Latest news with #OlympicGames'
Qatar Tribune
5 days ago
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
South Korean Basketball Federation officials conclude Doha visit with Qatar Olympic & Sports Museum 3-2-1 tour
Tribune News Network Doha On the third day of their official visit to Qatar's capital, the delegation from the South Korean Basketball Federation wrapped up their itinerary with an educational tour of the Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum 3-2-1. The group delved into the history of Qatari, Arab, and international sports, as well as Qatar's notable athletic and organizational accomplishments on regional and global stages. The delegation was headed by Kwon Hyuk-woon, President of the Korean Basketball Federation and a prominent businessman, accompanied by Secretary-General Mr. Jung Jae-young and several senior officials from the federation. Their focus was on exploring Qatar's advanced sports infrastructure and strengthening bilateral ties in sports cooperation. Welcoming the visitors was Abdullah Yousuf Al Mulla, Director of the Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum 3-2-1, who led a comprehensive tour of the museum. Renowned as a global icon, the museum boasts an impressive collection of rare and distinctive international and Olympic artifacts. The tour encompassed sections dedicated to the Olympic Games' history from ancient times to the present, the evolution of various global and regional sports, and the development of Qatari athletics along with its international, Olympic, and regional achievements. It also featured displays on the progression of Qatar's sports infrastructure, modern technologies in facility management, and a segment highlighting the nation's legacy of hosting major international championships and events across fields—particularly Qatar's landmark hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. These elements elicited admiration from the Korean delegation, who expressed profound appreciation for the witnessed advancements and organizational excellence. This visit was integrated into the official program, which included a series of technical meetings between officials from the Qatari and South Korean basketball federations. Topics discussed encompassed ways to enhance joint collaboration in coach development, expertise exchange, shared training camps, and organizing friendly matches between national teams and clubs. The South Korean delegation praised the substantial growth in Qatari basketball. The visit supports Qatar's broader sports strategy aimed at cementing its position as a leading regional sports destination, in preparation for hosting the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup, which will bring together the world's top national teams in Doha.
Daily Maverick
03-08-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Maverick
Cycling's new regulations aim to balance speed and safety in elite events
Professional cycling is getting faster, and cycling's governing body wants to rein in speeds to boost rider safety – but not everyone is happy. Most sports look to support their athletes to become 'faster, higher, stronger' – in reference to the Olympic Games' original motto – so it is perhaps surprising that cycling's world governing body is trying to slow down elite riders. However, there's good reason the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) recently announced new rules to slow down riders. These rules, which apply to elite road and cyclo-cross mass-start events for men and women such as the Tour de France, are aimed at improving rider safety. What are the new rules? From 1 August, a new bicycle gearing regulation kicks in. Professional cyclists will only be allowed to use a 54-tooth front chain ring with an 11-tooth rear cog. This replaces the current common set-up of 54-10. To put this into context, a 54-tooth chain ring is the big front gear on a bike and the 11-tooth cog is a small rear gear. Moving to a slightly bigger cog (54-11) makes it harder to hit top speeds: the change from a 54-10 to a 54-11 gear set-up could reduce the top speed by about 2.4 kilometres per hour. Pro riders can reach incredible speeds during descents, sometimes surpassing 130 kilometres per hour. Then, from 1 January 2026, handlebars must become wider, increasing from a minimum 350mm to 360mm width (depending on the event) to at least 400mm wide. The handlebar width affects how a rider controls their bike: narrower bars reduce frontal surface area, making a rider more aerodynamic, which again means a faster ride. This is especially useful in time trials or sprints. Wider bars offer better stability and control, helping to navigate tight turns, peloton traffic or crosswinds. The UCI has also announced plans to introduce a formal helmet approval protocol in 2027, which will include separate standards for helmets used in mass-start events and time trials. This shift suggests helmets may soon be subject to the same pre-race approval process as frames and wheels, potentially leading to safer, more regulated head protection. New rules, different opinions Professional cycling is getting faster due to stronger athletes, better training and advanced, lighter equipment. As a result, high-speed crashes, especially downhill or in crowded sprint finishes, have become more common and more dangerous. The UCI maintains that the new regulations are part of a broader strategy to mitigate speed-related risks, enhance safety and uphold the integrity of the sport. However, these measures have sparked debate in the cycling community. Some elite cyclists, particularly those who have suffered severe crashes and injuries, suggest it is time safety caught up with technology. Wout van Aert, who suffered a severe knee injury in September 2024 during a wet descent, said: 'Limiting the number of gears would make the sport much safer.' Chris Froome, four-time Tour de France winner, also said he supported strategies ' to keep the speeds down on the descents '. The Professional Cycling Council supports testing gear ratio limits. It is also likely these changes could limit cutting-edge innovations that only wealthy teams can afford. This would in turn narrow technological disparities across teams. However, former pro Michael Barry believes gear restrictions are not the answer, and the UCI should instead focus on improved course design and inspection, better barriers and crash-protective clothing. Technology experts agree, arguing that speed is determined more by a rider's power output and aerodynamic drag than by gear ratios. To enhance safety, they propose alternative solutions such as real-time rider tracking, crash-protective clothing, improved course design and inspection and faster medical response. The wider handlebar rule has also stirred controversy, especially among smaller-framed riders, many of whom are women, who typically ride with 360mm to 380mm handlebars for better comfort and control. Under the new regulation, those forced to use bars that exceed their optimal fit range could end up suffering from poor wrist alignment, increased fatigue and a higher risk of repetitive strain injuries. Despite the growth of women's cycling, the UCI has not made exemptions for smaller riders, raising concerns that a one-size-fits-all solution may compromise inclusivity and safety. Even though regular riders can continue to use the equipment they prefer, what happens in the pro world often shapes non-elite rider preferences and trends, as well as the bikes sold in stores. If narrower bars are banned at the top level, manufacturers may stop offering them. Historically, advancements in aerodynamics, gear ratios and component weights seen in the pro peloton have become standard features on consumer bikes. A delicate balance The UCI's new regulations mark a likely shift towards standardised equipment and heightened safety. This deliberate emphasis on safety naturally elevates awareness among all cyclists about the crucial link between equipment choices and rider wellbeing. Although these restrictions may foster a more level playing field, they also risk curbing the sport's long-standing tradition of engineering innovation. The very appeal of professional cycling has often been intrinsically tied to the relentless pursuit of technological advancements that yield even fractional competitive advantages. Striking a balance between ensuring safety and preserving this spirit of ingenuity remains a crucial challenge for the sport's future. DM First published by The Conversation. Dr Popi Sotiriadou is an associate professor and the programme director for business innovation at the Griffith Business School, Grifith University, Australia.
Business Journals
30-06-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
2028 Olympics tap Port of Los Angeles, Long Beach for sailing
The Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach's Belmont Shore are hosting the Olympic Games' sailing events in 2028. LA28, host committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, finalized the sailing venue plan, which will include sailing, windsurfing and kite events at both the Port of Los Angeles and Belmont Shore in Long Beach. Both venues were chosen by LA28 due to favorable racing conditions and optimal viewing conditions for spectators with coastal backdrops. GET TO KNOW YOUR CITY Find Local Events Near You Connect with a community of local professionals. Explore All Events The decision is historic for the Port of Los Angeles, which hosted the 1932 Olympic sailing events in its Outer Harbor nearly a decade ago. Long Beach hosted sailing during the 1984 Games. The Port of Los Angeles will host six boat events: men's and women's dinghy; men's and women's skiff; mixed dinghy; and mixed multihull. Belmont Shore in Long Beach will host men's and women's windsurfing and men's and women's kite. The events will be staged consecutively to optimize viewership and media coverage. The athletes in Long Beach will compete first, followed by the boat racing portion of the competition at the Port of Los Angeles. The venues are approximately 10 miles from each other. 'After close coordination with the cities of Los Angeles and Long Beach, along with collaboration from World Sailing, we are excited about the opportunity to utilize two of the best locations along the Pacific coastline for Sailing competitions in 2028,' said LA28 Chief Executive Officer Reynold Hoover in a statement. Sign up for Business First's free daily newsletter to receive the latest business news impacting Los Angeles.
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.
