee with a positive recommendation.

“After reviewing the report, the Executive Committee approved the application and granted AIMS Membership to World Boxing. This decision was communicated to AIMS, which held an Extraordinary General Assembly today, where the successful admission of World Boxing as a member of the Alliance was confirmed.”

In the highly bureaucratic structure of the Olympic Movement, a new sports federation cannot be simply approved by the International Olympic Committee, but must first be reviewed in detail for appropriate governance and structural requirements and accepted as an AIMS member.

World Boxing, formed in mid-2023, has achieved that level in less than two years, which is pretty swift progress in the Olympic world. Next is recognition of the federation by the IOC, which would entitle World Boxing to join the Association of Recognized International Sports Federations (ARISF), from which a federation can be elevated to the Olympic program and join the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) or the Winter Olympic Federations (WOF), as appropriate.

This could all happen pretty quickly now for World Boxing, and if so, it would assure boxing of a place on the program for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

World Boxing continues to grow:

● It has 78 national federations at present, with at least two more in the pipeline ahead of its Extraordinary Congress on Saturday, 1 March. If both are approved, World Boxing will have 80 total national federations.

● More federations are coming, with another five federations likely to receive at least preliminary approval for membership by 8 March, in advance of the 144th IOC Session in Greece.

● The 78 federations already in represent well more than half of the boxers and countries appearing at Paris 2024. Of the 68 national federations who competed in Paris, 37 are already World Boxing members, representing 152 of the 248 boxers in the tournaments (61.3%).

Of the 32 federations who won medals in 2024, 18 are already enrolled with World Boxing, representing 30 of the 52 medalists at the Games (57.7%).

World Boxing took a census of its national federations and found they represent:

● 434,846 boxers in 15,886 gyms
● 34,328 coaches
● 8,750 referees and judges

That’s a strong case for World Boxing to take to the IOC Session in Greece from 18-21 March, where the IOC membership could formally approve World Boxing as the governing body for Olympic boxing moving forward.

If so, then the Los Angeles 2028 program would be closed, with a record total of 36 sports, the most in Olympic history.

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INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: Candidate Eliasch urged to run by other IOC members, likes Winter Games rotation idea

By
Rich Perelman
-
IOC Presidential candidate Johan Eliasch, during his AIPS online news conference (AIPS video screenshot).

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≡ IOC PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ≡

“I had absolutely no intention of running for this job.”

And that made perfect sense for Johan Eliasch, the Swedish-born, British head of the International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS), who was only elected to the International Olympic Committee on 24 July 2024, two days prior to the opening of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

But now he is a candidate to lead the International Olympic Committee, one of seven, with the decision to come on 20 March at the 144th IOC Session, in Costa Navarino (GRE). Why?

“I was surprised as everybody else when I finally pushed that ‘Send’ button to send in my application.

“What happened was that, in the lead-up to the deadline, I got phone calls from IOC members who said, ‘Look, you have a background which would be perfect for doing this job.’ And I thought long and hard about it, and what it came down to is the inspirational force that the Olympic Movement is.

“And I grew up with sport. It was the most important thing to me, as a young boy. And I remember those moments watching the [1968] Olympic Games when [Jean-Claude] Killy [FRA] won three gold in Grenoble. Sport was just such a big part of my life. …

“So what it came down to, it’s the hope that it inspires, that everything is possible, anything is possible through sports. And it is such an inspirational force that unite people to come together, find constructive solutions, in an always peaceful and uniting manner.”

Eliasch explained his candidacy and his views on the Olympic Movement in an hour session with reporters from around the world, as the second in a candidate series organized by the International Sports Journalists Association (AIPS) and moderated by its president, Italian journalist Gianni Merlo.

He was elected as the FIS President in 2021, transitioning from a brilliant business career in which he became a billionaire as the chief executive of the sporting goods and apparel company Head from 1995-2021. Now he is suddenly in the running to be the head of the International Olympic Committee.

Eliasch was alternately stern and charming, sometimes answering in detail and skipping past other subjects. But he made some points with clarity:

● Climate impacts: “For winter sport, climate change is potentially an existential threat. The planet wasn’t designed for 8 1/2 billion people living the way we live. And we have to accept that and we have to take action.

“Here, if we look at Winter Games, there is this concept of a rotation scheme. I believe in that because we would then narrow down the venues to a few, that the IFs can support through World Cups, world championships so that maintenance and capital expenditures is kept up so we don’t need to re-create venues. We also have organizations in place. It will reduce complexity, it will also make it less costly and that, I believe, long-term, much better.

“For the summer Games, here, depending on where we go, we also have to be innovative with calendars, obviously in close collaboration with other IFs, other events, so that we don’t have clashes. But we need to be flexible, we need to mitigate and adapt to climate change, and also we have a duty because we have such a big voice, such a reach, to be a strong voice.”

● Doping and integrity: “There is nothing worse than cheating.”

He explained, “With doping, WADA [World Anti-Doping Agency] is doing a tremendous job. It is important here, also with the athletes that they take responsibility to follow the rules. Rules are everything and we need to abide by rules here.”

● Participation by athletes from aggressor countries: “My position on that is also very clear: we must defend our neutrality at all cost, as a movement. And when it comes to the athletes, they can’t choose where they were born. Therefore, we need to defend them, so they never become weaponized for political purposes. It’s super important.

“Here, I believe the Individual Neutral Athletes scheme, which worked very well in Paris, that’s the right path to take.”

● Prize money: “I think the Olympics are a little bit different from all other events. The Olympics are based on values. To start with, we only had amateurs, a lot, then we open up to professionals, then we bring in prize money. And, of course, if you do well at the Olympics, you’re set for life.

“We also run into issues here with prize money with different federations having different, shall we say, money expectations, and in some cases, it won’t be meaningful, and in other cases, if you go to the other extreme, IFs will not be able to introduce prize money.

“So, here, I am a believer that, no, the Olympics should not be done with prize money.”

● Transgender participation: “No ands, no ifs, no buts: women’s sport has to be ring-fenced at all costs, based on science and facts, not ideology or chance. And it is pretty much a generally-accepted fact that if you are formed as a human being with the SRY gene, you are not a woman.

“And that is dispositive of all other arguments.”

He underlined, as have all the candidates, the importance of more open discussions among the IOC membership as a path to the future. And while the IOC is in a good place now, there are clouds on the horizon:

“[Current President] Thomas Bach [GER] has done a phenomenal job. He’s taken the Movement to another level in his 12 years. He has done that sometimes very difficult circumstances, with Covid, with conflicts, with introducing a lot of change.

“And now, the next President’s task will be to take it an even higher level. And we may be faced with many challenges as we go along. We have new political variations going on, the world is not exactly united – it’s very divisive and disruptive at the moment – and we have a sea change when it comes to how people consume content, and here the digital space is going to be very important, also AI [artificial intelligence] is going to come in, which is a great opportunity.

“But we need to stay ahead of the curve. We need to do more, with less resources.

“And finally, we need to make sure that we are relevant not only two weeks every two years, but every week, every year.”

Eliasch, an expert in sports marketing from his days at Head, also noted of commercial relationships going forward:

“Let’s face it, sponsorships, that’s something of the past. It’s partnerships today. That is how the people that want to partner up with us, how we can activate those partnerships in the best possible fashion. That is how you’re going to attract partners paying the sort of money that we would want to see.”

He emphasized, this is “not revolution” but “evolution, it’s just staying ahead of the curve.”

That applies to e-sports as well; Eliasch pointed out that while gaming is not a traditional physical activity, “this is very important, to reach younger people.”

Pointedly asked about his use of private aircraft for travel vis-a-vis his passion for sustainability, he noted that he has consistently offset his own carbon use by a factor more than 10 times.

Observed: Eliasch is seen as a long-shot candidate for the presidency, given his very short time on the IOC. Will members trust someone they barely know to be their leader for the next eight years?

His achievements are wide-ranging and supremely impressive, but Eliasch is at a huge disadvantage due to his recent election to the IOC. However, he is not deterred.

A side comment he made illustrates, however, his grip on the levers of the future. His candidate statement, a brilliantly-illustrated, 46-page visual masterpiece, was produced in seven languages, using artificial intelligence for the magnificent imagery. He explained:

“All that art that you saw in my manifesto, that was created through artificial intelligence. This would have taken months, if not years to create all these images.

“This was super-easy, super-fast, less than a day to do all that.”

That might be his best argument to convince anyone who doubts that he has his hands firmly on the future, and that they might want to go along.

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LANE ONE: IOC announces AB InBev TOP sponsor extension to 2032, seventh for Brisbane with seven years to go; is that good?

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ IOC TOP SPONSORS ≡

“AB InBev, the world’s leading brewer, will extend its Worldwide Olympic Partnership (TOP Partnership) through to 2032.”

Monday’s announcement by the International Olympic Committee confirmed not only the extension of the AB InBev deal through the 2032 Brisbane Games, but the products and themes to be promoted:

● “During the Olympic Games Paris 2024, Corona Cero reached Olympic fans of legal drinking age around the world with messages of connection, moderation and celebration. Together with the IOC, AB InBev highlighted a shared commitment to responsible consumption.”

● “No-alcohol beer Corona Cero will continue as the global beer sponsor of the Olympic Games, highlighting the IOC and AB InBev’s commitment to responsible consumption and creating a future with more cheers.”

● “In the United States, AB InBev will support the Olympic and Paralympic Games through to Brisbane 2032 with Michelob ULTRA, a superior light beer that celebrates an active lifestyle.”

Close observers of sports marketing will note that it’s actually a pretty strong endorsement of the Olympic brand that a company which makes and sells beer – Budweiser is 5.0% alcohol by volume – is spending tens of millions to promote its non-alcoholic products (except in the U.S., as Michelob ULTRA is 4.2% alcohol by volume).

The announcement also brought out the statistician in me to see where TOP is now – for the 2028 and 2032 quadrennials – compared to the past:

Number of TOP sponsors per quad:
● 7: 2032 (seven years to go)
● 9: 1988
● 10: 1996, 2004
● 11: 1992, 2000, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2028 (three years to go)
● 14: 2020
● 15: 2024

So, of the 12 TOP quadrennials since the project started for the 1985-88 period, the Los Angeles 2028 total – with the addition of TCL last week – is already the equal-third highest ever, with three years remaining before the Games.

And Brisbane in 2032 is already at seven now, with the AB InBev extension:

● AB InBev
● Allianz
● Coca-Cola/Mengniu
● Deloitte
● Omega
● TCL
● Visa

(Airbnb, Alibaba Group, Proctor & Gamble and Samsung are signed through 2028.)

Four sponsors – three from Japan – dropped at the end of the 2024 quadrennial: Atos, Bridgestone, Panasonic and Toyota. Panasonic has essentially been replaced by TCL in the home appliances and electronics category, and the results and systems coordination role played by French technology consultants Atos has reportedly been rolled up into the Deloitte sponsorship.

While Bridgestone will be missed in the tires sector, the major loss is Toyota, which signed an enormous deal in 2015, not only providing huge payments to the IOC, but also providing 3,000 vehicles – car and trucks – during the Games, which are crucial to organizing committee operations. If a replacement is not found, the LA28 organizers could be looking at significant added costs to obtain the vehicles they need for moving people and things.

A “mobility” sponsor aside, the IOC’s sponsorship program appears to be on fairly solid ground for 2028 and has a solid head start on 2032.

There is a lot of work to do yet, but with the IOC stating quite clearly that while it will not allow in-stadium advertising boards a la the FIFA World Cup, it is amenable to product placement opportunities and sensible integration into the operations at the Games.

So, is the stage set for artificial intelligence to impact Olympic competitions – at least on broadcasts if not holography on the field of play – on behalf of sponsors, beginning in Los Angeles in 2028?

And if so, how long before discussions about sponsorship become more about the importance of the IOC-owned Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) team, then the Olympic organizing committees who stage the Games on the ground?

Or, maybe, it has already started.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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PANORAMA: Russia expects team, flag, anthem at LA28 Olympics; Nordic Worlds at 192,000 tix so far! Salute to AmEagle 5342 skaters Sunday

By
Rich Perelman
-
Trondheim Nordic World Championships start Wednesday, with 192,000 tickets sold already!

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

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● Errata: Some readers saw a version of Sunday’s Panorama post which had the final day of the SheBelieves Cup football matches on Thursday (26th); it’s actually Wednesday the 26th! Thanks to reader Brian Russell for the correction. ●

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Russia ● In a television interview, Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev said that while there will be limitations for Russian participation at Milan Cortina 2026, he expects a full team for Los Angeles in 2028:

“Our athletes’ participation in the Winter Olympics is at stake.

“There, we have already given leeway to speed skaters and figure skaters. We are working with skiers and the biathlon federation. I won’t say who we are communicating with. These are big bosses. Without us, world sport is losing its spectacle.

“We are moving towards easing restrictions for winter athletes, and we are in full swing preparing for the 2028 Olympics. I think everything will be fine for us there, we will be there in full force, with a flag and an anthem.”

United World Wrestling posted Friday that Russian and Belarusian wrestlers will now compete under the flag of the federation and not as “neutrals.” But:

“UWW will continue with UWW anthem for ceremonies with no reference to the flag, symbols, or coat of arms of Russia and Belarus will be authorized.”

Eligibility for Russian or Belarusian wrestlers will be denied only if there is “evidence of direct military participation in the war against Ukraine or public declarations [in written or orally] in support of the war and/or of their promoters or participants.” This requirement was adopted last year.

● Athletics ● Italy’s 2024 European 20 km bronzer Francesco Fortunato smashed a 30-year old world indoor record in the men’s 5,000 m walk, winning at the Italian Indoor nationals in Ancona in 17:55.65 on Saturday.

That easily surpassed the 1995 mark of 18:07.08 by Russian Mikhail Shchennikov.

“The [Athletics Integrity Unit] has provisionally suspended Brimin Misoi Kipkorir (Kenya) for the Presence/Use of Prohibited Substances (EPO, Furosemide).”

Monday’s post on X sidelines a 2:04:53 marathoner from 2023, when he won the Frankfurt Marathon; he’s also won the Nairobi Marathon three times.

Also provisionally suspended was 2:12:55 marathoner (in 2013) Ronald Kimeli Kurgat of Kenya on Friday, “for the Presence/Use of a Prohibited Substance (Triamcinolone acetonide).”

Three others of lesser achievements were also suspended; two were from India and one from Kenya.

● Basketball ● The U.S. men’s team concluded play in the FIBA AmeriCup qualifiers on Sunday with a 105-83 victory in Nassau over The Bahamas and won Group D with a 5-1 record. Forward Nassir Little and guard Javonte Smart each had 16 points to lead the Americans.

Last Thursday, the U.S. squad – made up of G League players and free agents – had to come from behind to edge Puerto Rico in San Juan, 72-71, taking the lead for good with 6:19 to play. A Malik Williams layup made it 72-66 with 3:59 to play and while the U.S. did not score again, it held the home team to just five points the rest of the way. Smart had 16 to lead the U.S.

The 2025 AmeriCup will be held in August in Managua (NCA).

● Boxing ● World Boxing appointed Dutch-based Exceed Boxing to handle its commercial rights, including events, broadcasting rights, sponsorship, ticketing, merchandising and gaming. The federation will retain sales authority over “global” sponsors and sponsorships of the federation Web site, merchandise and social-impact sponsors.

It’s the third World Boxing partnership, previously with merchandise and equipment provider Sting, and sporting apparel and footwear supplier Nike Boxing.

● Figure Skating ● The “Legacy on Ice” tribute to the 28 skaters, coaches and family lost in the crash of American Eagle flight 5342 on 29 January will be held on Sunday (2nd) in Washington, D.C., with many of the top American stars of the sport performing in support.

Past Olympic and World Championships medal winners including Nathan Chen, Peggy Fleming, Scott Hamilton, Nancy Kerrigan and Kristi Yamaguchi are all committed to perform, as well as current World Champions Ilia Malinin and Ice Dance stars Madison Chock and Evan Bates.

The program is being staged by Monumental Sports & Entertainment, U.S. Figure Skating, the DC Fire & EMS Foundation and the Greater Washington Community Foundation. It will be shown live locally on the Monumental Sports Network and streamed on the NBC Peacock service. The program will be shown delayed on NBC on 30 March.

● Ice Hockey ● The NHL’s All-Star Game substitute, the 4 Nations Face-Off proved to be a huge hit, drawing excellent ratings for the pool play games and 4.4 million for the U.S.-Canada match in Montreal.

The U.S. vs. Canada re-match for the title, in Boston last Thursday proved to be one of the biggest hockey telecasts ever. SportsMediaWatch.com reported:

● “Thursday’s Canada-United States Four Nations Face-Off final averaged a 4.0 rating and 9.25 million viewers on ESPN, marking the largest audience for an NHL-sanctioned game in the Nielsen people-meter era (dates back to 1988).”

● “If one goes back further, the Four Nations final ranks as the most-watched NHL game since Game 6 of the 1973 Stanley Cup Final (Canadiens-Blackhawks: 9.41M) and the fourth-most watched all-time, according to historical data released by then-rightsholder NBC 15 years ago.”

The game also drew more U.S. viewers than any international hockey event since the 2010 Olympic final in Vancouver, where the Canada-USA final drew a much larger 27.6 million audience on NBC.

● Nordic Skiing ● Pretty impressive ticket sales for the Granasen Ski Centre in Trondheim, Norway for the FIS Nordic Skiing World Championships, coming up from 26 February to 9 March.

Featuring cross-country skiing, ski jumping and the Nordic Combined, the Trondheim organizers announced Monday that 192,000 tickets had been sold so far for the 11 days of events!

Many more are expected out on the trails, for the second time that Trondheim has hosted, previously way back in 1997.

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RUSSIA: European Union sanctions Olympic gymnastics star Nikita Nagornyy for “spreading pro-Russian propaganda”

By
Rich Perelman
-
Nikita Nagornyy (r) receiving the Order of Friendship from Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2021 (Photo: Wikipedia via RIA Novosti).

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≡ EU SANCTIONS EXPANDED ≡

On the sad, third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the European Union announced a 16th package of sanctions against Russian individuals and companies, this time including an Olympic gymnastics star.

The EU list included sanction no. 1923: Nikita Vladimirovich Nagorny (also spelled Nagornyy), now 28:

“Nikita Nagorny is Deputy Chairman of the Board of the All-Russian public-state movement of children and youth ‘Movement of the First’ and the former chief of the general staff of the All-Russia ‘Young Army’ Military Patriotic Social Movement (Yunarmiya). He was involved in the mass abduction, illegal deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children from occupied territories of Ukraine to Russia.

“In March 2022, Nikita Nagorny offered to forward gifts to Russian troops fighting in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

“Nikita Nagorny is a prominent athlete with a large audience and significant influence on his fans. He publicly supported the actions of the Russian Federation in Ukraine. Through his influence, he is responsible for spreading pro-Russian propaganda and disinformation regarding Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as playing an active role in rallying domestic support in Russia for the war against Ukraine.

“Therefore, Nikita Nagorny is supporting and implementing actions and policies which undermine and threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.”

Nagorny won an Olympic gold in the Tokyo 2020 men’s Team event and bronzes in the All-Around and Horizontal Bar, following a Team silver at Rio 2016. He is a three-time World Championships gold medalist from 2019, in the Team, All-Around and Vault, and won a silver and bronze at the 2018 Worlds as well.

He has previously been sanctioned by both Canada and the U.S.

The EU explained this type of sanction thus:

“Responding to Russian propaganda remains also a priority. Alongside notorious Russian propagandists, the EU is notably listing NewsFront, and SouthFront, two outlets presenting distorted interpretations of history and manipulated information in line with Kremlin messaging while also targeting European and global audiences with distorted and manipulated information.”

The impact of the sanctions:

“Those designated today are subject to an asset freeze and EU citizens and companies are forbidden from making funds available to them. Natural persons are additionally subject to a travel ban, which prevents them from entering into or transiting through the territories of EU member states.”

So far, the EU sanctions have been imposed on more than 2400 individuals and entities.

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MILAN CORTINA 2026: Under-construction sliding track in Cortina suffers sabotage of a cooling pipe, authorities contacted

By
Rich Perelman
-
The giant cooling pipe disconnected and placed in a roadway at the construction site of the Milan Cortina 2026 sliding track (Photo: Simico).

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≡ CONSTRUCTION CONCERNS ≡

“A cooling pipe was disconnected and found in the middle of the road, blocking traffic and creating significant disruption to the construction site of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Milan Cortina 2026, also in view of the IOC inspection scheduled for Monday 24 February.”

Friday’s announcement by the Italian government’s Olympic construction entity, the Societa Infrastrutture Milano Cortina 2020-2026 SpA, known as Simico, also noted:

● “The incident was reported to the competent authorities by Government Commissioner Arch. Fabio Saldini. ‘A disrespectful act that puts those who work day and night in difficulty’ said Saldini.”

● Saldini said on Friday evening that the situation had improved:

“During the day I had the opportunity to meet with the investigators and the Prefect of Belluno who in fact called the Committee for Order and Security tomorrow. From what has emerged there is no doubt that this was a malicious act, as also highlighted by the inspection carried out today on the building site by the technicians of the company that produces the refrigeration pipes.

“Today the pipe, weighing 500 kilos, was permanently hooked and fixed inside the building site.”

So, the work continues and the authorities are investigating, possibly for other acts of sabotage as well. In the meantime, the pressure of time continues, with certification of the track slated to begin in March, with the full length of the track completed.

The construction management team said Monday that the track will be delivered in time for inspection by 15 March. The certification activities are scheduled to begin on 24 March.

The rapid construction of the track required the clearing of several hundred trees and has drawn local criticism, with worries that it will not be used after the Games. The track built for the Turin 2006 Winter Games, was abandoned six years after for lack of use and environmental conditions.

There have been grave doubts about whether the track – for bobsled, luge and skeleton – can be completed in time, after years of delay and indecision on how to move forward from the now-removed Eugenio Monti track used for the 1956 Olympic Winter Games in Cortina.

After receiving no bids from construction firms to do the job, the specifications were re-configured and an €118 million agreement was reached last year (~$123.6 million U.S.).

The International Olympic Committee has been skeptical of the track project from the time Milan Cortina was awarded the Games and has urged the use of an existing, operating facility, for example in Innsbruck (AUT) or St. Moritz (SUI).

In fact, the Milan Cortina organizers have reached out to the Olympic Regional Development Authority in New York and, last December, named the famed Mt. Van Hoevenberg track as the back-up for 2026 … just in case.

The building of the new Cortina track has been a political hot potato in Italy for more than a year, and Saldini and others have pledged that it will be finished in time. Obviously, there are some folks who don’t want that to happen.

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INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: Candidate Coventry won’t rush, wants IOC re-set, to help athletes on the journey to the Games

By
Rich Perelman
-
Two-time Olympic champion and IOC member Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe (IOC video screenshot).

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≡ IOC PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ≡

“I think we’re two very different people.

“First and foremost, for me, I think the way in which the IOC communicates would need to change. We have a completely different leadership style. My manifesto, as most of you have seen, is all based off of the Ubuntu philosophy, which is ‘I am because we are’ and I know that I have only ever been successful because of the people and the team around me, and that would be how I want to lead.”

That’s seven-time Olympic swimming medalist Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe, asked about what she sees as the differences between her as a candidate to be the president of the International Olympic Committee and current leader Thomas Bach (GER). She continued:

“I would want to sure that the members are not just bring heard, but are actually being quite active, and sharing of their experience and their knowledge.”

She noted that she and Bach both share deep feelings for the Games and the Olympic Movement, but also “just how strong the power of sport is and what it can do in communities around the world.”

Coventry is one of seven candidates for the IOC Presidency, and spoke for more than an hour during an online forum with 98 media from around the world on Monday in a meet-up arranged by the International Sports Journalists Association (AIPS).

At 41, she is the youngest of the candidates and the only woman in the field, but with a long history within the International Olympic Committee, especially as the head of the IOC Athletes’ Commission. Asked about how she will approach the presidency if elected, she noted the diverse interests of the main stakeholders of the Olympic Movement, then explained:

“What I feel right now, whenever there’s a new shift, there’s a change in the organization, it’s time for us to have a little bit of a pause, and I want to just take a pause, evaluate where we are, what is it that we – as an organization – want to continue doing.

“We know that the Olympic Games are our heartbeat, right, and then you have all of our incredible stakeholders, our athletes, and the next layer, of our [National Olympic Committees] and [International Federations]. How and what are we going to continue to fight for? What is it that we get rid of, and we need to shed? And what is it that we need to change and adapt to be relevant in today’s world.

“So that will be a big piece of work, and I would like to start very early on.”

She noted that there is pressure on the IOC now relating to athlete funding, more support for the IFs and a desire for IFs to be more deeply involved in the development of Olympic organizing committees, and a need to bridge gaps in capabilities and professionalism between larger and smaller National Olympic Committees.

Coventry noted that these types of challenges are not new for her, as she has faced similar issues as the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation in Zimbabwe, a position she has held since 2018:

“I’ve been able to navigate these last seven years, I believe, really well … I’ve been able to do that because I’ve had a solid and strong team who have been willing to take tough decisions, because it’s been the right thing to do. So we’ve been led by our values, and that’s really what we’ve been trying to change.

“I firmly believe, with the strength of the membership within the IOC, with the strength of the ecosystems from the International Federations, the National Olympic Committees, hearing directly from the athletes.

“Leaning on all these stakeholders, taking them into account, and giving them the opportunity to be part of the decisions is what is going to strengthen our Movement.

“And I have been fortunate enough in Zimbabwe to have been able to do that. The decisions that you make are not always going to be popular. But generally, when they’re not popular decisions, they’re generally the right decisions.”

She is also firmly fixed on the future and how technology will play a key role, to inspire new generations, as she was, watching the 1992 Barcelona Games on television at age nine:

“Part of my vision is to ensure that we’re reaching nine-year-olds across the globe, not just nine-year-olds that can afford to watch on linear TV. …

“I know, for example, in Zimbabwe we’re about 15 million population and 13 million people have smartphones. So how are we going to give greater access to the Olympic Games to people from new regions across the world, including that of journalists?”

She was asked about many of the hot-button issues in the Olympic Movement today:

● On prize money at the Olympic Games:

“I, personally, am not a fan of prize money. I would rather try and identify new ways of better supporting athletes on their journey to becoming an Olympian. For me, as an athlete, that was that hardest time for me. It was hard to find sponsorship, it was hard on my family and the Olympic Solidarity scholarship that I managed to receive really added a lot of value.

“So I would rather put more focus on identifying direct funding to athletes before they get to the Olympic Games, and then after the Olympic Games, once they are looking at retirement. How do we help them in that next phase of life.”

She also noted the importance of new media for athletes, especially at Paris 2024, pointing out that “We saw a number of athletes leverage their social-media platforms, and they have created a more sustainable way of being able to become influencers, and promote different products and make a living for themselves.”

She wants that situation to be followed up on and expanded.

● On transgender participation and regulations:

“What is in place right now is the decision was left up to the International Federations. And the majority of the International Federations did a lot of work with their medical teams, with medical and scientific research, to come up with rules and regulations that fit their sport.

“What I am saying, is that as the IOC, we should bring everyone together, to try and understand if there is a way to put out a common framework and take a bit of a leading role.

“That’s going to take sitting down, with the International Federations, with their medical teams – I’m not a medical doctor – we need to rely on the facts, we need to rely on medical research and what that is showing us.

“And then come up with a common ground and a common frame work that will be able to protect the female category.”

● On a future Olympic Games in Africa, she said that dialogue has already started with Egypt and South Africa about 2036 and beyond. Also, more effort needs to be made with the African Union and selections of future hosts for the All-Africa Games with an eye toward how that event can be a springboard toward a successful Olympic bid for the future.

To that end, the IOC needs to continue its emphasis on making the Olympic Games more sustainable, less costly and easier to host.

Observed: Coventry showed her usual poise, listening carefully and reflecting the well-developed points of view set out in her candidate statement. She is considered a leading candidate to be the next IOC President at next month’s 144th IOC Session in Greece.

It was worthwhile to hear that unlike Bach, who immediately began to reform an IOC which had danger signs all around it when he took over in 2013, she feels she would inherit a more stable situation and allow her time to “pause” and create consensus on moving forward.

Different times require different approaches; Coventry sees the future as managing the vast changes that technology is bringing to the 21st Century, while trying to manage the Olympic Movement and energize youth to get into sport.

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MEMORABILIA: John Carlos’ 1968 awards-stand U.S. team jacket sells at auction for $500,200!

By
Rich Perelman
-
The jacket worn by John Carlos at the Mexico City ‘68 victory ceremony! (Photo: Heritage Auctions).

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≡ AUCTION REPORT ≡

The jacket worn by 1968 Olympic men’s 200 m bronze medalist John Carlos on the awards stand in Mexico City while he and gold medalist Tommie Smith raised their fists in their iconic protest against racism was sold in an online auction Sunday for $500,200.

The jacket was offered by Carlos, who swapped the jacket with a Senegalese athlete at the end of the ‘68 Games. The nephew of the athlete ended up with it, and contacted Carlos, and the money raised from the auction will help the nephew’s family.

Made by Wilson, the jacket appears to be in excellent condition and still has Carlos’ bib number – 259 – attached. Expected to bring around $50,000, it was at $18,500 two weeks ago, but with the Buyer’s Premium (22% added to the final bid), the out-the-door cost of the top is $500,200.

There was another Olympic item of note in the Heritage Auctions “Winter Platinum Night Sports Auction,” mostly devoted to items related to baseball, football and basketball. A silver “replacement medal” from the Stockholm 1912 Olympic Games was also on offer, related to the 1983 ceremony in Los Angeles in which the family of Jim Thorpe was presented with the gold medals he won and which were later revoked by the International Olympic Committee for amateurism violations.

Thorpe was disqualified for minor payments he received for playing semi-pro baseball prior to the 1912 Games, and after decades of lobbying, the IOC, under then-President Juan Antonio Samaranch (ESP), agreed in October 1982 to restore the medals to Thorpe’s family.

But there were just the two gold medals, for the men’s pentathlon and decathlon. Olympics expert Dr. Bill Mallon (USA) explained that there were six living Thorpe children and five attended the 18 January 1983 ceremony at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, and Samaranch presented replica gold medals – the originals were stolen decades before from a Swedish museum – to two and silver editions were provided for the other four.

The two gold medals were given to the Oklahoma Historical Society. One of the silver medals ended up in this auction, and according to Heritage Auctions:

“This medal, and two others issued to Thorpe posthumously, were consigned to this Platinum Night auction by an owner lucky enough to have purchased the rights to an Oklahoma City storage locker that had been abandoned by the Thorpe family. A copy of the purchase contract will be included with the sale.”

The medal sold, with the Buyer’s Premium, for $31,720.

The Carlos jacket was the fifth-highest price reached in the auction. A 1961 New York Yankees uniform worn by Roger Maris during his 61-home run year sold for $1.586 million, the highest price realized during the sale.

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PANORAMA: Rubiales, Hermoso to appeal “the kiss” verdicts; J.T. Boe ends with 43 Biathlon Worlds medals; U.S. 2-0 in SheBelieves Cup

By
Rich Perelman
-
The best ever? Norway’s Johannes Thingnes Boe, winner of more biathlon World Champs medals than anyone else! (Photo: IBU)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games ● Sad news that Yvonne Curtet-Chabot, a French long jumper at the 1948 and 1952 Olympic Games, passed away on Friday (25th) at 104. She was the oldest living Olympian, having been born on 28 May 1920.

Per Olympic super-statistician, Dr. Bill Mallon, the “new” oldest Olympian is Canadian alpine skier Rhoda Wurtele-Eaves, born in 1922 and now 103.

She was slated to compete in St. Moritz (SUI), but withdrew after a training run injury. She did compete at Oslo in 1952 in three events, with a best of ninth in the women’s Giant Slalom.

● Athletics ● Paris men’s high hurdles champ Grant Holloway was not pleased with the lack of a broadcast partner for the USATF National Indoor Championships on Saturday, with the meet finally available on the USATF.tv site for subscribers or via pay-per-view. Wrote Holloway on X:

“If you plan to watch the USATF Indoor Champs, consider waiting for it to be posted on Twitter or YouTube instead of paying for the PPV. It’s surprising that we can’t watch our own championships live, which is definitely an area that needs improvement.”

He won the men’s 60 m hurdles on Saturday; the Sunday portion of the meet was shown on NBC and its Peacock streaming service.

● Football ● Former Royal Spanish Football Federation President Luis Rubiales and Spanish midfielder Jenni Hermoso both say they will appeal last week’s court decision that convicted and fined Rubiales €10,800 for sexual assault, and required him to pay Hermoso €3,000 in “moral damages,” but cleared him on a coercion charge and imposed no jail time. (€1 = $1.05 U.S.)

Hermoso wrote on Instagram:

“After everything, this will create an important precedent in a social environment where there is still much to be done. “I have my heart full with each of the people who have been, are, and will continue with me in this fight.

“And now, yes, it’s over.”

Except for the appeals, of course. The other three defendants from the Spanish federation were all acquitted of coercion charges.

● Triathlon ● Impressive 2024 Impact Report from USA Triathlon, in which the federation moves beyond the Olympic Mixed Relay silver in Paris and eight Paralympic medals, but noted the nation-wide participation in the sport:

● More than 3,600 races at 1,034 triathlon events held in the U.S.

● More than 302,000 members nation-wide, an increase of 1.6% from 2023.

● More than 280,000 adult finishers in 2024, down slightly from 2023.

Triathlon events were both large and small, with record averages of 354 entries per event and 120 per race in 2024.

The USA Triathlon Foundation was also busy, raising $3.4 million; programs for youth introduced more than 9,000 to the sport.

≡ RESULTS ≡

● Alpine Skiing ● Italian star Federica Brignone’s dream season in the Giant Slalom continued in front of home fans at the FIS World Cup in Sestriere (ITA), as she won both Giant Slalom races, on Friday and Saturday, to go along with her FIS World Championships gold in Austria.

She took the first race in 2:12.69, moving from second to first with the best second run in the field. New Zealand’s Alice Robinson, the first-round leader, finished second, just as at the Worlds (2:13.09), with Thea Louise St Jernesund (NOR: 2:14.26) in third.

American Paula Moltzan was sixth (2:14.70), Nina O’Brien was eighth (2:15.32), A.J. Hurt was 12th (2:15.48) and Mikaela Shiffrin, skiing cautiously in an event she skipped at the Worlds, was 25th in 2:17.34.

On Saturday, Brignone was fourth after run one, but again the best on the second and won in 2:08.81, beating Swiss star Lara Gut-Behrami (2:09.58) and Robinson – again the first-run leader – in 2:09.60. Hurt and Moltzan went 7-8 in 2:10.66 and 2:10.76, but O’Brien did not finish. Shiffrin, again cautious, ranked 33rd on the first run and did not advance.

Sunday’s Slalom was a magnificent 100th win for Shiffrin, covered in more depth here.

Swiss fans, already thrilled with their team’s performance at the World Championships, got more to cheer about at the men’s World Cup in Crans-Montana (SUI).World Champion Franjo von Allmen repeated his Worlds win in the Downhill, leading a Swiss sweep in 1:56.07. He was followed by World Cup leader Marco Odermatt (1:56.20) and Alexis Monney, the Worlds bronze winner (1:56.49). Ryan Cochran-Siegle was the top American, in 13th (1:57.65), followed by Bryce Bennett (17: 1:58.04) and Jared Goldberg (25: 1:58.78).

Sunday’s Super-G saw Odermatt win his eighth race of the season in 1:21.53, ahead of Monney (1:21.81) and Italy’s Dominik Paris (1:21.92). Already the three-time defending World Cup champion, Odermatt now has a 500-point lead on the field with 11 races left.

● Biathlon ● At the IBU World Championships in Lenzerheide (SUI), France and Norway finished 1-2 on the medal table and combined to win 22 of the 36 total medals available.

On Saturday’s relay day, France and Norway traded gold and silvers in the men’s and women’s races. The Norwegians won the men’s 4×7.5 km relay in 1:18:18.1 (4 penalties) to 1:19:00.9 for the French (7 penalties), with Germany third (1:19:54.0/10). It was the third win in four men’s events for the Norwegians, with Johannes Thingnes Boe getting his third gold.

The U.S. squad of Paul Schommer, Maxime Germain, Campbell Wright and Paul Doherty finished ninth in 1:21:33.2 (11).

The women’s 4×6 km relay belong to the French, – their third win in four women’s events – with Julia Simon winning a fourth gold on anchor in 1:07:26.5 (4), over Norway (1:08:30.7/9) and Sweden (1:09:11.0/9). The U.S. team was lapped on the third leg, and eliminated.

On Sunday, 27-year-old Endre Stromsheim won the 15 km Mass Start, at the head of a Norwegian sweep in 38:22.6 (1 penalty), ahead of Sturla Holm Laegreid (38:35.0/2) and J.T. Boe (38:35.3/4). The U.S.’s Wright, already a two-time silver winner, took fourth in 38:54.0 (2). Fellow American Germain was 28th (41:57.4/4).

Sweden’s Elvira Oeberg won her third medal of this Worlds by taking the women’s 12.5 km Mass Start in 40:32.3 (2), ahead of France’s Oceane Michelon (40:41.7/3) and Maren Kirkeeide (NOR: 40:48.8/3). It’s Oeberg’s first Worlds gold, but her sixth career Worlds medal.

The French finished with 13 medals (6-2-5) to top the table, ahead of Norway (9: 4-3-2) and Germany (5: 1-1-3). Norwegian star Boe, 31, set to retire at the end of the season, finished with sensational totals of 43 Worlds medals, including 23 golds, 14 silvers and six bronzes. He won five medals (3-1-1) in Lenzerheide.

● Curling ● The USA Curling Mixed Doubles Championship in Lafayette, Colorado also served as the Olympic Trials for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games.

The round-robin winners were 2023 champs Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin, with an 8-1 record, with Sarah Anderson and Andrew Stopera at 7-2. Those two teams faced off in the Page playoff system, with Thiesse and Dropkin winning, 10-3 and sending Anderson and Stopera to the semifinal.

There, Anderson and Stopera got past Madison Bear and Aidan Oldenburg, 7-5, and got a final shot at Thiesse and Dropkin in a best 2-of-3 series for the title and an Olympic berth. Thiesse and Dropkin took the first match, piling up a 5-2 lead after four ends, then tied at 5-5 after six. Thiesse and Dropkin got two in the seven, but were tied in the eight, and finally scored in an extra end to get an opening, 8-7 victory.

On Sunday, Thiesse and Dropkin got out to a 4-0 lead after three ends and added two more for a 6-1 lead after six ends and cruised in for a 6-3 win and their second national title together. Dropkin, however, now has won this championship four times, also with Sarah Anderson – this time the other finalist – in 2015 and 2018.

● Cycling ● The UCI World Tour’s seven-stage UAE Tour concluded on Sunday, with Slovenian superstar Tadej Pogacar, the race favorite, delivering with an emphatic victory.

Stages 1, 4, 5, and 6 were fairly flat and resulted in the expected mass sprint finishes, with Belgian Tim Merlier winning stages 5 and 6. The Individual Time Trial in stage 2 was a win for British rider Jonathan Tarling and then Pogacar won the uphill-finishing third stage and took the race lead.

He held it, and had a 21-second lead on Tarling into the 176 km stage 7, also with an uphill finish. And he was the winner in 3:44:04, 33 seconds up on Italy’s Giulio Ciccone, and took the overall title in 23:08:42, 1:14 up on Ciccone, as Tarling fell back on the final stage. Spain’s Pedro Bilbao was third overall, 1:19 back of the winner.

It was Pogacar’s third win in this race, also in 2021 and 2022.

● Figure Skating ● The ISU Four Continents Championships was held in Seoul (KOR), with the home favorite – and 2024 Worlds bronze winner – Chae-yeon Kim moving up from silver in 2024 to win the women’s Singles.

Kim took both the Short Program and Free Skate and scored 222.38 points for a clear win over Americans Bradie Tennell (204.38), Sarah Everhardt (200.03) and Alysia Liu (198.55) in 2-3-4.

For Tennell, this was her first international championship medal since a bronze at the 2020 Four Continents and Everhardt won her first-ever international medal.

Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov, the 2022 World Juniors silver medalist, won the men’s Singles, scoring 285.10 and winning both the Short Program and Free Skate. Korea’s Junhwan Cha moved up from fourth to second in the Free Skate to score 265.02 for second, with American Jimmy Ma third (245.01). Americans Cam Pulkinen (217.25) and Tomoki Hiwatashi (214.79) finished 8-9.

Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara won the Pairs title for the second time in three years, winning both the Short Program and Free Skate, and scoring 217.32. Canada went 2-3 with defending champs Deanna Stillato-Dudek and Maxine Deschamps (210.92) and Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud (198.40). Americans Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea (196.94) and Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov (192.07) placed fourth and fifth.

Defending champions Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier (CAN) won the Ice Dance again, taking the Rhythm Dance and second in the Free Dance for a 218.46 total, barely edging World Champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the U.S., who won the Free Dance and scored 217.93. It’s the eighth career Four Continents medal for Chock and Bates (3-3-2).

Canada’s Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha were third, scoring 201.04, ahead of Americans Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko (197.05) and Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik (188.55) went 4-5.

● Football ● The 10th edition of the SheBelieves Cup opened on Thursday evening in Houston, with eighth-ranked Japan shutting down Australia, 4-0, with Mina Tanaka scoring in the sixth and 32nd minutes. The U.S. shut out Colombia, 2-0, with goals by Catarina Macario (33rd) and Ally Sentnor (60th, her first international goal), with keeper Jane Campbell getting her sixth career shutout. The U.S. had 63% possession and a 10-7 edge on shots.

On Sunday in Glendale, Arizona, Japan outclassed Colombia, 4-1, with Momoko Tanikawa scoring in the first minute and Mina Tanaka making it 2-0 in the eighth. It was 2-1 at half and then Maika Hamano scored in the 57th for a 3-1 lead. Tanaka added a penalty shot in the 80th for the 4-1 final.

In the nightcap, the U.S. also struck quickly, with striker Lynn Biyendolo (nee Williams) also scoring on a fast-break, right-footed tap in 41 seconds for a 1-0 lead over Australia. That was the score at half, then U.S. sub Michelle Cooper got her first international goal in the 67th minute, slamming home a loose ball in the box off the foot of Sentnor, for a 2-0 lead.

The Aussies got back into the game in the 80th, as midfielder Hayley Raso sent a perfect cross from the right side to an unmarked sub striker Michelle Heyman for a right-footed strike that whizzed past U.S. keeper Mandy Haught to close to 2-1. But that was as close as it got, with the U.S. finishing with 67% of possession and a 14-7 edge on shots.

Both the U.S. and Japan are 2-0 and the tournament concludes on Wednesday (26th), with Australia and Colombia, and the U.S. and Japan for the title, in San Diego, California.

● Freestyle Skiing ● At the FIS World Cup in Stoneham (CAN), two-time World Cup Big Air winner Matej Svancer (AUT) got his first gold this season in Slopestyle, scoring 89.43 to 87.54 for New Zealand’s Luca Harrington, with Ben Barclay (NZL: 87.00) third.

Italy’s Flora Tabanelli, who has medaled in all five Big Air competitions this season, won the women’s Slopestyle at 80.41 – her first Slopestyle medal in 2024-25 – beating Ruyi Yang (CHN: 75.28) and American Rell Harwood (74.11), winning her second straight bronze.

Lots of action in Beidahu (CHN), with Moguls, Dual Moguls and Aerials, starting with a win for Japan’s 2017 World Champion, Ikuma Horishima, in the men’s Moguls, scoring 86.57 to get his second win of the season. Canadian star Mikael Kingsbury, the all-time Moguls World Cup wins leader was second with 85.91. American Nick Page was seventh (80.67).

In the men’s Dual Moguls, Finland’s Severi Vierela scored a stunning victory, out-racing Horishima in the final, 20-17; it’s the first Finnish World Cup win in Moguls since Sami Mustonen in 2007! Canada’s Julien Viel won the bronze over Page, 18-17.

The women’s Moguls was a celebration for 2022 Olympic silver medalist Jaelin Kauf of the U.S., winning 82.19-79.23 for France’s 2018 Olympic champ Perrine Laffont. Americans Olivia Giaccio (78.43) and Tess Johnson (76.50) went 3-4.

Kauf won again in the Dual Moguls, again defeating Laffont, who did not finish. Johnson won the bronze over fellow American Kylie Kariotis.

In Sunday’s Aerials, China’s Tianma Li got his first career World Cup gold, out-scoring Beijing 2022 Olympic champ Guangpu Qi, 130.56 to 119.00. Chris Lillis of the U.S. got his third bronze of the season, scoring 115.93 points.

China’s 2022 women’s Olympic champ Mengtao Xu got her second win of the season, leading a 1-2 with teammate Meiting Chen, scoring 114.19 and 109.04. Australia’s three-time World medalist Danielle Scott was third (89.18) ahead of Karenna Elliott of the U.S. (86.36).

● Gymnastics ● The first FIG Artistic World Cup of 2025 was in Cottbus (GER), with Armenia and Japan both getting two wins in the men’s events.

The brother combination of Artur and Vaghan Davtyan both won, with the younger Artur – a two-time World Vault medal winner – scoring with a 14.900 vault win and Vaghan winning on Rings at 14.133. Japan got wins from Kaito Sugimoto on the Parallel Bars over Ukraine’s Nazar Chepurnyi, 14.300 to 14.266, and Shohei Kawakami on the Horizontal Bar by 14.400 to 14.333 against Lithuania’s Robert Tvorogal.

Kazak Milad Karimi, the 2023 Worlds bronze winner, won the Floor Exercise over Japan’s Worlds silver medalist Kazuki Minami, 14.133 to 13.666. Yu-Jan Shiao (TPE) won on Pommel Horse at 14.433, beating Jordan’s 2023 Worlds bronzer Ahmad Abu Al-Soud (14.233).

China won three of the four women’s events, with Paris Olympic Beam runner-up Yaqin Zhou taking that event at 14.766, ahead of teammate Kexin Zhang (14.266). Zhang won on the Uneven Bars, scoring 13.990 ahead of Britain’s Charlotte Booth (13.300) and Yihan Zhang, a Paris Olympian, won the Floor Exercise at 13.433, ahead of Israel’s Lihie Raz (12.933).

In the vault, Slovenia’s Teja Belak (13.299) and Tjasa Kysselef (13.266) went 1-2, with the amazing Oksana Chusovitina (UZB) – now 49 – scoring 13.249 for third!

At the USA Gymnastics Winter Cup in Louisville, Kentucky, Ashlee Sullivan was the winner of the women’s senior-level All-Around, scoring 53.550, ahead of Jayla Hang (53.000) and Simone Rose (52.700). The Winter Cup serves as a qualifier to the USA Gymnastics nationals.

Event winners included Alessia Rosa on Vault (13.800), Alicia Zhou on the Uneven Bars (13.650), Tatum Drusch and Claire Pease on Beam (13.850) and Nola Matthews on Floor (13.300).

The men’s double All-Around started with Stanford’s Riley Loos winning on Friday with 80.400 points over 2023 Worlds All-Around bronze winner Fred Richard (79.900). Loos won on Vault and Richard led all scorers on Floor.

On Sunday, Loos won again, this time at 80.450, for a two-day total of 160.850. Richard was second at 79.100 and with a two-day total of 159.000. Nebraska’s Taylor Christopulos took third at 158.400.

The two-day event scoring showed Loos with wins on Rings (27.350), Vault (28.450) and Floor (27.700). Stanford’s Colt Walker won on the Parallel Bars (28.25) and Michigan’s Crew Bold took the Horizontal Bar (26.900). Brandon Dang of Illinois won on Pommel Horse (28.350).

At the FIG Trampoline World Cup in Baku (AZE), Belarusian Olympic men’s champ Ivan Litvinovich (competing as a “neutral”) was a convincing men’s winner, scoring 65.950, ahead of Japan’s Nishioka Ryusei (63.440).

Fellow Belarusian Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya, the Paris Olympic silver winner, took the women’s competition (56.070), well clear of Japan’s Paris sixth-placer Mori Hikaru (55.800). American Mytnik Katsiaryna was sixth (29.000).

In the men’s synchro, Japan’s Nishioka Ryusei and Miyano Hayato (51.540) won over Danil Mussabayev and Nikita Tumakov (KAZ: 50.950). The women’s synchro title went to Japan’s Tanaka Kiko and Sakurai Ena (48.800), over Maia Amano and Trinity van Natta of the U.S. (47.440).

● Luge ● The final FIL World Cup of the season was in Yanqing (CHN), with Austrian and German domination continuing on Saturday.

The women’s Singles winner was two-time World Champion Julia Taubitz in 1:58.926, edging Natalie Maag (SUI: 1:59.369) and Merle Frabel (GER: 1:59.403). American Ashley Farquharson was fifth in 1:59.660. For the season, Taubitz won her third straight World Cup title with 657 points, with Madeleine Egle (AUT: 629) second; Farquharson was seventh (400).

Austrian stars Selina Egle and Lara Kipp won the Doubles in 1:59.896 for their sixth win of the season, ahead of 2024 World Champions Jessica Degenhardt and Cheyenne Rosenthal (GER: 2:01.721. Americans Chevonne Forgan and Sophia Kirkby finished fourth in 2:02.061. Egle and Kipp won the seasonal title, 835-745 over Degenhart and Rosenthal with Forgan and Kirkby third (601).

In the men’s racing on Sunday, two-time World Champion Max Langenhan won his fourth race of the season, in 1:55.051, and wrapped up the seasonal title. Austria’s Jonas Muller (1:55.583) and David Gleirscher (1:55.633) went 2-3. Langenhan finished with 716 points to 613 for Gleischer in the seasonal table.

Three-time Olympic champs Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt (GER) won the men’s Doubles in 1:58.143, beating Martins Bots and Roberts Plume (LAT: 1:58.301) and fellow Germans Toni Eggert and Florian Mueller (1:58.908) in third. Wendl and Arlt took the seasonal title as well with 745 points to 641 for Bots and Plume. Americans Zachary Di Gregorio and Sean Hollander finished ninth (341).

● Rugby Sevens ● Argentina and New Zealand claimed wins in the fourth leg of the 2024-25 HSBC Sevens Series, this time in Vancouver (CAN).

Argentina, South Africa and Fiji won the men’s pools, and the South Africans won two close matches over Australia and Fiji to reach the final. Argentina also won two defense-first matches and got to the final and managed a 19-12 win for their second tournament win of the season.

Spain won the bronze, 22-7, over Fiji. Argentina leapt back into the seasonal lead, with 68 points to 64 for Spain and 62 each for Fiji and South Africa. The U.S. are in 11th place (9).

In women’s pool play, Brazil, New Zealand and Great Britain led the pools, with the Kiwis zipping by Canada (34-12) and Australia (29-10) to reach the final. Meanwhile, Fiji crushed Brazil by 46-0 and then Japan by 28-7 to march into the title match.

But it was all New Zealand, winning the final by 41-7, while Australia took the bronze, 26-12, over Japan. The standings show the Kiwis over Australia by 76-70 with two tournaments left, and France (52) and the U.S. (46) following.

● Ski Jumping ● The 12th stop on the FIS women’s World Cup tour was in Hinzenbach (AUT), jumping off the 90 m hill, and Slovenian teen star Nika Prevc winning for the fifth time in a row on Saturday. She scored 248.4 and won both jumps, with Selina Freitag (GER) second at 240.5 and Jacqueline Seifriedsberger (AUT: 231.1) third.

Sunday’s jumping saw Prevc and Freitag go 1-2 for the fourth straight World Cup, scoring 244.0 and 241.5 points as Prevc won the first round and Freitag won the second. Abigail Strate (CAN) took the bronze at 226.6. With five events left, Prevc has a 1,533-1,078 lead over German Katharina Schmid.

● Ski Mountaineering ● Test events for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games were held in Bormio (ITA), with World Championships gold medalists Emily Harrop (FRA) and Oriol Cardona Coll (ESP) winning the women’s and men’s Sprint.

Spain’s Cardona Coll and Ana Alonso Rodriguez won the Mixed Relay, ahead of Harrop and Thibault Anselmet.

● Snowboard ● The FIS World Cup season in Halfpipe finished in Calgary (CAN) with the fifth competition and a second straight win for Japan’s Ruka Hirano. He scored 93.00 to out-point countryman Yuto Totsuka, the 2021 World Champion (89.75), with American Alessandro Barbieri third (83.25). Hirano’s win gave him the seasonal title, 34-310 over Totsuka.

Japan’s Beijing bronzer, Sena Tomita made it a sweep with a win in the women’s event, scoring 90.75, ahead of two-time Worlds medalist Maddie Mastro of the U.S. (85.25) and Elizabeth Hosking (CAN: 79.25). Mastro won medals in three events and took the seasonal title at 310 points, with two-time Olympic champ Chloe Kim of the U.S. second at 250.

The fourth Slopestyle event of the season saw the U.S. go 1-2 with 16-year-old Oliver Martin, who won his first career World Cup medal (and first gold) at 80.60, beating 2018 Olympic champ Red Gerard of the U.S. (78.63). Norway’s two-time World Champion Marcus Kleveland was third in 75.65.

Japan’s 18-year-old Mari Fuaka won the women’s Slopestyle at 77.58, with Annika Morgan (GER: 76.30) second and 2023 World Champion Mia Brookes (GBR: 74.08) third.

● Speed Skating ● American star Jordan Stolz lost his last race, at the ISU World Cup in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but started a new streak at the ISU World Cup in Tomaszow Mazowiecki (POL).

He had won 14 races in a row this season before the second 500 m event in Milwaukee, and 18 in a row going back to last season (and 22 straight in her preferred 500-1,000-1,500 m races). But got going again in Poland, winning the first men’s 500 m and the 1,500 m on Friday and then the 1,000 m on Saturday. Fellow American Cooper Mcleod was fourth in the 1,000 m.

But on Sunday, he was in the last pair of the second men’s 500 m, but finished fifth overall, as Kazakhstan’s Yevgeniy Koshkin scored an upset win in 34.52 over Canada’s 2021 World Champion, Laurent Dubreuil (34.70) – second in both 500s – with Stolz fifth in 34.84. Said Stolz afterwards:

“The technique feels good, my strength isn’t even bad, but it’s just that I’m not recovering like I used to during competition, it’s probably the antibiotics or something.”

Norway’s Sander Eitrem took the 5,000 m in 6:16.62 over two-time Worlds runner-up Davide Ghiotto (ITA: 6:18.29). American Casey Dawson was fifth in 6:20.83. The Mass Start final was won by Seug-hoon Lee (KOR) over Bart Hoolwerf (NED), 7:48.05 to 7:48.511.

The U.S. trio of Conor McDermott-Mostowy, Mcleod and Zach Stoppelmoor won the Team Sprint in 1:19.27, ahead of South Korea (1:20.47).

Beijing 2022 Olympic women’s 500 m champ Erin Jackson of the U.S. was in good form, winning both 500 m races. She took Friday’s event in 38.08 over two-time Olympic 1,000 m champ Suzanne Schulting (NED: 38.17), and then won again over Schulting on Sunday, 37.81 to 37.92.

Two-time Mass Start World Champion Marijke Groenewoud (NED) won the women’s 1,500 m in 1:56.67, beating Olympic 1,000 m champ Miho Takagi (JPN: 1:57.50), but Takagi came back to win the 1,000 m in 1:14.80, with American Brittany Bowe fifth in 1:16.60.

Groenewoud also won the Mass Start in 8:20.34 over Italian Francesca Lollobrigida (8:20.48), with American Mia Manganello fourth (8:21.03). Norway’s Ragne Wiklund, the 2023 World Champion, took the 3,000 m in 4:03.70 over Merel Cronijn (NED: 4:04.59) and Lollobrigida (4:05.32). Poland won the Team Sprint, with the U.S. in sixth.

● Swimming ● Germany’s Tokyo Olympic 10 km champ Florian Wellbrock dominated the men’s World Aquatics Open Water World Cup opener in Soma Bay (EGY), taking the lead halfway through the race and winning in 2:01:33.6. France’s Logan Fontaine was second (2:01:44.1), just ahead of teammate and 2016 Rio Olympic bronzer Marc-Antoine Olivier (2:01:44.4).

The women’s race came down to two: Australia’s Paris Olympic silver medalist Moesha Johnson and bronzer winner Ginerva Taddeucci (ITA), with Johnson finishing ahead again, 2:06:34.6 to 2:06:37.6. Fellow Australian Chelsea Gubecka got third in 2:06:51.0.

Wellbrock anchored Germany to a clear win in the Mixed 4×1,500 m relay in 1:10:10.9, with Johnson and Gubecka swimming the first two legs for Australia, second in 1:10:41.1. Italy was third in 1:11:16.7.

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