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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Olympic Winter Games 2030: French Alps ● The speed skating events will be held at the iconic, 12,500-seat Thialf arena in Heerenveen (NED), but FrancsJeux.com reported that there are costs attendant to the honor:
“The central government will contribute €30 million. The province of Friesland will provide €5 million and the municipality of Heerenveen €2.5 million, for a total public commitment of €37.5 million. This amount will cover, in particular, the Olympic Village (the exact location of which is yet to be determined) , security, transportation, and infrastructure for spectators and the media.” (€1 = $1.14 U.S.)
● Association of National Olympic Committees ● ANOC has opened nominations for President for the term of 2026-30:
“As per the ANOC Constitution, for nominations to be eligible they must be submitted to ANOC by an NOC and endorsed by at least one other NOC by no later than 9 September 2026. ANOC will then send the final names of the nominees for the presidency to the NOCs by no later than 9 October 2026.”
The election for this potentially powerful position will take place at the ANOC General Assembly on 7-8 December 2026 in Hong Kong. Dr. Robin Mitchell (FIJ) has been on charge since 2018, first in an acting capacity for the deposed Kuwait’s Sheikh Al-Fahad Al-Sabah and then elected for a full term from 2022-26.
● Russia ● A Russian team of junior athletes will not compete at the International Canoe Federation World Junior and U23 Championships in Halifax (CAN). The Russian Canoe Federation told the Russian news agency TASS:
“Russian athletes are forced to miss the Junior and Youth World Championships in Canada.
“Canadians have only issued visas to underage athletes, who, given the current difficult situation, cannot be allowed to compete without adult supervision. Coaches and athletes on the youth team are still waiting for visas, even though the World Championships have already begun.”
● Archery ● Doping in archery? Yes, as Mexican Compound archer Mariana Bernal, a member of Mexico’s 2025 World Championships women’s Team Event gold medalists, was banned for three years by the International Testing Agency after testing positive in October 2025 for the steroid nandrolone.
She did not challenge the positive and earned a one-year reduction from the normal four-year sanction.
● Athletics ● The only Diamond League meet in the U.S. this season – and in most seasons – comes to Hayward Field in Eugene on Friday (3rd) and Saturday (4th) for the Prefontaine Classic.
The Friday night program will be shown on NBCSN and Peacock at 11:30 p.m. Eastern (8:30 p.m. local), including the women’s discus with Olympic and World Champion Valarie Sion, women’s vault with Olympic champ Katie Moon, twice World Indoor winner Sandi Morris and NCAA champions Hana and Amanda Moll.
The men’s 800 m has new American star Cooper Lutkenhaus, the World Indoor champ and the women’s 400 m has NCAA winner and world no. 2 Dejanea Oakley (JAM). The men’s two-mile is aiming at Matt Tegenkamp‘s 2007 American Record of 8:07.07, with stars Grant Fisher and Parker Wolfe the likely contenders.
Saturday has many highlights-in the making, starting with World Champions Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Sha’Carri Richardson and Shericka Jackson (JAM) in the women’s 100 m, World Champions Collen Kebinatshipi (BOT) and Michael Norman, Olympic champ Quincy Hall and Olympic 400 m hurdles champ Rai Benjamin in the men’s 400 m, World Champion Cordell Tinch, new world-record holder Ja’Kobe Tharp and rising star Jamal Britt in the 110 m hurdles, world-record holder Tobi Amusan (NGR) and Olympic champ Masai Russell in the 100 m hurdles and Kenyan superstar Faith Kipyegon in the women’s mile, and a lot more.
The Saturday Diamond League slate will be shown on NBCSN and Peacock from 4-5 p.m. Eastern and then on NBC and Peacock beginning at 5 p.m.
● Cycling ● The annual highlight of the world cycling calendar – the Tour de France – starts on Saturday in Barcelona (ESP) for the first of 21 stages. The first three stages will start in Spain before crossing over to France at the end of Monday’s route. Of the 21 stages:
● 1 Team Time Trial (stage 1)
● 1 Individual Time Trial (stage 16)
● 7 Flat stages
● 4 Hilly stages
● 8 Mountain stages
The overwhelming favorites are the winners of the last six Tours: Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar (2020-21, 2024-25) and Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard (2022-23). Belgium’s Olympic winner Remco Evenepoel, rising star Paul Seixas (FRA) and Mexico’s Isaac Del Toro are likely contenders if the favorites fail.
Pogacar can become the fifth to win the Tour five times, last done by Miguel Indurain (ESP) in 1995.
● Tennis ● The Women’s Tennis Association Finals was due to be held in Riyadh (KSA) for a third straight year in 2026, but on Wednesday, a joint statement explained:
“Following two impactful years of the WTA Finals in Riyadh, the WTA requested to move the 2026 WTA Finals to a new host location. The Saudi Tennis Federation accepted WTA’s proposal, and the two organizations mutually agreed on the conclusion of the hosting arrangement and remain proud of the achievements realized through their partnership.”
On Thursday, the WTA said the event will be held at the famed Indian Wells Tennis Garden from 8-15 November.
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