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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● The International Ice Hockey Federation released the names of the first six players named to the 12 men’s teams for the 2026 Olympic hockey tournament.
Plenty of NHL stars were on the lists, including Canadians Sydney Crosby (NHL Pittsburgh), Nathan McKinnon (Colorado) and Connor McDavid (Edmonton), Czech scoring star David Pastrnak (Boston), Germany’s Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton), Americans Jack Eichel (Vegas), Auston Matthews (Toronto) and the Tkachuk brothers, Brady (Ottawa) and Matthew (Florida), among many others.
The full, 25-man rosters are not expected to be confirmed until January 2026.
● Transgender ● The California Interscholastic Federation ignored the 2 June letter from U.S. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon demanding “you must certify in writing by 5:00 p.m. ET on June 9, 2025, that you will not implement CIF Bylaw 300.D,” which allows transgenders to compete in the girls division in sports.
Instead:
“California Attorney General Rob Bonta today filed a pre-enforcement lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice (U.S. DOJ) in anticipation of imminent legal retaliation against California’s school systems. Last week, U.S. DOJ issued a letter requesting certification from California school districts that they will not comply with longstanding state anti-discrimination law that provides for the participation in sports for K-12 students consistent with gender identity.
“Today, the California Department of Education notified U.S. DOJ that the state will not certify to its demands, which would require school districts to violate not only existing state law, but also the U.S. Constitution.
“In the lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta asks the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to uphold California’s anti-discrimination law and prevent the Trump Administration from taking retaliatory action, such as withholding or conditioning federal funding, over the state’s refusal to comply with U.S. DOJ’s unlawful demands.”
This sets up a court process, which the Justice Department no doubt expected, in a case which may very likely end up at the U.S. Supreme Court.
¶
Fox News Digital reported on a lawsuit filed by two USA Fencing at-large directors – Andrey Geva and Abdel Salem – against Board Chair Damien Lehfeldt and other directors, asking for Lehfeldt’s removal for false statements to Congress during his 7 May 2025 testimony to the House Department of Government Efficiency subcommittee concerning USA Fencing’s policy concerning transgenders.
According to the report, the filing includes:
“Defendant Lehfeldt’s non-corporative [sic] demeanor in bad faith and untruthful and misleading statements at the congressional hearing on May 7 has prompted the Congress to consider decertifying USFA as [a National Governing Body], thus potentially risking Team USA’s qualification in the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games.
“His lies have alienated thousands of members in the fencing community who have provided more than 90% of USFA’s revenues.”
The filing also alleges that Geva, a former national coach, was attempted to be punished or removed by two other board members, and alleged “Lefheldt falsely announced Geva’s resignation from the board at a meeting on June 7.”
In a statement to Fox, USA Fencing commented: “This derivative lawsuit misrepresents our organization, and we will vigorously defend the organization in court; any attempt to disparage them will be addressed appropriately.”
● Athletics ● Gjert Ingebrigtsen, 59, father and coach of the three star track & field sons – Jakob, Filip and Henrik – was convicted on Monday of one count of assault against his daughter, Ingrid, and was acquitted of all other charges. He received a 15-day suspended sentence and a fine of NOK 10,000 (~$1,010 U.S.) as compensation.
The trial had been a sensation in Norway after the brothers broke away from their father as coach in 2022 and accused him of abuse in 2023.
● Skiing ● The International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS) approved an increase in prize money for all of its disciplines – alpine, cross country, freestyle-freeski, nordic combined, ski jumping and snowboard – of up to 20% for the 2025-26 season.
FIS itself will add 10%, and local organizers will be able to add 10% as well.
≡ RESULTS ≡
● Archery ● At the USA Archery National Field Championships in Noblesville, Indiana, two-time World Field Championships medal winner Matthew Nofel was a clear winner in the men’s Recurve class, scoring 706, way ahead of Ashton Probus (644). Wife Savannah Nofel took the women’s division title, scoring 682.
The Compound titles went to defending champs Dan Jasa (812) for the men and Paige Pearce (803) for the women.
● Athletics ● The comeback story of injury-plagued 2019 World men’s 800 m champion Donavan Brazier of the U.S. continues, with a win at the Portland Track Festival on Sunday in 1:43.81. It’s his fastest time since 2020!
The mark moves him to no. 18 on the 2025 world list and no. 5 among Americans, with the U.S. championships coming up at the end of July to select the 2025 World Championships team.
● Gymnastics ● Late apparatus final results from the Pan American Championships in Panama City (PAN), with Canada’s Lia Redick winning on Beam at 13.267, ahead of Americans Jayla Hang (13.233) and Hezly Rivera (13.000). Canada’s Lia Fontaine won on Floor (13.800), with Hang (13.433) and Gabrielle Hardie (13.133) taking silver and bronze.
Canada’s Felix Dolci won the men’s Vault at 14.066, then took the Parallel Bars gold at 13.800 and completed the sweep, scoring 13.933 on the Horizontal Bar. American Joshua Karnes was second on the Horizontal Bar, scoring 13.500.
● Judo ● Japan scored a fourth gold and eighth medal across eight total classes at the IJF World Championships in Budapest (HUN), as 2025 Asian champ Haruka Kajo defeated Canada’s Tokyo Olympic bronzer Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard in the final of the 63 kg class.
Russian Timiur Arbuzov won the men’s 81 kg class as a “neutral,” defeating three-time World Champion Tato Grigalashvili (GEO) in the final. Three more classes will be held for men and women and then the Mixed Team event on Friday.
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