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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● The summer swimming program in the Seine River has been considered a significant success with 80,000-plus participants in the July-August program, slated to end on Sunday (31st). The numbers would have been much higher except for 13 days of closure due to rain in July.
Deputy Mayor Pierre Rabadan said no sickness incidents have been recorded so far and an extension of 1-2 weeks into September is being considered. He told the FrancsJeux.com site:
“The distrust hasn’t completely disappeared yet, but I’m convinced it will be after this summer. … We’ve done all the work necessary to improve water quality to be ready for the Games. We were told we were doing all this for the athletes, but no: it was just a step. The most important thing is that the Games are a unique acceleration tool to create conditions that will benefit the population. This is a good definition of what the legacy of a major event should be.”
● Anti-Doping ● The World Anti-Doping Agency posted its 2024 annual report online, with a review of the activities for the year, including its compliance work:
● Compliance questionnaires were received and reviewed from 192 smaller organizations (including National Olympic Committees), with 125 of these receiving notices of corrections to be made.
● Compliance audits were made of 11 top-tier organizations, including eight National Olympic Committees and three International Federations, with 10 of these conducted in-person.
● WADA reviewed 322 sets of doping regulations of all kinds from 71 organizations, and reported that 15 countries had adopting legislation which complied with the World Anti-Doping Code.
On Russia, 280 sanctions have now been returned based primarily on the Moscow Lab data from 2011-15 that was retrieved in 2019, with 29 more cases still in process and 13 still under investigation. Russia currently has a case before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, contesting a WADA holding that national legislation still does not conform to the World Anti-Doping Code.
The financial report noted the non-payment of the U.S.’s $3.6 million in dues for 2024 and $2.7 million owed by Russia from 2023 and 2024, but unpaid due to banking-system sanctions. Overall, the 2024 budget of $50.0 million was not reached and $45.4 million was received, with reductions in travel and in-person meetings to help meet the gap.
● Memorabilia ● The conclusion of the Heritage Auctions Summer Platinum Night Sports Auction including multiple Olympic items, including two Olympic torches.
A Rio 2016 torch sold for $7,015, including the 22% buyer’s premium, and a 1984 Los Angeles Olympic torch went for $2,135.
Three tickets to sessions of the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm (SWE) in which Jim Thorpe competed went for $2,684, $2,562 and $2,562. Three tickets to sessions of the Berlin 1936 Games, in which Jesse Owens ran, went for $4,392, $3,904 and $2,806.
A specially-gilt participation medal from the 1896 Athens Games sold for $4,575.
● Athletics ● Cooper Lutkenhaus, 16, who is starting his junior year at the Northwest High School in Justin, Texas, has signed a professional contract with Nike and will forego his remaining high school and collegiate eligibility.
He will continue to be coached by Chris Capeau at Northwest, after his stunning 1:42.27 men’s 800 m runner-up finish at the USATF National Championships. He is now preparing for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September.
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Even though Russian participation at the upcoming World Athletics Championships is not allowed, the Russian Athletics Federation is paying bonuses for making the qualifying standards.
Payments of 500,000 rubles (about $6.197 U.S.) will go the 23 athletes who made the standard and 200,000 rubles (about $2,478) to their coaches!
● Cycling ● Stage three of the 80th Vuelta a Espana was a hilly, 134.6 km route to Ceres in northern Italy, with France’s David Gaudu winning the mass sprint to the line over Danes Mads Pedersen and race leader Jonas Vingegaard, all in 2:59:24. The first 71 riders received the same time.
Vingegaard and Gaudu are now tied for the leading overall time with Gaudu eight seconds behind; Tuesday’s stage will be the last in Italy and starts with an early climb before a long downhill to the finish. Stage five will start in Spain.
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The Dutch-based Visma-Lease A Bike team – of which Vingegaard is a member – suffered a mass theft of as many as 18 bikes overnight from a mechanics’ truck, but the team was able to compete on Monday without significant incident.
Some of the stolen bikes were found on the roadside and Italian police are investigating; reports of damages were as high as €250,000 (about $291,000 U.S.).
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At the USA Cycling National Track Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado, veteran star Mandy Marquardt added two more national track titles to her collection, giving her 13 career individual championships.
She won the women’s Sprint over defending champion McKenna McKee, 2-0, and the 1,000 m Time Trial, in 1:06.027, again over the defending champ, Emily Hayes (1:06.343). Since her first national track title in 2018, Marquardt now has four career Sprint wins and six Time Trial victories.
She wasn’t the only one with multiple wins, as Anna Hicks won the 4 km Pursuit, the Scratch Race and the Points Race, with 66, and was a member of the winning Team Pursuit squad, Virginia’s Blue Ridge.
McKee won the women’s Keirin for the second straight year; Stephanie Lawrence won the Elimination Race and Olivia Cummins took the Omnium, 140-122, over Lawrence. Cummins and Lawrence were also on the Virginia’s Blue Ridge Pursuit winner.
Dalton Walters won three individual titles in the men’s races, taking the Sprint over Graeme Frislie, 2-0; the Keirin, and the 1,000 m Time Trial, in 59.571. Veteran star Grant Koontz won the 30-lap Scratch race and the 90-lap points race, over defending champ Anders Johnson. Frislie won both the Elimination Race and the Omnium, scoring 191 points to 183 for Koontz.
Johnson defended his 2024 title in the Individual Pursuit, overtaking Ian Anderson.
Walters won a fourth gold in the Team Pursuit with the UNCS team, with Koontz, Frislie and David Domonoske. Walters won a fourth gold in the Team Sprint with the Running Out Of Ink team, including Sterling Reneau and Joshua Hartman.
● Fencing ● USA Fencing is getting a monthly TV show on business channel CBNC and now you can donate appreciated stock to the federation as well!
USA Fencing announced an account with DonateStock, which, according to the announcement:
“Gifts of long-term appreciated stock may let donors avoid capital gains taxes and claim a charitable deduction – often enabling a bigger impact at the same out-of-pocket cost. (Be sure to consult your tax advisor about your specific situation.)”
Explained Meghan DeFord, Director of Development and Executive Director of the U.S. Fencing Foundation, “DonateStock handles the secure transfer with your broker, notifies USFF, and helps ensure you receive a timely charitable receipt. It’s a win-win.”
What’s next? Robot fencing, with betting?
● Football ● FIFA told its continental confederations that the next Club World Cup will take place in 2029, to be held in the summer. The format and a possible increase in the number of teams is to be decided, with Brazil having already expressed interest; the tournament was expanded to 32 teams in 2025.
With the 2030 World Cup in Morocco, Portugal and Spain, the Club World Cup could be held in some or all of those countries as a rehearsal.
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Fascinating Harris Poll study on football – soccer – interest in the U.S., with 72% of Americans showing interest in the sport. Of that 72%:
● 20% are “Obsessed” (that’s 14.4% of all Americans)
● 25% are “Dedicated” (18.0%)
● 55% are “Casual Fans” (39.6%)
The 72% interest level overall compares to 92% in Mexico, 82% in Great Britain and 80% in Germany. In the U.S., interest in the sport breaks down to 68% male and 32% female.
Interest is clearly growing and the poll indicates one major reason: “Seven-in-10 (70%) soccer fans agree that they are more excited about the 2026 World Cup specifically because it will be held in North America.” Almost half of the respondents (46%) were aware the 2026 World Cup will be held in the U.S.
A growing trend in all sports is also true here: “Almost half (47%) agree that they follow individual soccer stars as much or more than they follow a specific team.”
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