Latest news with #InternationalOlympicCommittee
NBC Sports
2 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
IOC's Christophe Dubi discusses 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympic prep with 200 days to go
International Olympic Committee Executive Director Christophe Dubi spoke with about preparations for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games, which open in 200 days. This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity. OlympicTalk: What is the state of preparations for these Games from the IOC perspective, and do you have any concerns? Dubi: I've got excitement more than concerns. You loved Paris (2024). You will adore Milano-Cortina, I think we start from a very strong Paris Games, and the expectations are immense, by the way. Let's be very clear, the Games back in the traditional Alpine setting with the Alps and the Dolomites, there are a lot of expectations. I'm just back from Italy. What I really like at this stage is that from all political sides and at all authority levels, but also in the general public, you have a real sense of excitement. That sense that Italy is ready to party, and not only Milano and the regions, but more like what happened in France, where the Games will be the Games for the whole territory. You can feel that. It was pretty obvious with the volunteers campaign, which was too successful. You have too many people disappointed because they're not chosen. Ticketing, which is ongoing, we are halfway through — around 750,000 tickets. So that bodes really well. Now, having said that, six months out, it's a lot of work ahead. It's a lot of time that has passed and a lot of work behind us. But of course, still, all the temporary installations, from temporary ice to temporary stands, mountain build, all the above. So excitement, but also extreme sense of duty with the calendar, which is managed minute by minute. Nick Zaccardi, OlympicTalk: Are you satisfied with how things are progressing with the Cortina sliding track? Dubi: We love the track. Let's be clear here. What they've done in terms of construction time to get to the pre-homologation (test runs by athletes for the first time in March), it was something we had never seen, so we were doubtful. They managed — by a very smart construction and very thoughtful engineering processes — to get to the point where they could have ice on this track, and they tested and validated the fact that it's a safe track. Now we have final homologation, which is a very important step, because this is then opening the season for the testing of the track and availability of the track for all athletes. That is super, super important. Now, the works are not finished, right? So the ice, yes, but when it comes to the actual track itself, to make it an Olympic venue, there is still quite some work to be done. So it's pretty complicated. It requires a super precise coordination. But again, they have demonstrated, and there is no reason to doubt that they're going to be able to do that. OlympicTalk: What plans are there that you know of — and that you can share — for the Opening Ceremony to incorporate athletes who won't be able to be in Milan and are at the other venue clusters? Dubi: The work that they are doing to allow all athletes to — somewhat in different ways, shapes and forms — participate is a defining moment for the next Games to come. Not LA, but for the French Alps 2030 and Brisbane 2032, which is on three clusters, plus a few venues in the region. So the work they do here to have everybody involved is really outstanding. I cannot really reveal more, but it's really a plan that, for us, respects the principle that the Games, no matter how spread they can be, is for the athletes to feel that the Olympic experience is something really different. So that ceremony will be reflecting this principle. Is it easy to do? Absolutely not. It requires an incredible level of coordination for the show, but, hey, Paris was already quite a step. This is somewhat different, because it's not that large of a venue, but it's several venues, and yeah, really we are incredibly thankful to the work that they have done. OlympicTalk: What is the process to determine if Nordic combined will stay on the Olympic program beyond 2026, and if a women's event could be added? Dubi: What can be done for Nordic combined is two things in the future, more than it is today: more universal. You cannot have 27 medals in the last three editions of the Games going to four National Olympic Committees (editor's note: Norway, Germany, Japan and Austria combined to win all of the Nordic combined medals in 2014, 2018 and 2022). So FIS (International Ski and Snowboard Federation) needs to work on that and needs to develop the women's side. You have to have a balanced program in the future. So I prefer to look at it from a glass half-full, which is, what are the conditions that would improve the quality of the sport in the future? More universality. Women. These are the two axes on which we have to work with the federation. OlympicTalk: I want to ask you about the authorized individual neutral athletes, if I may. How will the process for determining which AIN athletes get invited to compete at the Games be similar or different than it was for Paris 2024? Dubi: I'd say similar. It was successful in Paris in the sense that all the frameworks we had put around the conditions for participation worked. We didn't have any problems. So we're very proud of the lineup in Paris from those coming from those territories at war, but also our refugee team. It worked really well, so that's what we build from. Now, what the process exactly will be? To be discussed in the next executive board meetings. But we start from something we know, which is reassuring. OlympicTalk: A specific scheduling question. Ester Ledecka, the skier/snowboarder from Czechia, has said she's requested a schedule change to better accommodate her hope to compete in both Alpine skiing and Alpine snowboarding at the Games. What is the status of that? Dubi: The line is open. So she had conversations with a number of our colleagues in the sports department, and the dialog continues. The facts are the following: she will be able to compete in the two disciplines where she won gold medals: the super-G (Alpine skiing, on Feb. 12 in Cortina, which she won in 2018) and the parallel giant slalom (snowboard, on Feb. 8 in Livigno, which she won in 2018 and 2022). The problem is with the downhill (Alpine skiing, on Feb. 8 in Cortina, the same day as snowboarding's parallel giant slalom). (Editor's note: In the downhill, Ledecka placed 27th at the 2022 Olympics and won bronze at the World Championships this past February. On the World Cup, she had an average finish of seventh place in five downhill starts last season.) Extremely hard to change the schedule at that point in time for all the good reasons. This is something that is built all the time and is impossible to change at that stage. However, happy to continue the conversation and see whether there are some logistics arrangements that can be made. But in any case, and I think this is an important point, I understand that the more opportunities the better. But already we can ensure super-G and snowboard, and then issue remains the downhill. OlympicTalk: Is there anything else that we haven't addressed that's particularly exciting you for these Games 200 days out, or is particularly going to be a focus of yours over the next six months? Dubi: I think it's back to where we started. I think there is this sense of excitement because Paris has had a profound impact on all of us, and the next ones lined up are Milano Cortina. So you have this sense of excitement, and you can feel it, as I said, in the territory, but among the athletes as well. The fact that the Games were very appealing to youth, and we see this now in ticketing as well, where a large portion is for people under 35, is also a sign that probably Paris, more than anything else before, reconnected. Our product remains amazingly exciting, but also, I think the values we are based upon, which is the simplicity of sport, giving that breath at a time where the world is a difficult place for almost everyone. And it's so Italian, and that's great. You go to France. It was so French. It's going to be so Italian, with their extravagance, with their warmth, with their colors.
Business Standard
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Business Standard
Cricket at Olympics: LA 2028 bows to India and subcontinent viewership
For the first time in Olympic history, the clock is being set to Indian time—figuratively, at least. As cricket makes its grand return to the Olympics at Los Angeles 2028, organisers have bent the scheduling arc towards the subcontinent's billion-strong cricket fanbase. In a strategic masterstroke, the local organising committee, in concert with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Cricket Council (ICC), has locked in match timings designed to maximise TV audiences in India. Two T20 clashes per day will unfold in Los Angeles (LA) — at 9:00 am and 6:30 pm local time—translating to 9:30 pm and 7:00 am IST, respectively. For Indian viewers, it's a golden window. The Cricketing carnival begins before the Olympics 2028 opening ceremony Cricket's re-entry into the Olympic fold is so momentous that it will even jump the starter's gun. The men's and women's six-team T20 tournaments will start on July 12, two full days before the opening ceremony. The venue? A brand-new stadium set to rise at the Fairgrounds in Pomona, just 30 miles from the athletes' village. And in a surprising twist, the men's and women's events will run in separate slots instead of being played simultaneously—giving each format its own stage. In a move that defies standard Olympic protocol, the medal matches for cricket will take place in the early morning hours of Los Angeles time—the 9:00 am to 12:00 pm window. The bronze medal contests will follow in the evening. The symbolism is unmistakable. While Olympic tradition often crowns bronze before gold, here, gold takes centre stage—perhaps under the assumption that India, a cricketing powerhouse, will be in contention. Yet, a word of caution: the schedule is still labelled "subject to change" until the Games conclude. Billion-Eyes Bet: IOC sweetens the media rights pot With India all but guaranteed to field its top team, the inclusion of cricket has become a trump card in the IOC's media rights game. On July 3, the IOC opened bidding for Olympic broadcast rights from 2026 to 2032—a tender that spans India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives. Three types of rights packages are on offer: multiplatform, TV-only, and digital-only. The deadline? August 13. Given the meteoric rise of cricket consumption in India and the sport's mass appeal, the IOC's calculated timing could send bids soaring. Olympic rights in this region draw their biggest value from the summer Games, and cricket's inclusion adds rocket fuel. Viacom18's 2024 Coup and the 2032 Horizon In 2022, Viacom18 outbid Sony for the Paris 2024 rights in India, disrupting the Olympic broadcast status quo. Now, with cricket in the mix, broadcasters will return to the table with heightened urgency—and deeper pockets. The IOC knows it's sitting on a goldmine. "Cricket will massively boost the Games' appeal in India," said Jerome Parmentier, IOC VP of media rights and content. "When you bring in a sport that speaks to over a billion people, you amplify the Olympics' universality." Still, Parmentier cautioned that the Olympics must be more than just a cricket show. "We don't want to limit the Olympic Games to [just] a cricket tournament in India," he noted. Cricket isn't the only fresh face at LA 2028. Several debutant sports have also been slotted with an eye on local and global appeal: Flag Football, another LA 2028 addition, scores a prime-time slot for its men's final (6–8:30 pm PT, July 21), with the women's final the next day. Lacrosse will share a stadium with flag football, kicking off on July 24 and wrapping with both finals on July 29. Squash, another debutant, opens on July 15, with its finals on July 23 and 24, scheduled for evening sessions. Baseball-softball makes a comeback. The men's final returns to Dodger Stadium at 6:00 pm on July 20, while the women's softball final—staged in Oklahoma City—will take place at 12:00 pm (local time) on July 29. With cricket stealing the spotlight and prime-time slots pointing squarely at Indian eyeballs, the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics could mark a new era in India's relationship with the Games. Not just as spectators—but as a dominant force shaping the Games' global narrative.
Sydney Morning Herald
21 hours ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
After failed Rosehill deal, a battle for control of the Australian Turf Club
Two months since Australian Turf Club members voted to reject the $5 billion proposed sale of Rosehill Gardens Racecourse and stick a knife in the Minns government's housing plans, the moment still looms large over Sydney's politics. That night, Upper House MP Mark Latham, one of the fiercest opponents of the sale, ended his relationship with then partner Nathalie Matthews. Matthews has since accused Latham of a sustained pattern of emotional, physical and financial abuse and pressuring her into degrading sexual acts in an application for a private apprehended violence order. Latham denies the allegations. Right before Latham became the unwelcome centre of attention, ATC chair Peter McGauran, a former Nationals minister in the Howard government and one of the architects of the Rosehill sale, resigned. On Monday afternoon, the board will vote for McGauran's successor, a formality which has devolved into a messy proxy battle between supporters and opponents of the scuppered deal. On one side is McGuaran's protegee Ben Bayot, another champion of the deal, who has the presumed backing of Racing NSW and its mercurial chief executive Peter V'landys. But the failed sale, which enjoyed the joint support of V'landys and Premier Chris Minns, showed that not even the double-team of Sydney's most powerful person and the state premier can always get their way, particularly when faced with a wall of Boomer recalcitrance. Loading Standing against Bayot is Sydney silk Tim Hale SC, who ascended to the board four years ago with the backing of trainer extraordinaire Gai Waterhouse and former International Olympic Committee vice-president John Coates. ATC sources say the vote will go down to the wire, with each camp having three definite votes each. So far, ATC board member Caroline Searcy is the swing vote, and both camps have offered her the vice-chair position in return for support. But one of Bayot's three votes is that of McGauran himself. Hale's supporters have legal advice, prepared by barrister Steven Finch SC, showing that McGauran has already resigned his board position and is ineligible to vote. Team McGauran has its own advice to the contrary.
News18
2 days ago
- Politics
- News18
National Sports Board Gains Extensive Powers Despite Name Change In New Bill
Last Updated: The Sports Governance Bill proposes a National Sports Board to oversee federations, plus a Sports Election Panel and Tribunal. The upcoming Sports Governance Bill, although shedding the term 'regulatory," is set to establish a National Sports Board fully appointed by the central government. This board will have extensive powers to suspend recognition of federations based on complaints or 'its own motion" for violations such as electoral irregularities and financial misappropriation. The bill, scheduled for discussion in Parliament during the monsoon session starting Monday, makes a compromise on the contentious issue of age limits for administrators. It allows those aged between 70 and 75 to contest elections if their respective international bodies do not object. The proposed National Sports Board (NSB) aims to create a rigorous system of accountability, likely diminishing the influence of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), which has been plagued by factionalism and infighting. The NSB will consist of a chairperson and members appointed by the central government from 'amongst persons of ability, integrity and standing." These individuals are expected to have 'special knowledge or practical experience in public administration, sports governance, sports law, and related fields." As indicated in the draft released last year, the Board will have the authority to grant recognition to National Sports Federations and establish ad-hoc panels to manage individual sports if an NSF is suspended. It will also collaborate with International Sports Bodies for athlete welfare in India and issue guidelines ensuring compliance with international standards. Currently, these responsibilities fall under the IOA, which serves as the nodal body for NSF-related matters. The Board can de-recognise a national body that fails to hold elections for its Executive Committee or commits 'gross irregularities in election procedures." Additionally, failure to publish annual audited accounts or misuse of public funds may lead to suspension, though consultation with the relevant global body is required before proceeding. The IOA strongly opposed the Board during the consultation stage, labeling it as government interference potentially leading to sanctions from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). However, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has affirmed that the IOC was duly consulted during the drafting process. Maintaining a harmonious relationship with the IOC is vital for India's bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games. What Is National Sports Election Panel? The bill also proposes a National Sports Election Panel comprising retired members of the Election Commission or State Election Commission or retired Chief Electoral Officers of the states or Deputy Election Commissioners. NSFs would be permitted to appoint an electoral officer from this panel to oversee their elections. What Is National Sports Tribunal? To prevent sports-related matters from becoming litigation, a National Sports Tribunal is suggested to provide 'independent, speedy, effective, and cost-efficient resolution of sports-related disputes." The tribunal will have a chairperson and two other members, with the head being a sitting or retired judge of the Supreme Court or Chief Justice of a High Court. The central government will appoint members based on the recommendations of a committee led by the Chief Justice of India or a Supreme Court judge nominated by the CJI. The government will also have the power to remove members in case of violations, including financial irregularities and actions detrimental to 'public interest." tags : sports view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
2 days ago
- Politics
- News18
New National Sporting Governance Bill Will 'Will Usher In New Sporting Culture', Opines Kiren Rijiju
Last Updated: The 53-year-old Lok Sabha MP opined that the new bill will prove to be a watershed moment in the history of Indian sports. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed that the National Sports Governance Bill, which is set to be tabled on Monday, would pave the way for a revolution in the culture of sports in India. The 53-year-old Lok Sabha MP from Arunachal, who was the union sports minister for two years between 2019 and 2021, opined that the new bill will prove to be a watershed moment in the history of Indian sports. 'It's a historic bill coming for the sporting community," Rijiju said. Rijiju went on to thank the Honourable Prime Minister of the nation, Shri. Narendra Modi, for his ardent encouragement of athletes. 'I must thank Prime Minister Narendra Modiji for having such a visionary idea about transforming the sports sector," he said. 'There are two other things — the Khelo Bharat Niti and the anti-doping amendment bill," he added. 'Once the new sports bill is passed, it will usher in a new sporting culture in the country," he declared. 'Khelo India has already promoted sports culture in the country," Rijiju concluded. The bill aims to establish a framework for effective governance within the National Sports Federations (NSFs) and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). It calls for the creation of a regulatory board with the authority to grant recognition and allocate funding to NSFs based on their compliance with good governance practices. This regulatory board will also be tasked with ensuring adherence to the highest standards of governance, financial management, and ethics. Over several years of extensive discussions, the NSFs have been included, especially following Mandaviya's appointment last year. Additionally, the bill proposes the formation of Ethics Commissions and Dispute Resolution Commissions to enhance transparency in governance and reduce litigation, which often results in conflicts between athletes and administrators on matters such as selection and elections. The IOA has opposed the bill, arguing that the establishment of a regulatory board would undermine its role as the central body for all NSFs. Current IOA President P T Usha has warned that such government interference could risk India's suspension by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). However, Mandaviya has emphasized that the IOC was consulted during the drafting of the proposed legislation, which is crucial as India is aiming to host the Olympics in 2036. Rijiju, who advocated for the autonomy of sports administrators with increased accountability during his tenure in the sports ministry, expressed confidence in the smooth passage of the bill through Parliament. The anti-doping act, initially passed in 2022, faced implementation delays due to objections from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). WADA raised concerns about the establishment of a National Board for Anti-Doping in Sports, which was given the authority to make recommendations to the government on anti-doping regulations. The board, to consist of a Chairperson and two members appointed by the central government, was also granted oversight of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and the power to issue directives to it. WADA rejected these provisions, citing government interference in an autonomous body. Consequently, the amended bill has removed this provision to comply with WADA standards. view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
