False start for Turkey’s LA28 medal plans as World Athletics rules out nationality switch Tales of $1 million “signing on” fees, athletes being recruited as teenagers, countries swooping on rivals Olympic champions to try to move up the medal table – Sebastian Coe has seen enough...

My analysis in the latest issue of the #ZeusFiles at duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/false-star...

The decision to block the change of allegiance of 11 athletes from four countries, including five @Olympics medallists, to Turkey in time for @la28games.bsky.social has certainly sent a message that athletics does not want to see the introduction of a football-style big-money transfer system. ⬇️

When @sebcoe.bsky.social became @worldathletics.org
President, among the things he promised to sort out was "nation hopping", claiming that athletes needed to have a strong connection to the country they are representing, rather than looking around for nations to run for. ⬇️

LA28 set record pace as ticket sales open to inevitable complaints over prices and computer glitches LA28 backs pricing policy after complaints. Plus, Giovanni Malagò is set for a new role after Milan Cortina 2026, more change at World Olympians Association and Olympic cyberattacks

* All change at top of the World Olympic Association as chief executive step downs after Pernilla Wiberg elected President

* Russian groups claim responsibility for huge increase in cyberattacks during Milan Cortina 2026

duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/la28-set-r...

Also, in this bumper issue of the #ZeusFiles:

* After Milan Cortina 2026, Giovanni Malagò’s next task: save Italian football

* Middle East war latest global blow to SportAccord as convention in Baku “postponed”

The ticket launch for every Olympics is accompanied by controversy over prices, availability and computer glitches - @la28games.bsky.social has been no different. But they've sold more tickets in first week than any Games before so no wonder CEO Reynold Hoover admits they're "thrilled". ⬇️

Olympic Movement mourns loss of towering figures The deaths of Britain’s Sir Craig Reedie and North Korea’s Chang Ung means the IOC has lost two of its most important figures of recent times

A personal tribute to Sir Craig, including a revelation about Putin's unhealthy interest in Scotland's future and the lengths we once had to go to have a drink with him when head of the IOC Evaluation Commission for the 2020 Olympics. *FREE TO ALL* duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/olympic-mo...

This included spearheading the campaign that saw badminton added to the Olympic programme, helping revitalise GB's fortunes after their worst performance in the history of the Games and, as President of @wada-ama.bsky.social, overseeing the Russian doping crisis that threatened to split sport apart.

Sir Craig, former chair of @teamgbofficial.bsky.social , will be primarily remembered for the leading role he played in helping secure London the 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games, but he achieved much more.

Britain's Sir Craig Reedie and North Korea's Chang Ung, who have died at the ages of 84 and 87, respectively, were major figures within the IOC at the centre of some of the biggest decisions the organisation took in recent years.

The #ZeusFiles explains why Russia is so pleased to see the back of Tardif and who they might support in the election in October. One person it will not be, though, is Alexander Ovechkin...
duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/unexpected...

The decision by Luc Tardif not to seek a second term as @iihfhockey.bsky.social President gives Russia the opportunity to try to regain the influence they had under his pro-Putin predecessor, Rene Fasel. ⬇️

L.A. Confidential #5: Wasserman hoping start of Olympic ticket sales will take pressure off him Tickets for LA28 set to go on sale, the “Look of the Games” is released, doubts emerge over who pays the bill for the security budget and Australia chooses Venice Beach for its hospitality house

All that and much more in the latest edition of the #ZeusFiles at
duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/la-confide...

This is a big week for @la28games.bsky.social with the first tickets for the #Olympics going on sale, with chair Casey Wasserman desperately hoping it will avert attention from him after the controversy about his links to Jeffrey Epstein.

Back to the future: Gender testing to be reintroduced to the Olympics Screening for athletes in female events is to be mandatory from Los Angeles 2028, more than 30 years after it was dropped, when the IOC’s own Medical Commission chair called it “flagrant abuse”

More details in the #ZeusFiles at duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/back-to-th...

Lin was cleared to compete by World Boxing earlier this month after submitting evidence she claimed proved she was female having failed the SRY test. Her long-term future remains in doubt following IOC decision that only biological females can compete in women’s events at @la28games.bsky.social.

Chinese Tapei's Lin Yu-ting, one of boxers involved in gender row at Paris 2024, will compete for the first time since winning Olympic gold when Asian Boxing Champs start in Mongolia tomorrow. She's due to face Thailand’s World silver medallist Thananya Somnuek in the 1st round of 60kg category.

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Back to the future: Gender testing to be reintroduced to the Olympics Screening for athletes in female events is to be mandatory from Los Angeles 2028, more than 30 years after it was dropped, when the IOC’s own Medical Commission chair called it “flagrant abuse”

The decision comes 30 years after universal screening was dropped following Atlanta 1996 when even the IOC's own Medical Commission chair called it “flagrant abuse”. My take on Olympic-sized flip-flop by IOC in latest edition of the #ZeusFiles at
duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/back-to-th...

Of course, it is Donald Trump who's taking credit for IOC decision to reintroduce gender testing for Olympics at @la28games.bsky.social. But it was Jane Thornton replacing Richard Budgett as the IOC's medical and scientific director following boxing gender row at Paris2024 that's led to change.

The Southern Cross #4: Rockhampton rowing row highlights cost fears over Brisbane 2032 regional Olympics Controversy continues over the Brisbane 2032 venues, an Australian legend retains a key position, bowls continues its Olympic drive and a small Scottish town is hoping to play a role in the Games

All in the latest edition of The Southern Cross from the #ZeusFiles at
duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/the-southe...

Plus, a peek inside the new Olympic Stadium, a top role for an Aussie legend, World Bowls takes an important step in its quest for inclusion at @brisbane2032.bsky.social and how a small Scottish town is hoping to play a role in the Games. Plus, the latest in our "Talk like a local" series.

Australia's top rowers are leading the opposition but Queensland's Deputy Prime Minister Jarrod Bleijie warns, "If they don’t want it in Rocky - it ain’t happening." @worldrowing.bsky.social and the ICF are so far behind Rockhampton, but have yet to carry out their own feasibility assessment.

Queensland's determination to spread the benefits of the #Olympics beyond Brisbane means 2032 will be another "dispersed” Games, just like #MilanCortina2026. But the choice of Rockhampton, 600km from Brisbane, to host rowing and canoe sprint in the crocodile-infested Fitzroy River is controversial.

Has World Boxing let the fox into the henhouse after allowing Russia to join? Russian boxers can compete at LA28 after their federation joined the new governing body, and it looks likely the two athletes at the centre of the gender row during Paris 2024 will also be there

My latest #ZeusFiles at
duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/has-world-...

It means Russian boxers will be able to compete in the #Olympics at @la28games.bsky.social, where they seem set to be joined by #ImaneKhelif and Lin Yu-ting, the two boxers at the centre of the gender row at Paris 2024.
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Russia has been allowed to join World Boxing, despite evidence that IBA President Umar Kremlev continues to exert control over the Russian Boxing Federation through Alexey Rubezhnoy, chairman of the organisation's Supervisory Board and the man in charge of Vladimir Putin's personal security.

Why are the IOC and FIFA so scared of taking any action against Iran? As Iran blackmails women footballers who had sought asylum in Australia to return home, the IOC again ignore calls for action from the country’s athletes

Why? My latest #ZeusFiles at
duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/why-are-th...

Iran's FA terrorises its players and threatens their families, its NOC follows anti-discriminatory policies against women and regularly flouts #Olympic Charter. Both are under control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps but the IOC and FIFA seem terrified of taking any action to stop them. ⬇️

"Disunity Games" leaves sour taste in the mouth for Ukraine IPC President Andrew Parsons claimed to be “super emphatic” about situation Ukraine faced at Milan Cortina 2026 after Russia's return, but it didn't sound like it to country bombed throughout Games

My latest #ZeusFiles at duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/disunity-g...

The @paralympics.org President Andrew Parsons claimed he was “super empathetic” about situation Ukraine faced at #MilanCortina2026 after the return of Russia, but the authoritarian tone struck and the lecturing it faced did not sound like it to a country bombed throughout the Games. More details ⬇️