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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● The Italian daily Il Fatto Quotidiano reported that the regional Veneto Court of Auditors has found that while the losses through the end of 2025 for the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 – the organizing committee – were at €176.456 million, the total debts related to the Games will be about €1.0 billion when final accounting is made at the end of 2026. (€1 = $1.14 U.S.)
In case of losses, the bill will be shared by the Italian national government, and the hosting regions of Lombardy and Veneto, which had already made budget provisions to support Games deficit payments ahead of time.
● Russia ● The International Olympic Committee replied to European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport Glenn Micallef (MLT) and his call to reverse its recommendation to re-admit Russian athletes to international competitions.
The IOC Press Office told Reuters on Wednesday, “The IOC has to navigate the complex realities and consequences of the current geopolitical context.
“The IOC must uphold its mission to preserve a values-based and truly global sporting platform that provides hope to the world.”
● Alpine Skiing ● Italian star Federica Brignone, 36, who miraculously returned to win two Olympic golds in Cortina 10 months after a massive crash in April 2025, is still recovering.
She the French all-sports newspaper L’Equipe, “My body will never fully recover from the injury.
“I’m training but I’m also continuing to take care of myself. This spring was difficult; I was still having a hard time walking. I started training in mid-May, but I’m not doing what I did before the injury. I can ride my bike and swim, I go to the gym, but I can’t run or do any real weight-bearing work. My body has regained muscle tone, it’s getting better and better, but it’s still far from being perfect, or at least not like it was before. I’m in pain all the time.”
As for skiing, she added, “I’ll try to put on my skis at the beginning of August. I don’t know yet if I’ll be able to compete in the upcoming season.”
● Athletics ● Stage 11 of the Wanda Diamond League is the Novuna London Athletics Meet on Saturday, with the main events window from 9-11 a.m. Eastern time.
The headline has been the “Project 222″ world-record shot in the men’s mile by 2023 World 1,500 m champ Josh Kerr (GBR), aiming to run 3:42 – 222 seconds – to break the 1999 world mile mark of 3:43.13 by Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR).
Sponsored by Brooks, the highly-publicized effort includes a special “speed suit,” personalized running spikes and setting up an altitude chamber in his bedroom at home. He won’t be alone, however, as the race also includes Paris Olympic 1,500 m bronzer Yared Nuguse of the U.S. and Ethan Strand, third in the Pre Classic mile.
Lots of other stars will be on hand, including Olympic 800 m winners Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) – fresh off his 1,000 m world record – and Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson in the women’s race. The British star will have to deal with Olympic runner-up Tsige Duguma (ETH) and the rapidly-improving Femke Broeders-Bol (NED) in her first season in the 800 m.
The men’s 110 m hurdles has new world-record man JaKobe Tharp, 2025 World Champion Cordell Tinch and Jamal Britt, now no. 5 all-time, in a re-run of the hot Gyulai Memorial race in Budapest in which Tharp won in 12.85.
World-record stars include Karsten Warholm (NOR) in the men’s 400 m hurdles and Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis in the men’s vault, and a re-match in the women’s 200 m before Olympic winner Gabby Thomas of the U.S. and St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred, who won the Monaco 200 m in 21.51 to stand third all-time.
● Basketball ● USA Basketball announced that men’s National Team coach Erik Spoelstra will have long-time NBA coaches J.B. Bickerstaff and Mark Daigneault – the head coaches at Detroit and Oklahoma City – and Gonzaga coach Mark Few as assistants for the 2027 FIBA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games.
Few was an assistant coach with the Paris 2024 gold medalists, working with head coach Steve Kerr. This will be the first time for Bickerstaff and Daigneault as members of a World Cup or Olympic staff.
● Cycling ● Belgium’s Tim Merlier won his third stage in the 2026 Tour de France on Thursday, getting to the line at the end of the 179.1 km 12th stage in Chalon-sur-Saone in 3:38:53 at the head of a mass sprint.
The hilly course finished with a downhill section and while the first 144 riders received the same time, the final sprint ended up with a series of crashes that impacted a half-dozen riders. Olav Kooij (NED) finished second and Belgian Jasper Philipsen was third, just as they were in stage 11.
The leaderboard did not change, with Slovenian star Tadej Pogacar still in the lead by 3:36 over two-time champ Jonas Vingegaard (DEN). Friday’s 205.8 km stage has two major climbs in the final quarter of the race that could shake things up.
● Football ● Following the display by Argentine players of a fan-created banner on the field following their 2-1 FIFA World Cup semifinal win over England that read “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” – in English, “The Malvinas are Argentine” – the British government has asked for a review by FIFA.
Argentina claims sovereignty over what it calls the Malvinas, known in Britain as the Falkland Islands; after an Argentine takeover in 1982, a British force was sent and recaptured the islands, which have been in British hands ever since.
FIFA regulations prohibit messaging of “a political, ideological, religious or offensive nature” that is not related to a sporting event, punishable by a fine or other actions. It was reported that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has opened an inquiry.
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An analysis of FIFA tracking data through the quarterfinal round (100 of 104 matches) of the World Cup by the Marathon Handbook site showed that in terms of sheer distance covered in the tournament, the leader is Spanish midfielder Rodri at 71.7 km total, followed by midfielder Neil El Aynaoui (MAR: 70.47 km), then Belgian defenders Brandon Mechele (68.41 km) and Timothy Castagne (65.18 km). Spanish defender Marc Cucurella was fifth at 64.61 km.
It also showed that ranked 618th – last – was Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, at 8.1 km total. First in scoring, last in travel.
● Triathlon ● World Triathlon President Antonio Arimany (ESP) is beginning a worldwide media tour to promote the link-up with the Professional Triathletes Organisation and the creation of a 2027 competition program which will include the PTO’s T100 events (2 km swim + 80 km bike + 18 km run) with the World Triathlon Championship Series, to be renamed the “T50 World Championship Series” for its 1.5 km swim + 40 km bike + 10 km run program.
Arimany told The Associated Press:
“Our goal is for the sport to be attractive not only for triathlon fans but to be attractive for sport fans. We need to grow the sport to be more attractive to the general public.
“This is not an achievement for next year, this is a goal that we have for the next six, seven years. And we really would like to have triathlon at the level of tennis or golf. Of course, we cannot reach football or other sports because we are not a team sport, but compared to individual sports we need to find a way how we can grow in popularity.”
● Wrestling ● The International Testing Agency disqualified Egyptian Freestyle 74 kg class wrestler Ramadan Hussen for “an infusion system composed of an empty used infusion bag of 500 mL, a flow regulator and a needle” found at the Paris 2024 venue, the Grand Palais. The ITA explained:
“Following investigations conducted by the ITA, including forensic DNA analysis on the paraphernalia, the ITA was able to conclude that the paraphernalia had been used by Ramadan Hussen (Egypt). Accordingly, the ITA charged the athlete with a violation of Article 2.2 of the International Olympic Committee Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Olympic Games Paris 2024 (IOC ADR) for Use of a Prohibited Method, more particularly use of intravenous infusions and/or injections of more than a total of 100 mL per 12-hour period.”
Hussen placed 12th. As far as sanctions go, this matter is being taken up by the ITA separately on behalf of United World Wrestling.
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