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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● International Olympic Committee ● The IOC suspended the Russian Olympic Committee on 12 October 2023, for taking over sports organizations in Ukraine as part of its continuing invasion.
However, Belarus was not a party to that and it was noted in an IOC news summary last week:
“The Secretary General of the Belarus NOC, Kseniya Sankovich, was at Olympic House this week for consultations and to discuss the Olympic Games Paris 2024. She met the NOC Relations team and also had the opportunity to greet the IOC President.”
Belarus had 17 athletes competing as “neutrals” at Paris 2024 and won four medals (1-2-1).
● International Society of Olympic Historians ● The ISOH named Ingrid O’Neil, operator of one of the most respected Olympic and international sports memorabilia auctions, as its 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award winner. Per the announcement:
“Ingrid has been selected for her outstanding contributions to the preservation of Olympic history. Her dedication to curating and auctioning invaluable memorabilia has greatly deepened our understanding of the Olympic Movement and its enduring legacy. …
“In the 1970s, she immigrated to the United States with her family. As an auctioneer, Ingrid’s professional career began at an auction house in Michigan City. From 1990, she began conducting auctions of Olympic-Games memorabilia. She organized the first Olympic auction during the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996, as well as an exhibition entitled ‘100 Years of Olympic Memorabilia’ as part of the Culture Olympiad.”
Based in Corona del Mar, California, her online site, ioneil.com, is home to the online auction catalogs and bidding, with 96 successful auctions to date.
● Athletics ● Grand Slam Track announced three more racers: Grant Fisher (USA), the Olympic 5,000 m and 10,000 m bronze medalist, Kenyan Ronald Kwemoi, the Paris 5,000 m runner-up and American 1,500 m champ Nikki Hiltz.
This brings the total number of signed athletes – “Racers” – to 18 out of 48.
● Cricket ● The ninth ICC Women’s T-20 World Cup in Dubai (UAE) has concluded group play and is headed to the semifinals with only three-time defending champion Australia still undefeated.
The Aussies won Group A at 4-0, with New Zealand second at 3-1 and both on to the semifinals. In Group B, West Indies – players from six Caribbean countries – won at 3-1, with South Africa also at 3-1.
In the semis, beginning on Thursday, 2023 runners-up South Africa will be re-matched with Australia in Dubai, with West Indies and New Zealand playing Friday in Sharjah. The final will be on Sunday. The Australian women will be trying for their seventh World Cup title in nine editions.
T20 Cricket is on the program for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
● Football ● The situation over the Nigerian team’s treatment in Libya and return before its Tuesday match has gotten more complex. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced Tuesday:
“The TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Qualifier fixture between Libya and Nigeria will not take place as scheduled tonight.
“The matter will be referred to the competent CAF bodies.”
It also issued an earlier statement:
“The Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) has been in contact with the Libyan and Nigerian authorities after it had been informed that the Nigerian National Football Team (“Super Eagles”) and their technical team were stranded in disturbing conditions for several hours at an airport that they were allegedly instructed to land by the Libyan authorities.
“The matter has been referred to the CAF Disciplinary Board for investigation and appropriate action will be taken against those who violated the CAF Statutes and Regulations.”
¶
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