Home2024 Olympic GamesPANORAMA: Ukraine screams as Belarus salutes Olympic medalists; FIFA could ban Israel on 3 October; USA Gymnastics...

PANORAMA: Ukraine screams as Belarus salutes Olympic medalists; FIFA could ban Israel on 3 October; USA Gymnastics files Chiles’ support brief

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● The four Belarusian Olympic medal winners from Paris were saluted and given national honors in Minsk during the annual “National Unity Day” on Tuesday (24th).

Ukrainian Sports Minister Matviy Bidnyi told the German site DW.com:

“We expect the IOC to take immediate action regarding this event.

“The participation of athletes in a ceremony that contradicts the principles of neutrality demonstrates a blatant disregard for the IOC’s requirements. Ukraine insists on strengthening sanctions against Russian and Belarusian athletes.”

Russian and Belarusian athletes competed in Paris as “neutrals,” without identification of national origin or national symbols, the regulations state clearly that such athletes must “refrain from any activity or communication associated with the national flag, anthem, emblem or any other symbol of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus … at any official venue … prior to, during and following the Olympic Games Paris 2024. This includes any national events related to their participation in the Olympic Games Paris 2024.”

None of this mattered to the Belarusians, with national leader Alexander Lukashenko saying at the ceremony:

“They tried to sideline us, deprive us of our flag and anthem. But the world still talked about Belarusians, [and] admired their victories together with us.”

Said Bidnyi:

“The conferral of state awards … once again proves that athletes with Russian and Belarusian citizenship have never been, are not, and cannot be ‘neutral.’”

● Olympic Winter Games 2034: Salt Lake City ● International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach (GER) is headed to Salt Lake City for meetings this weekend – Friday and Saturday – with the 2034 organizing committee-in-formation and to see the University of Utah, the Utah Olympic Oval in Kearns and the Utah Olympic Park in Park City.

Expect lots of compliments on all sides, but Bach will also no doubt be asked about the continuing war of words between the World Anti-Doping Agency and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which has resulted in additional language added to the “termination clause” of the Olympic Host Contract signed by the Salt lake City-Utah Committee for the Games.

● International Olympic Committee ● Japan’s Morinari Watanabe, the head of the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique, told a news conference on Tuesday about his goals if elected as President of the IOC:

“I’ve traveled more than 160 countries over the past eight years, discussing with their sports personnel how the Olympics should be and how sports can contribute to the society.

“I won’t change that stance should I become the president, and would not be top-down but bottom-up…We need to listen to the opinion of the public and create Olympics that satisfy the people in the places hosting them.”

He said he wants the Olympic Games to be “loved by people” and asked about his chances, deadpanned:

“I might just get a few votes, or turn out to be the lucky one.”

Watanabe is one of seven running to be the next IOC President, with the vote next March.

● World Anti-Doping Agency ● A “stakeholder consultation” is underway, asking for comments on a position paper on what to do about countries which withhold their dues payment from the World Anti-Doping Agency.

This is a continuing issue for Russia, and for the U.S., where the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy has been asked to obtain further information about the January 2021 Chinese swimming doping incident before paying the U.S. dues in full.

The WADA Executive Committee approved the paper in May 2024 and feedback will be received until 15 October 2024. Per the announcement:

“The Paper described what was meant by voluntary withholding of funding and set out the consequences as well as the process for imposing them. Some of the consequences – concerning limitations on the relevant country bidding for major events, as well as restrictions on its government representatives attending major events and sitting on Code Signatory boards/committees etc. – will require implementation by certain Signatories. As such, the implementation of these consequences will require a number of limited additions to the [World Anti-Doping] Code.”

WADA also published its 2025 Prohibited List, of both prohibited substances and methods.

● Athletics ● The Grand Slam Track circuit has been busy adding new “Racers” to its roster in the women’s 100 m and 100 m hurdles:

100 m: Melissa Jefferson (USA)

100 m hurdles: Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (PUR), Cyrena Samba-Mayela (FRA), Masai Russell (USA)

Jefferson had a career year, taking the Olympic women’s bronze at 100 m, running a lifetime best of 10.80 for second at the Olympic Trials and leading off the victorious U.S. women’s 4×100 m relay in Paris.

The hurdlers are the Paris medal winners, with Russell taking gold, Samba-Mayela the silver and Camacho-Quinn the bronze, after her win in Tokyo in 2021.

The Grand Slam Track formula is to sign 48 “Racers” as its roster base and add in 48 “Challengers” to fill it lanes for its four meets in 2025. So far, it has signed five men and five women, including the new signees above.

The Athletics Integrity Unit has sanctioned another Kenyan distance runner, this time Faith Chepkoech for three years from 6 September 2024 for the use of Erythropoietin (EPO). Chepkoech, 21, failed an out-of-competition test on 26 July 2024; she won a fast 10 km race in Castellon (ESP) on 25 February in 29:50, moving her to ninth all-time.

Moroccan marathoner Taoufik Allam was also sanctioned with a three-year ban from 16 August 2024 for EPO as well. Now 35, he has a best of 2:07:43 from 2023, and won the Enschede (NED) Marathon this year in 2:08:58, now wiped out by the ban. He tested positive after the race.

● Biathlon ● The International Biathlon Union announced increases in its prize money awards for the 2024-25 season, with the total raised to €9,366,700 (or $10,426,542). Places 1-30 in each race, in all disciplines, earn prize money.

Another increase is expected for the 2026-27 season.

● Cycling ● At the UCI World Road Championships, Australia won the Time Trial Mixed Relay in 1:12:52, just one second ahead of Germany (1:12:53), followed by Italy in 1:13:00.

Australian star Grace Brown, the winner of the women’s Time Trial, collected a second World Roads gold, to go with her Olympic Time Trial win in Paris.

The U.S. finished sixth in 1:15:09 with Emily Ehrlich, Brandon McNulty, Amber Neben, Neilson Powless, Lauren Stephens and Kevin Vermaerke.

● Fencing ● USA Fencing chief executive Phil Andrews (GBR) told Colorado Springs-based television station KRDO that it is considering a possible headquarters move, but that nothing has been decided yet:

“USA Fencing is indeed considering a new strategic partner for the future home of our headquarters and a USA Fencing training center as we look toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and Paralympics.

“We have been approached by Pueblo and other great potential partners, but those conversations are still in the extreme early stages, including the possibility of remaining in our historic home of Colorado Springs. We’ll share developments about a potential future home for USA Fencing at the appropriate time.”

● Football ● The Palestinian Football Association said that FIFA Council will take up its request for a ban of Israel’s national team and clubs on 3 October.

The Palestinian federation, supported by other Middle East federations, submitted the request in February (as it has done multiple times previously) and FIFA said it would take up the matter after its own inquiry into the legal issues involved, following the 7 October 2023 invasion of Israel by Hamas, the governing body in Gaza, and Israel’s ongoing response. 

Twila Kilgore, the interim U.S. Women’s National Team coach between Vlatko Andonovski and Emma Hayes, has resigned to pursue other coaching opportunities.

Kilgore took over in the fall of 2023 and compiled a 10-1-3 (W-L-T) record with the women’s team, including 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup. She remained as an assistant to Hayes since June and had been with the federation with multiple youth teams since 2019. She was previously the head coach at UC Davis.

Verizon was announced as the Telecommunications Services Sponsor for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

● Gymnastics ● USA Gymnastics filed a supporting brief for Jordan Chiles’ appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal on Tuesday, asking for the video evidence showing that the inquiry to change Chiles’ score during the Paris 2024 Olympic women’s Floor Exercise final was made in a timely way.

The 36-page brief argues specifically that the video evidence should be allowed in view of Swiss case law that the truth of the matter – proven by the video – is an “interest worthy of protection” and that all five conditions for such protection are met.

USA Gymnastics’ statement noted:

“The audiovisual evidence which [the Court of Arbitration for Sport] refused to consider clearly proves Jordan’s bronze-medal finish in Paris was correct. With today’s filing, we are simply asking that the CAS arbitration be decided based on a true and accurate understanding of facts. As Jordan has publicly stated, the case at this point is about her peace and justice, and the right of all athletes to be treated fairly. We all continue to pursue justice for Jordan.”

Chiles and the USA Gymnastics brief are not asking for the Swiss Federal Tribunal to decide the merits of the case, but to annul the Court of Arbitration decision and send it back for a fresh hearing.

● Wrestling ● United World Wrestling has relaxed its eligibility restrictions for Russian and Belarusian athletes, with the UWW Bureau agreeing Tuesday:

“[O]nly evidence of direct military participation in the war against Ukraine or public declarations [in written or orally] in support of the war and/or of their promoters or participants will be considered to declare an athlete as ineligible.

“UWW will also re-examine all cases, according to the new criteria, that had earlier been declared ineligible.”

This will significantly increase Russian and Belarusian participation. However, Russian and Belarusian athletes will continue to compete as “neutrals,” without identification, flag or anthem to be used.

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