The Sports Examiner

U.S. athletes tell Congress: Fix the “unregulated monopoly” you set up in 1978

USOPC Athletes' Advisory Chair Han Xiao in Senate testimony

TSX HEADLINES – for July 27, 2018: The U.S. Senate Sub-Committee hearing on “Strengthening and Empowering U.S. Amateur Athletes: Moving Forward with Solutions” last Tuesday focused mostly on the sexual abuse issues at the United States Olympic Committee, USA Gymnastics and at Michigan State University.

But the most important part of the hearing was the mostly-unappreciated testimony of United States Olympic Committee Athletes Advisory Council chair Han Xiao.

He didn’t just re-hash the sexual abuse scandal, but told the few Senators who attended exactly what was needed for change and how it could be implemented. And make no mistake, his goal – as the representative of America’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes – is nothing less than to change the USOC’s culture, what Xiao called an attitude of “athletes come and go, and athletes are replaceable.”

We have the details of Xiao’s request for Congressional action in our Lane One commentary, plus news, previews and results from all across the Olympic world:

(1) THE TICKER: Three Russian doping appeals were dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and a key anniversary of a date on which the Olympic Movement was changed forever, 34 years ago!

(2) THE BIG PICTURE: The International Olympic Committee’s Executive Director was in Calgary this week, talking about the city’s potential bid for the 2026 Winter Games … and he had good news for those worried about the city’s financial guarantees!

(3) SWIMMING: The Phillips 66 National Championships rolled on with a world-leading performance by Josh Prenot in the 200 m Breaststroke and saw Kelsi Dahlia equal her own American Record in the 50 m Butterfly. But those weren’t the surprises of the night and there were some shockers!

(4) CYCLING: Another Brit is probably going to win the Tour de France this year, but it probably isn’t going to be Chris Froome. Who will win it and what obstacles still remain with just three stages to go?

(5) FOOTBALL: The U.S. women’s national team hammered Japan, 4-2, in the Tournament of Nations opener. Now, on to a re-match of the last American loss, against Australia!

This issue includes ON DECK previews of Cycling ~ Gymnastics ~ Sport Climbing ~ Taekwondo; SCOREBOARD reports on Swimming ~ Basketball ~ Cycling ~ Fencing ~ Golf ~ Wrestling, plus AGENDA, our exclusive calendar of upcoming international events!

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