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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● The LA28 organizers opened applications for volunteers for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games on Tuesday, two years before the opening of the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad.
About 60,000 volunteers are expected to be needed; per the announcement:
“Roles will be available in eight categories that applicants can express their interest in, including communications, driving, experience, medical, Ceremonies, operations, sport and technology. Some roles will require specialized skills which applicants can indicate within their application, including in areas such as medicine and language translation.”
Carl Lewis, the four-time 1984 Olympic gold medalist, has been named an Official Ambassador of the LA28 Volunteer Program.
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ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that negotiations are continuing between LA28, Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association over conditions that would lead to an agreement for major league players to participate in the 2028 Olympic Games.
The Players Association wants changes to proposals “over hotel rooms, tickets and a mandatory-participation agreement” related to the Games. The story notes the Players Association would prefer an agreement more along the lines of the NHL’s deal to participate in the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Italy. An advisor to the MLB PA has suggested that players be paid to appear at the Games – in fact, with the IOC’s new grant program, all of the players would receive $10,000 – but the demand from the Players Association would be much greater.
● Russia ● The Russian news agency TASS reported that World Rowing will continue to use its system of “neutral athletes” for Russian and Belarusian athletes. The World Rowing statement included:
“World Rowing has taken note of the IOC Executive Board’s decision of July 7 regarding the Russian Olympic Committee and its recommendations to the International Federations.
“The World Rowing competition eligibility system, established by our Executive Board and updated in February 2026, already allows athletes holding a Russian or Belarusian passport to compete as Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) in all world rowing competitions, subject to strict neutrality requirements. This system remains unchanged and will continue to function.”
● Basketball ● The three-time defending champion U.S. won Group A with a 3-0 record at the FIBA girls U-17 World Cup being held in Brno (CZE). But it wasn’t easy.
The Americans crushed Ivory Coast, 117-24, then won a thriller from Australia, 74-72, and eased past Latvia, 105-53. They will meet 0-3 Mexico in the round-of-16 to start playoff action on Wednesday. The gold-medal game is Sunday.
● Cycling ● Four-time winner Tadej Pogacar (SLO) widened his lead at the 113th Tour de France with a stirring 10th stage victory Tuesday on the 166.6 km route to Le Lioran that included six moderate climbs. He overtook leader Richard Carapaz (ECU) about 29 km from the finish, on the penultimate climb and raced away to cross in 3:58:08. That was 32 seconds up on double Olympic champ Remco Evenepoel (BEL) and 34 seconds ahead of Paul Seixas (FRA). Carapaz faded to 11th.
Pogacar’s lead is now up to 3:36 over two-time winner Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) and 4:06 on Evenepoel.
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There were eight injuries related to a car crash at the end of Sunday’s stage in Ussel, in which a vehicle reportedly belonging to the French all-sports newspaper, L’Equipe, ran into the barriers lining the final straight about 500 m from the line.
The driver apparently was ill and eight spectators were injured, one of whom was in critical condition. The riders came to the line after the incident, with the vehicle moved and the barriers replaced.
L’Equipe and the Tour de France are both part of the French-owned Amaury Sports Organization.
● Gymnastics ● Suni Lee, the Tokyo 2020 All-Around champion and 2024 All-Around bronze winner, said Tuesday in an Instagram post she will resume her competitive career, after taking a break since the Paris 2024 Games.
Lee, 23, has won six Olympic medals (2-1-3) and three Worlds medals (1-1-1), from 2019-24.
● Swimming ● USA Swimming and arena, a long-standing partner, have renewed their agreement for competitive swimwear through 2028. Per the announcement:
“Over the course of the partnership, arena will continue to support USA Swimming through national events, digital and social storytelling, grassroots initiatives, and athlete engagement opportunities. The collaboration also creates meaningful opportunities to connect with USA Swimming’s membership of athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, and swim families.”
It’s worth noting that USA Swimming has successfully navigated the labyrinth of having two major swimwear companies as sponsors of its programs: arena as a sponsor of the federation and Tyr as the title sponsor of its world-class Pro Swim Series!
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Australia’s double Olympic relay gold medalist Shayna Jack, 27, said she will retire from swimming, saying in a video:
“I’m extremely proud of everything I’ve achieved in my swimming career. I cannot wait to finish at the Commonwealth Games, Glasgow.
“I have always loved the Commonwealth Games, so it is a perfect way to give back to my Australian community, do myself proud and walk away with a smile on my face.”
Jack, a Freestyle sprinter, won two Paris 2024 Olympic relay golds and five Worlds relay golds, plus an individual silver in the 50 m Free in 2023 and bronze in the 100 Free in 2024. She served a two-year ban for unintentional use of ligandrol from 2019-21 and then returned to the pool.
With the Commonwealth Games to go, she has lifetime bests of 23.99 in the 50 m Free (no. 18 all-time) and 52.28 in the 100 m Free (no. 11 all-time).
● Volleyball ● The FIVB Women’s Nations League round-robin has been completed with the U.S. winning at 10-2 and Italy also 10-2 in second place. They were 1-2 at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with Italy winning the gold.
The Americans lost only to Canada and Poland and won 32 of 43 total sets played. They will face China (6-6) in the championship quarterfinals in Macau which begin on 23 July. They could have a rematch with Canada (8-4) in the semis.
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