Latest news with #OlympicGames'
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"Absolutely the right decision for the sport of climbing": lead and bouldering to have separate medals at 2028 LA Olympics
"Absolutely the right decision for the sport of climbing": lead and bouldering to have separate medals at 2028 LA Olympics When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Miho Nonaka climbing during the 2020 Olympic Games. | Credit: Getty Images In news that will delight fans of competition climbing, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that there will be three separate climbing events at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games: Speed, Lead and Boulder. Advertisement At the 2024 Paris Olympics, there were two disciplines up for grabs for the world's elite climbers: Speed, and the Combined Lead and Boulder. Now the latter has been split into separate events. It's a move that will have specialists in each pursuit rubbing their hands in anticipation. Adam Ondra during the 2024 Olympic Games' lead and bouldering competition | Credit: Getty Images A statement from the IOC explains the board has approved six events for men's and women's Lead, Speed, and Boulder climbing, with a total quota of 76 athletes (38 women and 38 men). It's a move that's been welcomed by the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC). "From the very beginning of our Olympic journey we have always had the target of three sets of medals for our athletes. Each of our disciplines has its own unique strengths, and now everyone will see these at LA28. LA28 will be an even bigger celebration for climbing," says President Marco Scolaris. The move has been welcomed by the International Federation of Sport Climbing | Credit: Getty Images Austrian climber Jakob Schubert also signalled his praise for the decision. As a lead climbing specialist, he'll be considering whether or not to pursue the competition in 2028, having won the bronze medal for the Combined Lead and Boulder event in 2024. Advertisement "It is not only absolutely the right decision for the sport of climbing, but also a strong statement in favour of its international popularity," Schubert tells UK Climbing. "Despite being held twice with compromised solutions, climbing has come a long way since the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, and now it's nice to have the certainty that the sport will be held in L.A. as it should be."
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Solid French consumer spending eases impact of post-Olympics economic pullback
PARIS (Reuters) -France's economic activity retreated slightly in the fourth quarter despite firm consumer spending as the boost from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games waned, statistics agency INSEE said on Thursday. The soft end to the year adds pressure on lawmakers to pass France's 2025 budget, which has been delayed for weeks due to political disputes over spending cuts, weighing on business and consumer morale. The euro zone's second-biggest economy contracted 0.1% in the last three months of 2024 after an unrevised 0.4% expansion in the third quarter, preliminary data from INSEE showed. The Olympic Games underpinned French third-quarter growth due to sales of household services, tickets and broadcasting rights, INSEE said. Domestic demand contributed positively to gross domestic product in the fourth quarter as consumer spending cooled only slightly after the Olympics boost as inflation cooled and vehicle sales jumped ahead of the introduction of new regulations. "While growth had been driven by public spending and external demand in the past three years, private domestic demand is finally showing some signs of life," Societe Generale economist Fabien Bossy said in a research note. Household spending, traditionally the motor of French growth, rose 0.4% in the quarter after a 0.6% rise in the previous three months, while business investment held steady whereas in previous quarters it had pulled back. Foreign trade remained a drag on activity in the last quarter of the year as exports declined, while imports rebounded. Meanwhile, a drawdown in corporate inventories also weighed on growth. A Reuters poll of 30 economists had on average forecast that growth would be flat in the fourth quarter, with estimates ranging from -0.2% to +0.3%. "Beyond the mechanical end of the Olympic Games' positive effect, the year-end slowdown underlines the need to adopt a budget to put an end to uncertainties and restore household and business confidence," Finance Minister Eric Lombard said. A panel of lawmakers was meeting on Thursday to thrash out a compromise budget bill due to hit the floor of the lower house early next week, where it may trigger a no-confidence vote against the government. The year-end performance left France with full-year growth of 1.1%, unchanged from the previous year and in line with the government's forecast. The government has based its 2025 budget plan on a forecast of 0.9% growth, which the fiscal watchdog described late Wednesday as "optimistic" and left little margin of error for deficit target of 5.4% of economic output.
Al-Ahram Weekly
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
World Boxing rallies behind Egypt - Sports - Al-Ahram Weekly
Amid ongoing discussions about boxing's inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, Al-Ahram Weekly met Boris Van Der Vorst, president of World Boxing, during his visit to Egypt Boris Van Der Vorst, president of World Boxing, was in Egypt recently on what he said was a clear mission: to support Egyptian boxing in gaining recognition and ensuring its participation in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The visit was prompted by the challenges boxing faces after the International Boxing Federation (IBF) was excluded from the 2028 Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspended the International Boxing Association (IBA), which ran the Olympic Games' boxing programme, in 2019 because of concerns over its finances, governance, ethics, refereeing and judging. Having failed to meet required reforms set out by the IOC, the IBA was stripped of its role, a decision upheld in April 2024 by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) following an appeal. The IOC organised boxing at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, and though it says it will not do so at future Olympics, it remains hopeful the sport can be restored to the programme through a new international federation: World Boxing. The IBA has asked US President Donald Trump's new administration to 'look into' the sport's omission from the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. While boxing is not currently included in LA 2028, the final decision will be made on 22 March of this year. To participate, Egypt must join a recognised federation like World Boxing. As such, Van Der Vorst met with Magdi Al-Louzi, the newly elected president of the Egyptian Boxing Federation, to discuss Egypt's application to World Boxing. 'Top nations like the USA, Brazil, New Zealand, and Australia have already joined World Boxing, which now boasts nearly 70 national federations across five continents. Egypt is not only a key nation in Africa but also pivotal for the sport's growth on the continent. Partnering with the Egyptian Boxing Federation will enable us to develop boxing across Africa,' Van Der Vorst said. He emphasised World Boxing's commitment to organising competitions and training courses for African coaches and referees to elevate the sport on the continent. He highlighted Egypt's potential to host international boxing events, noting its advanced infrastructure. 'I was impressed with Egypt's venues, including the indoor hall used for the 2021 World Handball Championship. It's ideal for hosting international boxing competitions.' On the global front, Boris touched on World Boxing's collaboration with the IOC. 'Since May, we've built a strong relationship with the IOC, participating in Paris 2024 qualifiers to gain insights on organising similar events. We are working tirelessly to ensure our recognition by the IOC, aiming to have 75 national federations under our umbrella, and Egypt's membership brings us closer to that goal.' Van Der Vorst also highlighted the significance of youth development, underscoring Egypt's role in preparing for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, where boxing remains part of the Olympic programme. 'Egypt's expertise will be invaluable in Dakar. We also hope to see a strong Egyptian delegation in the World Championships this September,' he added. Al-Louzi echoed the same vision, emphasising Egypt's focus on preparing young boxers. 'We are holding four national competitions to select our top talents for Dakar 2026 where we aim to secure new Olympic medals,' Al-Louzi said. He also highlighted that it was the first time a World Boxing president had visited Egypt or any other country in Africa, underscoring the nation's growing influence in the sport. Van Der Vorst praised the new leadership of the Egyptian Boxing Federation. 'The board, led by Al-Louzi and supported by international figures like Dr Nadia Abdel-Hamid, Egyptian Boxing Federation executive manager, is full of experienced and committed individuals. They are working as a unified team,' he said. Van Der Vorst's visit reflects World Boxing's broader mission to expand the sport globally while promoting transparency and fairness. In this regard, he revealed plans to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance match integrity, ensuring fair outcomes. 'The IOC is deeply concerned about integrity, and we are exploring AI to make matches more transparent,' he explained. Van Der Vorst, who became World Boxing president in 2023, has an illustrious record in the sport. During his tenure as head of the Dutch Boxing Federation (2014-2023), he secured the first Olympic boxing medals for The Netherlands in 24 years, at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. Recognised with the 2018 EUBC President's Award, his leadership continues to drive boxing's global growth. Van Der Vorst expressed optimism about Africa's role in World Boxing: 'Africa must have a voice in the global boxing community. Egypt's membership and leadership will be crucial in holding international events and inspiring other African nations to join the movement. Together, we can bring boxing to new heights.' Boxing has been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since its introduction to the programme at the 1904 Olympics, except for the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm because Swedish law banned the sport at the time. The 2008 Olympics were the final Games as a male-only event. Since the 2012 Olympics, women's boxing has been part of the programme. * A version of this article appears in print in the 30 January, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Short link:
