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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● A significant vote of confidence following today’s ASOIF General Assembly (more below) for the LA28 organizers from ASOIF President Ingmar De Vos (BEL), also the head of the International Equestrian Federation.
Asked at the follow-up news conference about the civic turmoil in Los Angeles, with continuing protests and demonstrations, De Vos focused more on LA28:
“We have been able to follow everything very closely. I must say, in general, when we had the IF Transition Seminar in January, we identified together with the International Federations, but also with the organizing committee, that there was serious delays in the delivery of these Olympic Games.
“And I would say when we were in Los Angeles [for the International Olympic Committee Coordination Commission meeting last week], we were put back, I would say, in our comfort zone, and that we saw a lot of progress. A team that was expanding, a venue plan that was finalized – there are some little things to be done still, but the major venue plan has been finalized – in the meantime also, the events and the quotas have been sorted out. …
“So we are very confident in them.”
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De Vos also spoke to the Trump Administration’s 4 June restrictions on entry to the U.S. from 12 countries and increased scrutiny for seven others:
“The organizing committee guaranteed us that they are very well connected with the government, and the fact already that there is a carve-out is already a very good indication that there is a clear willingness to allow important sport events in the United States, and in Los Angeles in this case, in the future.
“So we are quite confident that they will be able to tackle this, and we count on the organizing committee to do the necessary.”
As for the continuing civil unrest, especially in downtown Los Angeles:
“We believe that there is a lot of enthusiasm in Los Angeles for these Olympic and Paralympic Games, and we trust that the organizing committee and the IOC will do the necessary there, in the relationships that they have. They are in contact, again, with all the levels of the government that are relevant, but I am also believing very strongly in the state and the city and the people of Los Angeles.
“They want these Games, so they will contribute and they will facilitate that these Games can happen in the best circumstances.”
● Association of Summer Olympic International Federations ● The 49th ASOIF General Assembly was held Wednesday in Lausanne (SUI), with a series of presentations, including welcoming remarks from International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (GER) and President-elect Kirsty Coventry (ZIM).
Near the end of the agenda were elections for four seats on the ASOIF Council, the working body of the organization, with FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis (GRE), United World Wrestling President Nenad Lalovic (SRB), World Rowing President Jean-Christophe Rolland (FRA) all elected for four-year terms. After four rounds of voting and two ties, a coin flip – with a CHF 5 piece – was used to elect World Athletics Senior Vice President Ximena Restrepo (COL) over Sport Climbing President Marco Scolaris (ITA) for the two-year term to finish out an open position.
● Enhanced Games ● At the ASOIF General Assembly, World Anti-Doping Agency President Witold Banka (POL) gave a detailed report, and continued his condemnation of the announced, pro-doping Enhanced Games in Las Vegas in May 2026:
“This initiative seeks to normalize the use of potentially dangerous performance-enhancing drugs in sport. It is not merely controversial, it is irresponsible and, of course, it is wrong.
“So, it threatens to erode decades of progress in athlete protection, of public health and the very ethos of sport. The event launched last month in the United States; one positive alignment out of all this has been the reaction of the rest of the world, I can say.
“So, we are really united against this misguided experiment. Governments, anti-doping organizations, sports federations and athletes have all come together to reject it and rightly so.”
He praised the new World Aquatics bylaw which penalizes participation or support of this project and called for action against the Enhanced Games:
“So WADA is now urging authorities in the United States to seek ways to prevent the Enhanced Games from going ahead as planned. And for the sake of athlete’s health and the purity of sport, of course, it must be stopped.”
● NCAA ● Exactly as expected, a group of eight women who objected to the House vs. NCAA settlement that was approved last week, filed an appeal against the settlement, saying it unfairly discriminates against female athletes in terms of the amounts to be paid to men, especially in football and basketball.
Attorney Ashlyn Hare told The Associated Press, “This is a football and basketball damages settlement with no real benefit to female athletes.” The appeal asked for a hearing before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
● Athletics ● The annual Bislett Games in Oslo (NOR) comes tomorrow (Thursday), as the Diamond League tour continues in Europe. A world-record try in the men’s 300 m hurdles – a new event for World Athletics – will feature Olympic champions Karsten Warholm (NOR) and Rai Benjamin of the U.S., as well as 2022 World Champion Alison dos Santos.
Another world-record try is slated for the men’s 5,000 m, with Ethiopians Hagos Gebrhiwet and Yomif Kejelcha both trying for the 12:36.73 mark by Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) from 2020.
And any time that Mondo Duplantis (SWE) is vaulting, a world record is always a possibility. The meet is only available in the U.S. on the FloTrack streaming service.
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The Athletics Integrity Unit announced a provisional suspension of Kenyan distance star Benard Kibet Koech, the Paris 2024 fifth-placer at 10,000 m, for a prohibited substance or method from an examination of his Athlete Biological Passport. He has a best of 26:43.98 from 2024.
Fellow Kenyan Daniel Kinyanjui was banned for five years from 11 February 2025 for using a prohibited substance (CERA: Continuous Erythropoietin Receptor Activator); his results from 21 September 2024 are nullified, which includes his road 10 km best of 27:06 in Valencia in January.
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USA Track & Field said it will not be sending a U-20 team to the Pan American Junior Championships, now slated for 11-13 July in Villavicencio (COL). Per the announcement:
“Considering that several members of the Pan Am U20 team would likely be minors, USATF has been working diligently since the announcement to determine the logistics involved and the viability of sending a team to this location with such short notice. Currently, with less than 30 days until travel, USATF does not have sufficient details from the organizers regarding transportation logistics, accommodations, or security support. Information on logistics is critical, as the U.S. State Department has listed Colombia as ‘Level 3 – Reconsider Travel,’ and the U.S. State Department prohibits U.S. government employees from using taxis or public transportation in Colombia due to safety concerns.”
Instead, “USATF will look to host a U20 Pathway to Elite Seminar for event winners from the 2025 USATF U20 Championships.”
● Judo ● The International Judo Federation re-elected Marius Vizer (ROU) as President for a sixth, four-year term. He was first elected in 2007 and ran unopposed.
● Swimming ● Two world leads at the Australian Team Trials in Adelaide, with Olympic women’s 200 m Freestyle gold medalist Mollie O’Callaghan dueling with Lani Pallister and winning in 1:54.43. Pallister is now no. 2 at 1:54.89.
In the men’s 50 m Free, Olympic champ Cameron McEvoy won in 21.30, tops in the world in 2025, trailed by 2016 Olympic 100 m winner Kyle Chalmers in 21.68, now equal-eighth.
Sam Short won the men’s 800 m Free in 7:40.95, now no. 3 in the world this year.
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