Latest news with #WinterOlympics
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Is Utah always best, or maybe just a little arrogant sometimes?
The Capitol in Salt Lake City is pictured on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) Businessman and Utah Senate President Stuart Adams recently reminded America's other 49 states that 'Utah is the greatest state in the nation' due to its high ratings in 'management, the economy, and happiness.' Not only that, but the 'Rising Utah' project plans to grow Utah economically from being the current 'Crossroads of the West' (the title of which was already claimed by Indiana) to being the 'Crossroads of the World' just in time for the 2034 Winter Olympics games here. In his annual State of the State speech in 2024, Gov. Spencer Cox adopted a modernist Tower of Babel orientation. He said, 'Now is a time for building,' and 'We're not done doing big things. And we're not done building.' The key to Utah success is not education, apparently, but building: 'For 180 years and counting, Utahns have been building our way out of problems, even when things looked impossible.' In another nod to Utah's greatness, he said, 'Our home has become the envy of the earth.' However, Utah's young people, like elsewhere in the country, don't know much about how to work, having never seen or experienced a family farm in their lives. Nor do many high school graduates even want to work. Many are depressed and anxious and addicted to screen time. Wages are low; banks charge incredibly high interest rates on the working poor; corporations act like robotic authoritarian managers of worker lives; and many young people are afflicted with mental health issues keeping them from being productive workers. Too many lack college degrees and technology skills. The Salt Lake Chamber adds a lack of sophisticated workforce training, out of control housing prices, transportation shortfalls, and expensive energy to that list of challenges. How great is it to be a little bit better than one's neighbors at rowing a lifeboat if one is on the sinking American Titanic? Utah's state motto, 'Industry,' seems well tailored to its current boasting about being the best economy now and forevermore. On the other hand, we would be wise to learn from the state mottos of other jurisdictions across the country. Missouri has one particularly well suited for Utah to learn from: 'The welfare of the people is the highest law.' Utah has an aggravated problem of homelessness, poor historical commitment to civics education, and progress-blocking monopolies in its communications industries and political parties all harming the general welfare. North Carolina's motto could be put to good use in Utah: 'To be, rather than to seem.' In other words, let your actions do the talking, rather than constantly boasting of greatness. How about a little humility, Utah, rather than constantly publishing political administration mottos like 'Life Elevated,' and 'Keep Utah Great.' How about Oregon's motto, 'She flies with her own wings.' Wouldn't it be nice if Utah made it easier for women to get involved in leadership in corporate, government, and church affairs? Women have wings to fly if we just give them a runway to take off from. Instead, Utahns subscribe to the idea that 'childless cat ladies' are the bane of American life. They must be barefoot and chained to the refrigerator to be effective women. It might be a source of pride to point out as our local media does that Utah leads the nation in Halloween decorations, but is that the best way for women to be spending their time? Maryland's motto would be a good look for Utah if we could ever climb off our high horses: 'Strong deeds, gentle words.' A lot less bragging, more humility, and a lot more results would go a long way toward getting things done. Wouldn't it be nice to see not nearly so many Republican party advertisements of election candidates pointing rifles, firing them off into the blue, and reloading. 'Gentle words' people, not fireworks displays and visions of Second Amendment grandiosity. My grandmother has some advice for Utah's political leaders today. As a young woman at the turn of the 20th century over a hundred years ago, she sang in the Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City. She married an Idaho college graduate and moved back east where the couple got involved in worldly national corporate economic affairs on Wall Street in New York City. She often would say, 'If I could buy him for what he's worth, and sell him for what he thinks he's worth . . .' There are plenty of social issues to bring Utah down to earth, if it ever realizes its current value is not as great as it thinks: teen suicide; high divorce rates; a focus on luxury housing rather than affordable housing; what to do about gun control; a civically underinformed higher education system; plunging Medicaid availability; a dearth of union collective bargaining; how to humanely handle people in the country without documentation who commit crimes; whether to be banning books or tolerating them; how to deal with the current philosophy of making vaccines voluntary rather than mandatory; and how to build back trust in all three branches of government. Folks, 'The welfare of the people is the highest law.'
Kyodo News
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Kyodo News
Snowboarding: 6-time Olympian Tomoka Takeuchi to retire after 1 more season
KYODO NEWS - 10 hours ago - 16:51 | Sports, All Japanese snowboarder Tomoka Takeuchi, who has competed in the past six Winter Olympics, said Thursday she will retire at the end of the 2025-26 Olympic parallel giant slalom silver medalist at the 2014 Sochi Olympics has already met the qualifying standards set by the Ski Association of Japan for next February's Milan-Cortina Olympics. "In one last season, I want to go all out to win," the 41-year-old said at a press conference in Tokyo. The Hokkaido native made her Olympic debut in 2002 and moved her training base to Switzerland five years later. Takeuchi did not compete for about two and a half years after the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. At the 2022 Beijing Olympics, she was 15th in the parallel giant slalom. Related coverage: Baseball: Shohei Ohtani hits MLB-leading 20th homer in Dodgers' win Sumo: Onosato becomes yokozuna at record pace after 13 tournaments Golf: Chisato Iwai wins 1st U.S. tour title in Mexico
Toronto Sun
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Toronto Sun
Why you'll see individual Russian athletes at 2026 Winter Olympics, but no teams
The IIHF had announced in February that the suspensions of Russian and Belarusian teams would continue through May 2026. Russia forward Alexander Ovechkin stretches before playing against Slovenia in a men's ice hockey game at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Postmedia files Though some individual Russian athletes may be allowed to compete as neutrals at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, the country's hockey teams will be on the outside looking in at the action. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The Reuters news agency on Tuesday published a report stating the current ban on Russian teams will remain in place through the Milano Cortina 2026 men's and women's hockey tournaments, slated for February of next year. Hockey action begins Feb. 4, the opening ceremonies will be held two days later, and the Games will run through Feb. 22, the date of the men's gold-medal game at what will be the newly built 16,000-seat Milano Santagiulia arena. There was no official statement from either the International Olympic Committee (IOC) or International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) on Tuesday; however, the Reuters report quoted an unnamed IOC official. 'The recommendation of the IOC Executive Board from March 2023 regarding teams of athletes holding Russian passports remains in force. It is based on the premise that, by definition, a group of individual neutral athletes cannot be considered a team. We take note that the IIHF has confirmed it will follow this recommendation, which was made after consultations with the relevant International Federations and other stakeholders of the Olympic Movement.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The IIHF had announced in February that the suspensions of Russian and Belarusian teams would continue through May 2026 and IIHF president Luc Tardif said during a press conference last weekend at the world hockey championship in Stockholm that the IOC would be making this decision. 'Recently they asked us to send them a schedule without Russia, so that's where we are,' Tardif said. 'The official statement is pending but the IOC has told us that they are informing the Russian Olympic Committee that they are not participating in the Olympics.' Will Russian curling teams be banned from the 2026 Games? There are two spots open in each of the men's, women's and mixed doubles curling tournaments at Milano Cortina 2026, but it seems unlikely that Russian curling teams will be allowed to compete in qualifying events. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. World Curling extended their ban through the 2024-25 season, citing Rule C1(b) which states that a team may be removed from any event if the World Curling board decides the team's presence would 'damage the event or put the safety of the participants or the good order of the event at risk.' How have Russian hockey teams performed at previous Olympics? Competing under the banner of 'Russian Olympic Committee,' the men's team won gold at PyeongChang 2018. At Beijing 2022, they claimed silver as 'Team Olympic Athlete from Russia.' Neither of those Games featured athletes from the National Hockey League, but NHL players will return to the Olympics in 2026. Since NHL participation began at Nagano 1998, Russia earned a silver (Nagano 1998) and bronze (Salt Lake City 2002), and finished fourth at Torino 2006, fifth at Sochi 2014 and sixth at Vancouver 2010. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The women's team finished fifth in 2002, sixth in 2006, 2010 and 2014 — though it was disqualified in the latter Games for doping violations. The women were fourth in 2018 and fifth in 2022. Which nations will be represented in the men's and women's Olympic hockey tournaments at Milano Cortina 2026? According to reports, France will take Russia's spots in both the men's and women's tournaments. The men's competition will include Canada, Switzerland, Czechia and France in Group A; Finland, Sweden, Slovakia and Italy in Group B; as well as the U.S., Germany, Latvia and Denmark in Group C. The women's tournament will see Canada, the U.S., Finland, Czechia and Switzerland in Group A; Germany, Sweden, Japan, Italy and France in Group B. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Russian athletes have not been allowed to fly their country's flag at a Winter Olympics since they hosted Sochi 2014, the Games stained by the discovery of Russian state-sponsored doping that led to suspensions and disqualifications. The IOC took further action immediately after the invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops in February 2022, four days after the Beijing Games came to an end. In response to Russia's illegal military action and the facilitation of Belarus, the IOC recommended on Feb. 28 that international sports federations ban athletes from Russia and Belarus. Most of the world's sport governing bodies, including the IIHF, banned those athletes. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. A year later, the IOC lifted the ban on individual Russian and Belarusian athletes, provided they did not actively support their country's military operation and they agreed to compete as neutral athletes. The ban on national teams remained in place and is still in place today. The IOC took further action in October 2023, suspending the Russian Olympic Committee after it breached the Olympic Charter by 'incorporating regional sports organizations located in territory belonging to the Olympic Committee of Ukraine.' Read More Is it likely that individual Russian athletes will compete at Milano Cortina 2026 in sports other than hockey? This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Yes. There will be 116 events held in 16 sport disciplines at these Games and each world governing sport body will be empowered to make a decision regarding the potential participation or banishment of individual Russian and Belarusian athletes. The International Skating Union (ISU) already has granted permission for four Russian singles figure skaters to begin the qualification process for the Olympics in Italy. However, no pairs or ice dance teams from Russia or Belarus have been allowed to attempt qualification. The ISU also governs speed skating and short track speed skating, and it is likely that individual athletes from Russia and Belarus in those sports will compete in Italy. Reports also suggest the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation will vote at a September meeting to allow Russians and Belarusians to compete as neutral athletes at the 2026 Olympics. 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National Post
18 hours ago
- General
- National Post
Why you'll see individual Russian athletes at 2026 Winter Olympics, but no teams
Though some individual Russian athletes may be allowed to compete as neutrals at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, the country's hockey teams will be on the outside looking in at the action. Article content The Reuters news agency on Tuesday published a report stating the current ban on Russian teams will remain in place through the Milano Cortina 2026 men's and women's hockey tournaments, slated for February of next year. Article content Hockey action begins Feb. 4, the opening ceremonies will be held two days later, and the Games will run through Feb. 22, the date of the men's gold-medal game at what will be the newly built 16,000-seat Milano Santagiulia arena. Article content There was no official statement from either the International Olympic Committee (IOC) or International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) on Tuesday; however, the Reuters report quoted an unnamed IOC official. Article content 'The recommendation of the IOC Executive Board from March 2023 regarding teams of athletes holding Russian passports remains in force. It is based on the premise that, by definition, a group of individual neutral athletes cannot be considered a team. We take note that the IIHF has confirmed it will follow this recommendation, which was made after consultations with the relevant International Federations and other stakeholders of the Olympic Movement.' Article content The IIHF had announced in February that the suspensions of Russian and Belarusian teams would continue through May 2026 and IIHF president Luc Tardif said during a press conference last weekend at the world hockey championship in Stockholm that the IOC would be making this decision. Article content Article content 'Recently they asked us to send them a schedule without Russia, so that's where we are,' Tardif said. 'The official statement is pending but the IOC has told us that they are informing the Russian Olympic Committee that they are not participating in the Olympics.' Article content Article content There are two spots open in each of the men's, women's and mixed doubles curling tournaments at Milano Cortina 2026, but it seems unlikely that Russian curling teams will be allowed to compete in qualifying events. Article content World Curling extended their ban through the 2024-25 season, citing Rule C1(b) which states that a team may be removed from any event if the World Curling board decides the team's presence would 'damage the event or put the safety of the participants or the good order of the event at risk.' Article content Competing under the banner of 'Russian Olympic Committee,' the men's team won gold at PyeongChang 2018. At Beijing 2022, they claimed silver as 'Team Olympic Athlete from Russia.'
GMA Network
a day ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Russian teams remain banned from competing at 2026 Winter Olympics
Performers and the Olympic rings are seen during the closing ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics at the National Stadium in Beijing, China on Sunday, February 20, 2022. REUTERS/ Kim Hong-Ji PARIS - Russian teams, including the country's powerful national ice hockey side, remain banned from competing at next year's Milano-Cortina winter Olympics as part of sanctions imposed following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the International Olympic Committee said on Tuesday. The IOC was responding to reports out of Russia that hockey officials from the country had held talks with the international ice hockey federation (IIHF) over Olympic participation. "The IOC Executive Board recommendation from March 2023 with regard to teams of athletes with a Russian passport remains in place," the IOC said. "It is based on the fact that, by definition, a group of Individual Neutral Athletes cannot be considered a team. We take note that the IIHF has confirmed that it will follow this recommendation. A small number of individual Russian and Belarusian athletes were allowed to take part in the Paris 2024 summer Olympics after rigorous vetting by the IOC. They competed without the Russian or Belarusian flag and anthem. Instead they took part as neutral athletes. All Russian teams were banned. Belarus has acted as a staging ground for the invasion. Four Russian figure skaters in men's and women's singles were recently approved by the International Skating Union to try to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics as neutral athletes. Russian ice hockey players won gold at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics and silver four years later in Beijing. The IOC suspended the Russian Olympic Committee in October 2023 for recognising regional Olympic councils for Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine - Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. "This (October 2023) recommendation was made after consultations with the International Federations concerned and the other Olympic Movement stakeholders," the IOC said. "This position reflects the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee because of its annexation of regional sports organisations on the territory of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine." "Such action constitutes a breach of the Olympic Charter because it violates the territorial integrity of the NOC of Ukraine, as recognised by the IOC in accordance with the Olympic Charter," the Olympic body said. The Winter Olympics in Italy run from February 6-22. —Reuters
