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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Winter Paralympic Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● The organizing committee noted Tuesday that 4,600 volunteers are supporting the Winter Paralympic Games, with 42% in the competition venues, 21% in the Paralympic Villages and the other 37% across other sites.
Almost a third – about 1,500 – are assigned to welcome and assist spectators.
A total of 18,000 volunteers are working across the Olympic Winter and Winter Paralympic Games, from 98 nations and territories and more than 2,000 from outside Italy.
● Baseball ● At the World Baseball Classic, home-standing Puerto Rico defeated Cuba, 4-1, on Monday and went to 3-0 in Group A and advanced to the playoff round.
The Cubans are 2-1 and still must play Canada on Wednesday to try and advance.
The U.S. is 3-0 and defeated Mexico, 5-3, on Monday, but it still tangled with Italy (2-0) and Mexico (2-1). The U.S. and Italy play Tuesday evening and then Italy and Mexico play on Wednesday to complete the group.
Japan (4-0) and South Korea (2-2) have qualified out of Group C and the Dominican Republic (3-0) and Venezuela (3-0) are advancing out of Group D. Quarterfinals start Friday.
● Figure Skating ● The annual International Skating Union awards vote is now open through 18 March for four categories:
● Best Costume (16 candidates)
● Most Entertaining Program (16)
● Best Choreographer (8)
● Best Coach (8)
The U.S. has five “Costume” candidates in Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, Ilia Malinin and Ice Dance teams Madison Chock and Evan Bates and Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik.
Four of those five (all but Liu) are in the “Program” vote, also with men’s star Jason Brown.
Voting ends on the 18th; awards will be made on 29 March.
● Football ● The Athletic reported, from multiple sources, that FIFA is asking its 2026 World Cup organizing team to reduce the overall cost of the tournament by at least $100 million.
There are few details; the story surmises that the pressure on costs is to allow FIFA to ensure that its projected goal of $11.67 billion in “reinvestment” in the game – meaning money spent on football development and especially funds sent to national federations – is met or exceeded.
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FIFA World Cup Chief Operating Officer Heimo Schirgi (AUT), speaking in Dallas, said he believes the tournament will proceed as planned, despite the ongoing conflict in Iran – which has qualified for the event – and the Middle East:
“If had a crystal ball I could tell you now what is going to happen, but obviously the situation is developing.
“It’s changing day by day and we are monitoring closely. We’re working together with all our federal partners and our international partners in evaluating the situation, and we basically take it day-by-day and at some stage we will have a resolution.
“And the World Cup will go on obviously, right? The World Cup is too big, and we hope that everyone can participate that has qualified.”
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The former head of the Republic of Congo football federation, Jean-Guy Blaise Mayolas, was convicted in absentia in a national court for stealing $1.1 million in FIFA funding for the country’s federation.
He was sentenced to life in prison, but his whereabouts are unknown. His son, Lionel Mayolas, was also convicted on the same charge, but also in absentia. The Associated Press reported:
“Federation secretary general Badji Mombo Wantete and treasurer Raoul Kanda were each sentenced to five years in prison for complicity in money laundering, forgery, use of forged documents and misappropriation of funds.”
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