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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● The next meeting of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board is on Thursday (26th), with one of the agenda items – item 13 – a “status report on the Workplan to Address the Fiscal Cliff” and adopting principles to deal with it.
A presentation to Metro’s Finance, Budget and Audit Committee on 18 June identified Metro Transit near-term projections showing growing deficits in Fiscal Years 2026-27-28-29-30, from $100 million in 2026 expanding to $2.3 billion by 2030.
Parts of these deficits are due to continued subway and rail expansion programs, inflation and Federal funding uncertainty. The projections do not include any 2028 Games funding issues, but the presentation noted that “Preparation for Mega Events” is causing “Short-term resource strain across the agency.”
The situation projects Metro General Fund balance to go negative in Fiscal Year 2026, amid declining revenues. Two of the drivers are future rail operations costing 2.2 times per hour what buses would cost, and a major funding gap – even if delayed – in the Zero-Emissions Bus program.
While trying to maintain service levels, the presentation states this is a “[c]ritical time for Board to consider major decisions to mitigate projected deficits in the coming years.”
The corollary is that Metro has no identifiable resources to throw at a 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games support program, waiting for Federal funding which is not in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget.
While the LA28 organizing committee is not responsible for spectator transit during the Games, it is counting on Metro to supply most of the transport service for its volunteer workforce.
● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● Belarus is appealing the International Skating Union’s decision to limit its entries to 2026 Olympic qualifying to just 13 athletes across figure skating, speed skating and short track.
The appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport was filed on 3 June. The question of Russian and Belarusian participation in 2026 is a prime issue facing new IOC chief Kirsty Coventry.
● Athletics ● Kenya’s three-time Olympic women’s 1,500 champion, Faith Kipyegon, 31, will make a highly-publicized try at a four-minute mile on Thursday (26th) at the Stade Charlety in Paris (FRA).
This “Breaking4″ project, underwritten by Nike, is a herculean task, with Kipyegon trying to improve her world record of 4:07.64 from 2023, set in Monaco. In terms of seeing the attempt:
“Nike will welcome fans to Stade Charléty in Paris on June 26 for the opportunity to support Faith’s historic attempt in person. Nike is also partnering with Box To Box Films to invite supporters from around the world to watch Faith’s moonshot on a livestream broadcast available on Nike’s YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Douyin accounts, as well as Prime Video.”
The on-line streaming will begin at 7:15 p.m. local time, which is 1:15 p.m. Eastern time or 10:15 a.m. Pacific. Her attempt will begin at 8 p.m. Paris time.
A 50-minute first episode of a documentary. “Breaking4: Faith Kipyegon vs. the 4-Minute Mile” is now available on Prime Video.
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At the 64th Zlata Tetra – “Golden Spike” – meet in Ostava (CZE), 17-year-old Australian sensation Gout Gout got a lifetime best of 20.02 to win the men’s 200 m (wind 0.0), beating two-time Diamond League meet winner Reynier Mena of Cuba (20.19).
Australian teammate Peter Bol won the men’s 800 m in 1:43.80, and 18-year-old Kenyan sensation Phanuel Koech won the 1,500 m in 3:29.05, ahead of Isaac Nader (POR: 3:29.37) and American Josh Hoey (lifetime best 3:29.75), moving him to no. 5 all-time U.S. and the sixth American to break 3:30.
Americans went 1-2 in the men’s 110 m hurdles, with Dylan Beard out-leaning Olympic champ Grant Holloway, with both in 13.13 (+0.6). Chris Robinson of the U.S. won the 400 m hurdles in 48.05.
Swedish superstar Mondo Duplantis won the men’s vault at 6.13 m (20-1 1/4), but missed three times at a world record 6.29 m (20-7 1/2). Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri won the shot at 21.70 m (71-2 1/2) with Jordan Geist of the U.S. third (21.09 m/69-2 1/2), while India’s Tokyo Olympic champ Neeraj Chopra took the javelin at 85.29 m (279-10) with Marc Minnicello of the U.S. in sixth (80.15 m/262-11).
Thelma Davies (LBR) won the women’s 100 m in a lifetime best 10.91 (+0.6) ahead of Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith (CIV: 10.92), with Cambrea Sturgis of the U.S. in fifth (11.19). World leader Salwa Eid Naser (BRN) won a major 400 m showdown in 49.15, beating Lynna Irby-Jackson of the U.S. (49.82) and Dutch hurdles star Femke Bol (49.98).
South Africa’s Prudence Sekgodiso moved to no. 2 in the world in the women’s 800 m at 1:57.16, beating Oratile Nowe (BOT: 1:57.49). Nigeria’s world-record holder Tobi Amusan took the women’s 110 m hurdles in a speedy 12.45 (+1.7).
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Let’s call it “Allman joy” for U.S. discus star and Olympic champion Valarie Allman, who notched her 24th straight win with a final-throw victory at the Meeting de Paris on Friday.
She was trailing Dutch thrower Jorinde van Klinken’s fourth-round leader of 66.42 m (217-11), but Allman had one more throw in her and stole the event with a clutch toss of 67.56 m (221-8)!
She said afterwards:
“When your technique is off, it really throws you. I was doing the first part of the throw right, but I was still not getting it. As each round went on, it became more stressful, that is the beauty of the field events. It only takes one throw which can be in the last round, and that can be very exciting.
“This is not a good habit to leave everything ‘til last, at least it is not a habit that I like. I am very grateful to have be training and preparing for all sorts of situations. This is one of the scenarios we trained for, having two fouls, not being in the lead, and still coming out with a win.
“It is definitely a skill to be able to believe in yourself and knowing that you can still find yourself in the competition, but my heart was through the roof tonight.”
Next up for her is the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, on 5 July. No. 25?
● Football ● Multiple reports speculating on what will happen with Iran, which has already qualified out of the Asian confederation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
There are no World Cup groups with matches played exclusively outside of the U.S., which has 11 of the 16 host cities. The closest in Group A, in which Mexico – as a host – is already assigned. Five of the six group games will be in Mexico City, Zapopan or Guadalupe – all in Mexico – with one game in Atlanta. So if Iran were maneuvered into slot A3 at the Final Draw in December, it could avoid coming to the U.S. completely in the group stage. But it would have to win the group to have Round of 32 and possibly Round of 16 games in Mexico City.
Israel is also in the picture, competing in UEFA Group I, with Norway, Italy, Estonia and Moldova, with the winner qualifying for 2026 and the runner-up to a playoff. So far, Israel is 2-1 and second with six points, behind Norway (4-0: 12), and has five games remaining: two each with Italy and Moldova and one more with Norway, finishing in mid-November.
Israel has played in the FIFA World Cup only once, in 1970.
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