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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
1. Cost of Vancouver World Cup matches now at C$483-581 million
2. FIFA’s Infantino visits U.S. House & State Department
3. Tunisia joins Angola as WADA non-compliants
4. Ticket prices announced for World Athletics Champs 2025
5. Staggering 840,318 apply to run London Marathon in 2025!
● A new cost estimate of the costs related to the staging of seven FIFA World Cup 2026 matches at Vancouver’s BC Place is now estimated from $483 to C$581 million, up from an estimate of C$240-260 million in 2022. The Province of British Columbia and City of Vancouver believe federal subsidies, sponsorships and tax revenue will be more than that.
● FIFA President Gianni Infantino visited the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. State Department on Wednesday to discuss issues such as visa control, security and transportation for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
● The World Anti-Doping Agency has classified Tunisia as non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code, meaning – unless something changes – that it will not be able to use its flag for any of the Olympic ceremonies in Paris this summer. Angola is in the same situation.
● Pricing for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, much anticipated since the spectator-less Olympic Games in 2021, were announced. Some 700,000 tickets are expected to be available, with pricing from $16 to $317, depending on the session and seat location.
● Registrations for a spot in the 2025 London Marathon reached an all-time record high of 840,318, even though only about 2% will be drawn to run. Of these entries, 80% came from Britain and the rest from outside the country.
● Panorama: Paris 2024 (NBC adds comedy highlights program to Peacock Games programming) = Athletics (4: good TV audience for Bermuda Grand Prix; Fabbri joins 75-foot club in Modena; prep 400 m star Quincy Wilson signs with WME; AIU says some athletes must get three OOC tests pre-Paris) = Cycling (2: Van Gils sprints to Eschborn-Frankfurt win; Vos leads Vuelta Espana Femenina halfway) = Fencing (anonymous fencers complain about referee penalties) = Rowing (US Rowing strips late star Nash of honors in abuse finding) = Swimming (McIntosh’s program for Canadian Trials revealed?) ●
1.
Cost of Vancouver World Cup matches now at C$483-581 million
“After taking into account estimated revenues and recoveries, the Province estimates the net core cost of seven FIFA World Cup 26 matches to be $100 million to $145 million. This does not take into account potential additional provincial tax revenues as identified in the Province’s updated estimates of economic impact benefits, which are projected to be $224 million.”
That’s from a Tuesday announcement by the Province of British Columbia, the City of Vancouver and the BC Pavilion Corporation, stating that the estimates for the cost of staging seven matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are now estimated at C$483 to $581 million, compared with C$240 to C$260 million in 2022. (C$1 = $0.73 U.S.)
Part of the cost increase is attributable to Vancouver now staging seven matches instead of the five it expected in 2022. Tuesday’s announcement explained in detail. Costs (in C$):
● $246 to $276 million for the City of Vancouver, for security, decor, legal support, traffic and other municipal services.
● $149 to $196 million for BC Place Vancouver for stadium upgrades and staging the matches.
● $88 to $109 million for the Province of British Columbia and other public entities for security, transport, medical and emergency management.
The total is C$483 to C$581 million, which is to be partly offset by a combination of government and event revenues (C$)::
● $116 million from the Canadian national government.
● $230 million from a 2.5% increase in hotel taxes in Vancouver from 2023-30.
● $16 to $46 million from the City of Vancouver, Host City sponsorships, venue rentals.
● $21 to $44 million for transport and other venue rentals.
These revenues total C$383 to C$436 million, leaving a core “cost” of staging the matches of C$100 to C$145 million.
Against that amount are models showing that for the period of 2026 to 2031, the World Cup impact will include 350,000 visitors during the tournament and:
● “$1 billion added to provincial GDP
● “Over one million additional out-of-province visitors [2026-31]
● “Over $1 billion in additional visitor spending
● “Potentially up to $224 million in direct, indirect and other related provincial tax revenues”
That’s C$224 million in direct and indirect tax revenue is seen as offsetting the cash costs of C$100-145 million. It’s a risk, but one which Vancouver – as one of two cities in Canada hosting World Cup matches – thinks is worth taking. At present, BC Place seats 54,500.
Said Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim: “Hosting FIFA World Cup 26 Vancouver will boost Vancouver’s hospitality and entertainment industries, transform our city and make us a world-class destination for tourism and major event hosting for decades to come.”
Toronto, which will host six matches, estimated its costs at C$380 million in February.
Observed: It’s worthwhile to note that Qatar registered huge increases in tourism during its 2022 World Cup months of November and December, totaling 1.18 million international visitors to attend the event, but with all eight stadia close together. Considerably more people are forecast to attend the three-nation World Cup in 2026 as the Canadian, Mexican and U.S. stadiums are mostly larger than those in Qatar.
For Vancouver and other areas which are spending richly to host the event, the question is how many attendees will come from out of town, which is the driver for hotel, restaurant, transport and merchandise tax revenues for local and regional governmental entities.
2.
FIFA’s Infantino visits U.S. House & State Department
With FIFA expecting billions of dollars in revenue from the expanded, 32-team 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and the 48-team FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. in 2026, FIFA President Gianni Infantino (SUI) made the rounds on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.
Infantino posted on his Instagram page, in part:
“A big thank you to all the wonderful lawmakers of the United States federal government who I had the opportunity to meet in Washington DC. It was great to meet many dignitaries and to discuss how we can make sure, together, that the new FIFA Club World Cup in 2025 and the biggest-ever FIFA World Cup in 2026 will be fantastic successes, because overall there will be over five million people coming to follow these two global events. We need to be ready, and we need to be prepared! …
“Thanks also to the House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Whip Tom Emmer and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries for giving me their time to discuss these important points as we prepare for these global events in the United States.”
In terms of issues discussed:
“The exchanges addressed a wide range of topics related to the planning of both tournaments, especially given their global scale and the need to maintain a constant collaboration on issues related to transportation, safety and security, visas and immigration, as well as other operational and commercial matters to ensure the smooth delivery of the event for all fans, teams and officials – both for those in the United States and for those travelling to the country from abroad.”
Infantino and his team were busy:
“The FIFA delegation met with United States Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and other DHS officials, before attending a meeting at the [Department of State] with the United States Department of State Deputy Secretary for Management & Resources Richard Verma, and other DOS officials.”
Again, the discussions included visas, security, transportation and other operating items.
It will not be Infantino’s last visit to D.C. before 2026.
3.
Tunisia joins Angola as WADA non-compliants
The World Anti-Doping Agency confirmed that Tunisia has not brought its national “legal framework in line” with the World Antti-Doping Code and announced that its “alleged non-compliance is deemed admitted and the consequences and reinstatement conditions deemed accepted.”
What that means is that Tunisia and Angola are non-compliant nations within the meaning of the World Anti-Doping Code; this has implications for this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris, with neither national flag to be “flown at regional, continental or world championships, as well as other Events organized by Major Event Organizations (including the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games) until reinstatement.”
The WADA guidance further notes:
“This consequence shall be limited to official display of flags by the event organizer in the venue/arena/stadium where e.g. a regional, continental or world championships is taking place, whether those displays are for the duration of the event or for a specific part of the event such as medal, opening or closing ceremonies or other protocol elements.”
In other words, it does not ban flags in the stands waved by spectators. WADA explained that besides Angola and Tunisia, the two other federations on suspension are the Russian Anti-Doping Agency and the International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation. Neither of those will be in Paris this summer as there will be no Russian team, but only specific individuals competing as neutrals, and bodybuilding is not on the Olympic program.
4.
Ticket prices announced for World Athletics Champs 2025
Tokyo will host the World Athletics Championships for the second time in 2025, after a very successful 1991 IAAF Championships, still remembered for the greatest long jump competition in history, where Mike Powell defeated Carl Lewis with a world-record of 8.95 m (29-4 1/2) at the old National Stadium.
The 2025 meet is especially meaningful for Japan, which had to host the 2020 Olympic Games in 2021 without spectators due to the Covid pandemic. The Japan National Stadium seats 68,000 for track & field and ticket pricing was announced Wednesday for the 2025 Worlds:
● ¥2,500 to ¥15,000 ($16 to $95 U.S.): Morning sessions
● ¥4,000 to ¥30,000 ($25 to $190 U.S.): Evening weekday sessions
● ¥5,000 to ¥50,000 ($32 to $317 U.S.): Evening weekend sessions
About 700,000 total tickets will be offered, with the organizers stating that “[a]round 70% of tickets will be available for less than 10,000 JPY [$64].”
A special program will offer tickets at ¥2,025 ($13) each, with 2,025 tickets issued for each session, for families and groups, including children, elderly or those with a disability.
The organizing committee is asking for those interested to register to get a “fan ID” for ticket information and early access to tickets.
5.
Staggering 840,318 apply to run London Marathon in 2025!
“An astonishing and world record-breaking 840,318 people from the UK and across the globe applied in the public ballot for an entry to next year’s TCS London Marathon which takes place on Sunday 27 April 2025.
“This total shattered the previous world record total of 578,304, which was set last year in the ballot for the 2024 TCS London Marathon.”
Tuesday’s announcement was remarkable in the increase of 45.3% overall and by 49% among women:
● British applications for 2025 were 672,631, with 338,549 from men (50.3%), 329,793 from women (49.0%) and 4,288 (0.64%) from non-binary.
● Applications from outside Britain were 167,687 (20.0%)
Race director Hugh Brasher (GBR) noted:
“The 2024 TCS London Marathon on 21 April was the biggest in our history with more than 53,700 finishers and has already raised a world record-breaking £67 million [$83.93 million U.S.] for charities. More than 12,900 children took part in the mass TCS Mini London Marathon the day before and hundreds of thousands of children across the UK are now doing their Mini Marathon in their schools.”
These are the biggest numbers anywhere, and amazing testament to distance running as a widespread, popular activity. However, only about 17,000 will win a “public ballot” spot, or about 2% of the applicants. Most of the entries are for runners who will be raising money for charity – hence the world-record charitable funding – and there are 6,000 entries for “Good For Age” runners who have excellent qualifying times.
≡ PANORAMA ≡
● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● NBC announced a “comedic commentary series” as a part of its Paris 2024 coverage, with an eight-part series called “Olympic Highlights with Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson.”
The eight shows of 30 minutes each will be shown on Peacock, with 2-3 new episodes per week, starting with the opening on 26 July.
● Athletics ● A good start for the USA Track & Field Grand Prix series with the first meet, the Bermuda Grand Prix on NBC on Sunday at 4 p.m. Eastern, drawing an average of 790,000 viewers.
That was fourth in its time slot, behind the NBA’s Clippers-Mavericks game on ABC (5.56 million), the PGA Tour’s Zurich Classic on CBS (1.85 million) and the NASCAR Cup Series from Dover Raceway on FS1 (2.40 million).
¶
A big shot effort by Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri, who won at Modena (ITA) on Wednesday with a fifth-round, world-leading toss of 22.88 m (75-0 3/4), a lifetime best and moving him to no. 6 on the all-time list.
He’s now no. 2 in Italian history and is the seventh man to reach the 75-foot level. According to the Italian federation FIDAL, Fabbri said afterwards:
“And to think that I had a fever of 38 [100 F] for two days and I felt a bit weak. Having thrown 22.88 m without still being 100% is confirmation of my potential.”
¶
Know this name: Quincy Wilson. Already on the radar as an emerging 400 m star from the Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland, the 16-year-old has run 45.19 in the open men’s 400 this season, but went crazy at the Penn Relays.
In the heats of the prep 4×400 m, he brought Bullis from way back – due to a dropped baton on the first leg – in the anchor with a 44.37 split to win in 3:14.84. That’s the fastest high school split in the history of the Penn Relays!
In the final, Bullis suffered another dropped stick on the second exchange and Wilson, on anchor, ran 44.69 to bring his team home in third place in 3:13.10.
Now, he’s retained William Morris Endeavor as his management agency; he already has a name-image-likeness deal with New Balance, and has qualified (by 0.01) for the U.S. Olympic Trials for the 400 m in June.
¶
A Kenyan report noted that the Athletics Integrity Unit is requiring that any athlete who wants to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games must complete three-out-of-competition tests by 4 July 2024, with the first test by 3 May 2024.
This applies to the eight Category A federations, which includes Bahrain, Belarus, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Russia and Ukraine.
● Cycling ● The 61st Eschborn-Frankfurt race, with two major rises and two small ones, ended with a 35 km descent and flat run into Frankfurt that ended with a mass sprint of 35 riders, with Belgian Maxim van Gils getting his first UCI World Tour victory in 4:46:48.
He got to the line ahead of Alex Aranburu (ESP) and American Riley Sheehan, with the top 35 all receiving the same time. Sheehan’s bronze is noteworthy: it’s the first-ever U.S. medal in this race, inaugurated in 1962.
¶
The eight-stage Vuelta Espana Femenina in Spain has reached halfway, with Dutch star – and three-time World Road Champion – Marianne Vos continuing to lead, by five seconds over Hungary’s 22-year-old Blanka Vas, with Kristen Faulkner of the U.S. in third place (+0:09).
After the first-stage Team Time Trial, Canada’s Alison Jackson won the hilly second stage, then Vos won stage three, both winning final mass sprints to the line. Faulkner attacked with 6 km left in stage four and won in 3:02:37 on Wednesday, vaulting Vos into the lead, who finished third (+0:10).
● Fencing ● USA Fencing announced last Friday (24th) that “Mr. Jacobo Morales and Mr. Brandon Romo have been sanctioned for violation of the USA Fencing Referee Code of Ethics, the FIE Technical Rules, and the FIE Ethical Code.”
The issue was match manipulation during a January North American Cup match in Sabre:
“The Panel finds that Morales violated Rules t.100 and t.109, as well as the above-referenced sections of the FIE Ethical Code, by providing input to Romo during the [Kira] Erickson – [Tatiana] Navlymov bout. The Panel similarly finds that Romo violated the same Rules and sections of the Ethical Code by asking for input from Morales.”
Morales was suspended as a referee for nine months and Romo was suspended from national-level matches for nine months.
A letter was posted on Tuesday by “Select members of the USA Fencing Team” complaining the decision “undermines the ethics of the sport and every athlete who strives for success on the grounds of fair play. …
“These officials, who are not competing for medals, are expected to uphold the rules of the sport with integrity. Yet, they have undermined the very fiber of sport – a level playing field – and are facing inconsequential repercussions. If USA Fencing is committed to protecting the rules and integrity of their sport, these officials must receive multi-year suspensions.
“Furthermore, based on this decision and with a pending second investigation yet to be complete, USA fencing has set a precedent that leniency is afforded to officials who break the rules. How can athletes have confidence that the sport will abide by its own rules that were established to protect athletes and fair play when decisions, as per this case, indirectly endorse match manipulation?”
● Rowing ● US Rowing announced Tuesday that it was revoking all honors from the late Ted Nash in view of an investigation that found “compelling evidence” of abuse 51 years ago:
“In late 2022, Jennifer Fox contacted us claiming she had been sexually abused as a child by the late Ted Nash in 1973. Upon learning of these allegations against Mr. Nash – an athlete and coach in the rowing community for decades and recipient of several USRowing accolades – we engaged the law firm of Shearman & Sterling (now A&O Shearman), who graciously agreed to conduct a pro-bono investigation. …
“Having reviewed the investigation’s findings, USRowing believes there is compelling evidence supporting Ms. Fox’s allegations of child sex abuse by Mr. Nash. Regardless of Mr. Nash’s contributions to the sport of rowing, our commitment to the safety and well-being of our participants – especially youth athletes – is of the utmost importance and compels us to act in accordance with our values.”
Nash won an Olympic gold for the U.S. in the men’s Four at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome and a bronze in that event in Tokyo in 1964 and was directly involved in Games through 2008.
Fox was 13 and Nash 40 when she said he abused her at a summer camp in 1973, making a film – without identifying him – in 2018. Nash died at age 88 in 2021. US Rowing said it has revoked his “Man of the Year” award from 2005 and the 2013 US Rowing Medal of Honor.
● Swimming ● A big question in the sport is what events will Canadian teen superstar Summer McIntosh swim at the Canadian Trials and be extension, in Paris this summer.
Now, one of her sponsors, Ninepoint Partners may have revealed her program, listing:
“2024 Olympic & Paralympic Trials, May 13-19 (Toronto, On):
“400-meter Freestyle, 100-meter Back Stroke, 400-meter IM, 200-meter Butterfly, 200-meter IM”
She’s a former world-record holder in the 400 m Free and is the world-record holder in the 400 m Medley, and is the two-time World Champion in the 200 m Fly and 400 m Medley. She was the world leader in 2023 for the 200 m Medley, but was not a medal contender in the 100 m Back.
She could opt for the 800 m Free – where she is the world leader in 2024 – instead of the 200 m Medley, but the listing indicates she prefers the medley.
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