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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Olympic Games 2020: Tokyo ● The Japanese ad giant Dentsu was fined ¥300 million – about $2.05 million – for its role in the bid-rigging scandal for Tokyo 2020 test events and then contracts for venue management during the Games period.
Former Dentsu executive Koji Hemmi was given a two-year prison term, suspended for four years, by the Tokyo District Court. He and Dentsu are appealing their convictions; the company admitted rigging the test-event contracts (worth ¥500 million), but not the venue management contracts for the Games, worth ¥43.1 billion in all.
Six companies – Dentsu, ad firms Hakuhodo and Tokyu Agency, and event producers Cerespo Co., Fuji Creative Corp., and Same Two – were indicted related to the rigged bids in 2018. Hakuhodo was convicted in 2024 and fined ¥200 million, and Cerespo was also convicted and fined ¥280 million; both have filed appeals.
● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● The French government’s Court of Auditors issued a report on Monday claiming that the public expenditures on the 2024 Games cost €5.96 billion (about $6.89 billion U.S.).
This included €2.77 billion (~$3.20 billion U.S.) on operations, including €1.40 billion on security for 35,000 military and police during the Games. In addition, €3.19 billion (~$3.69 billion U.S.) was spent on infrastructure.
The figures were challenged by Paris 2024 chief executive Tony Estanguet, who noted:
“Through its methodological choices, the Cour has in fact declined to examine the only question that would meaningfully inform public debate: How much public money would have been saved if the Games had not been held in Paris?
“It is undeniable that this amount would be far less than the €6 billion currently cited by the Cour. The organizing committee, as it already stated during the contradictory procedure, estimates that this figure does not exceed €2 billion, while the expected economic benefits of the Games are said to represent three to five times that amount.”
A more detailed report is expected in October.
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Paris Deputy Mayor Pierre Rabadan confirmed that public swimming in the Seine River will resume on 5 July, at three designated sites. The FrancsJeux.com site reported his comment:
“We did all the necessary work to improve water quality before the Games, to be ready for the Games, with a deadline and a requirement for results by 2024. Without the Games, we might never have made it. We were told we were doing all this for the athletes, but no: it was just a step. The Games are a unique acceleration tool to create conditions that will benefit the population.”
A parade on the river will take place on 26 July, marking the one-year anniversary of the opening of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
● Anti-Doping ● The World Anti-Doping Agency ridiculed comments by U.S. Anti-Doping Agency chief Travis Tygart at last week’s Senate subcommittee hearing on the 2021 Chinese mass-doping incident involving trimetazidine:
“[T]he amount of food, the amount of contaminated drink that you would have to actually eat or consume to get these [TMZ] levels – was a few micrograms – I think we did the analysis based on the information that’s out there. It’s like 11 pounds of food, and over, I think, seven gallons of liquid in order to get the levels, and to think that Chinese athletes at the top of their game are going to do that type of diet the day before an event, or the day after one event, before the next day’s race, is just absolutely ludicrous.”
WADA said in a statement to the Russian news agency TASS:
“Mr. Tygart’s statement is not based on science or facts. It appears to have been made simply to support his pre-conceived narrative. The fact is that the traces of trimetazidine found in the athletes’ samples are consistent with the consumption of contaminated food or liquid. All scientific experts involved in the review of the circumstances of this case agreed with this.
“By presenting his sensational speculations as facts, Mr. Tygart misled the Senate subcommittee and the public. It is unfortunate that some media outlets have disseminated them without questioning their veracity.”
The tug of war continues.
● Equestrian ● The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) published its annual report for 2024, showing a lively sport with 4,721 international events in 2024, with 44,107 registered athletes and 79,647 registered horses. Events were down slightly in 2024 (-53), but athlete registrations (+1,996) and horses (+711) were up from 2023.
The overwhelming leader among the federation’s six disciplines is Jumping, with 24,879 athletes (56.4%) and 52,606 horses (66.0%). Eventing is next with 5,803 people and 9.343 horses, following by the third Olympic discipline, Dressage, at 4,423 people and 5,786 horses.
The U.S. had the most FEI competitions in 2024, with 541, just ahead of France (604), with Italy third at 340. The French had the most registered athletes (5,628) and horses (11,329); Germany was second in both: 3,706 and 8,881.
The linked financial statements showed an improvement for 2024, with total assets of CHF 82.882 million (CHF 1 = $1.23 U.S.), and reserves of CHF 25.475 million. Revenues were up to CHF 64.368 million, powered mostly by sponsorships of CHF 24.973 million. Expenses were CHF 67.094 million for an operating loss, but investment gains of CHF 4.131 million produced a year-end surplus of CHF 1.404 million.
The FEI’s finances are steady, but it remains dependent on sponsorships and to a lesser extent, on the IOC television rights dividend; for Paris 2024, this was CHF 12.848 million (about $15.8 million U.S.).
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