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Japan Today
08-08-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
Coventry's mettle tested by Russian Olympic debate, say former IOC figures
The possible return of Russia to the Olympic fold is one of the big challenges facing new IOC chief Kirsty Coventry olympics By Pirate IRWIN International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry is in the spotlight on how she handles her "baptism of fire" over Russia, former IOC executives have told AFP. With just six months to go to the opening ceremony for the Milan-Cortina Winter Games the odds are that Russian athletes -- normally a Winter Games superpower -- will have to compete under a neutral banner, owing to the country breaching the Olympic Charter. The IOC excluded the Russian NOC after it had placed under its authority several sports organizations from Ukrainian regions that Russian forces now occupy. That move came after President Vladimir Putin -- not for the first time in his country's turbulent relationship with the IOC -- broke the Olympic Truce when he launched the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. When the IOC under Thomas Bach -- and with Coventry a member of the Executive Committee -- permitted Russian athletes to compete as neutrals at the Paris Summer Olympics last year, some federations took a far harsher line. World Athletics barred all athletes from Russia and its allies Belarus from its competitions, as did other federations. The scenario is no different for winter sports, with the International Ski Federation (FIS), which is responsible for more than half the Olympic medal events, biathlon and luge taking a similar stance, though figure skating has not followed suit. Michael Payne, a former head of IOC marketing, told AFP there is "no question that Russia at some stage has to be brought back in from the cold" -- but the 2026 Winter Games will come too soon. "Kirsty Coventry is in the spotlight, everyone is watching everyone," he said. "There will be strong views and opinions no matter what decision you take. You will have various politicians using that decision to make a point, (and it) probably won't always be complimentary. "You are walking on thin ice. I think the right thing is to say you cannot rush this, you cannot blindside different stakeholders and politicians. The political challenges facing a new IOC president was always going to be a baptism of fire." 'Complex problems' Payne said Russia was the "elephant in the room" for all of Bach's 12-year tenure, from the two invasions of Ukraine to the state-sponsored doping scandal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. The 67-year-old Irishman says the challenge for Coventry is that politicians are seeking "to weaponize the sports agenda" once again having largely stayed away during earlier eras, such as that of Juan Antonio Samaranch's tenure from 1980-2001. "One of Samaranch's great achievements was to bury the boycott agenda and for the better part of three decades or more politicians generally left sport alone," said Payne, who is credited with overhauling the IOC's brand and finances through sponsorship during Samaranch's reign. "Under Bach, with the Russia/Ukraine agenda, politics re-entered it and navigating an ever more complicated global political environment and keeping sport out of the crossfire is going to tax any leader. A new leader is going to have their hands full." Another former IOC marketing executive, Terrence Burns, knows Russia well having first worked there in 1992 as Delta Air Lines' country marketing manager for the entity then known as the Commonwealth of Independent States. "There's no shortcut back in," Burns told AFP, adding that Russia "has never really owned up to any of it". "There's been no admission, no accountability. Zero," the American said. "That leaves the IOC in a tough but manageable spot. If Russia wants back in, it's going to have to show it's willing to change." Burns, who later played a key role in five successful Olympic bid city campaigns, argued however that in the end Russia is integral to the Olympics. "The Olympics need Russia at the Games, just as they need the USA, China, etc," said Burns. "The true Olympic thesis is 'we all belong, or no one does.' That works fine in theory, speeches, and marketing campaigns. "Translating it into the real geopolitical world is a hell of a lot harder than it looks." Burns believes the Russians should not expect a speedy return. "People always want simple answers for complex problems," he said. "But the IOC cannot afford simplistic solutions because the universality that it espouses may well be the last, truly global theology upon all humanity can agree. "Yes, I think the stakes are that big. (Coventry) knows this too and she won't be pressed into a 'convenient decision.'" © 2025 AFP
Yahoo
06-08-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Diablo Canyon scales back power as Gifford Fire grows to California's largest in 2025
The Gifford Fire burning in eastern San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties has now grown to be the largest California wildfire this year, surpassing the 80,000 acres burned in the Madre Fire last month. The fire, which sparked Friday afternoon, has now grown to 82,567 acres and was 7% contained as of 9:45 a.m. Tuesday, according to InciWeb. The fire grew nearly 20,000 acres in 24 hours, with 10,000 of those acres growing since around 4 p.m. Monday. On Monday, smoke from the fire could be seen from space. Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant has also reduced power on one of its units to 46% due to the fire and its proximity to transmission lines in San Luis Obispo County, PG&E spokesperson Carina Corral told The Tribune in an email. Operators elected to reduce power to support grid reliability and reduce potential risks to the transmissions system, Corral said. The other unit is operating at full power and there is no impact to plant safety, she added. Current Southern California wildfires This map shows wildfires that have been updated within the past 7 days from the Integrated Reporting of Wildland-Fire Information (IRWIN) and the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). The larger the circle, the larger the wildfire by acres. Data is from the US Department of the Interior, Office of Wildland Fire, IRWIN, NIFC, NASA, NOAA and ESRI. Open Steve Wilson swilson@ The fire extends on both sides of Highway 166 from Aliso Creek and Cuyama Highway to the Carrizo Plain National Monument near the Gifford Trailhead, approximately 30 miles east of Santa Maria. Highway 166 East remained closed between Highway 101 and Highway 33, according to fire officials. As of Saturday, three people had been injured in the fire. How are crews battling the Gifford Fire? On Tuesday, fire officials said in a news release that the Gifford Fires is a 'full suppression fire, with the primary focus on protecting lives, property, rangeland and cultural resources.' Firefighters planned to continue to construct a fire line in the southern portions of the fire using La Brea Road and scout historic containment lines on the eastern side from Miranda Pine Mountain to Cuyama Valley, the release said. Crews were providing structure protection for critical properties at risk in School House and Cottonwood Canyons, the release said. Meanwhile on the western flank of the fire, crews were carving dozer lines and firefighters were looking for opportunities to build containment lines at the fire's edge. Contingency lines on the northern flank were established to prevent the fire from spreading into the Manchesna Wilderness, the release said. Hot and dry conditions were forecasted to remain through Tuesday with little change, fire officials said, and onshore winds were expected to push into the area in the afternoon, which could impact fire behavior. What parts of SLO County need to evacuate? Fire officials said residents should watch for changing conditions due to 'erratic fire behavior.' Ten San Luis Obispo County zones were under evacuation orders while 12 were under evacuation warnings. Temporary evacuation points were located at Benjamin Foxen Elementary School, 4949 Foxen Canyon Road in Santa Maria, and at Cuyama Valley Family Resource Center, 4689 CA-166B, New Cuyama. The centers offer N-95 masks, water, fire information and relief from heat, according to Ready SLO. A large animal shelter was located at Elks Rodeo Grounds, 4040 Highway 101, Santa Maria. Those with large animals should enter from Morningside Drive and proceed to Gate 2. Small household pets can be sheltered at 548 W Foster Road, Santa Maria; 1501 W Central Ave., Lompoc; 5473 Overpass Road, Goleta; and 111 Commerce Drive, Buellton. San Luis Obispo County residents in the following zones remained under an evacuation order: LPF-014 LPF-015 LPF-016 LPF-017 LPF-018 LPF-019 SLC-263 SLC-335 SLC-336 SLC-337 San Luis Obispo County residents in the following zones remained under an evacuation warning: LPF-011 LPF-013 SLC-311 SLC-312 SLC-225 SLC-334 SLC-239 SLC-240 SLC-262 SLC-264 SLC-297 SLC-298 For more information, visit Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Vegetation fire breaks out near SLO County lake
This is a developing story. Check back to for updates. To get breaking news alerts, click here A vegetation fire broke out near Oso Flaco Lake on Monday afternoon, according to the emergency app Watch Duty. The fire was reported south of the Oceano Dunes at 3:38 p.m, according to the app. At that time it had a potential for three acres, but no structures were threatened. The fire was pushed by the wind, but as of 6 p.m., it had only burned one acre and forward progress had been stopped, the app said. Meanwhile, shortly after, another fire ignited in rural SLO County near the Carrizo Plain National Monuent. The Miranda Fire burned 5.45 acres, according to Watch Duty. This map shows wildfires that have been updated within the past 7 days from the Integrated Reporting of Wildland-Fire Information (IRWIN) and the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). The larger the circle, the larger the wildfire by acres. Data is from the US Department of the Interior, Office of Wildland Fire, IRWIN, NIFC, NASA, NOAA and ESRI. Open Steve Wilson swilson@
