Tag Archives: Olympics

Two-time 1984 Olympics gold medalist Peter Vidmar has resigned his chairmanship at USA Gymnastics to become a missionary for the Mormon Church. You may recall that Vidmar resigned from directing the United States gymnastics team at the 2012 London Games following media furor over his participation at anti-gay rallies and his donations to Proposition 8. USA Gymnastics has issued a …

Vladimir Putin this morning dismissed the claims as “unfounded” as Russia faces expulsion from the 2016 Olympics due to a massive doping scandal revealed yesterday. CNN reports: Commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and carried out by the organization’s former president, Dick Pound, the findings uncovered a “deeply rooted culture of cheating at all levels” within Russian athletics. Asked …

ESPN reports: Gus Kenworthy started coming out to his family and closest friends nearly two years ago. His mom said she knew. His brother said he was proud. His best friend 
voiced unrelenting support. And if Gus Kenworthy were an average 24-year-old, the announcement — the story — might have ended there. But Gus Kenworthy is not an average 24-year-old. …

This doesn’t necessarily mean that frisbee will become an Olympic sport. The list of other officially recognized sporting organizations includes those for chess, bridge, bowling, billiards, and orienteering. (Yeah, I had to look that one up.)

From the petition: Dear International Olympic Committee, It has recently come to light that gold medalist Bruce Jenner is in fact transgender, and therefore, identifies as a woman. We congratulate Ms. Jenner on these new developments and wish her the best. However, this creates somewhat of a problem as Ms. Jenner (as talented as she is) claims that she has …

Via the Associated Press: Thomas Bach never thought it would be this easy. In rapid fashion and without a single vote against or even an abstention, the International Olympic Committee on Monday overwhelmingly approved its president’s 40-point reform package — the biggest shake-up of the organization in decades. Among other measures approved was the rewording of the IOC’s non-discrimination policy …

The International Olympic Committee today announced that future Olympics host cities must sign a contract with an added clause vowing to protect LGBT participants and attendees from discrimination. Via press release from All Out: “This is a significant step in ensuring the protection of both citizens and athletes around the world and sends a clear message to future host cities …

Via Newsweek: South African Olympic and Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius has been found “not guilty” of murdering long-time girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in the early hours of 14 February 2013. The court will resume shortly when Judge Thokozile Masipa will deliver her verdict on the charge of culpable homicide, or manslaughter, and other firearms offences. Masipa accepted the defence’s timeline of …

“I owe all of you a massive apology. I thought the Olympics was about athletic competition – not advancing a cultural agenda. I was wrong. I thought the NFL was about football – not advancing a cultural agenda. I was wrong. I should’ve learned my lesson after the Rose Bowl Parade and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It’s all about …

A report filed by TMZ has again fired up speculation that reality star and Olympic gold medalist Bruce Jenner is beginning gender reassignment. Jenner says, “I just never liked my trachea.”

Via HuffPo UK: Tom Daley opened about about his boyfriend as he appeared on ‘The Jonathan Ross Show’ on Saturday night. The 19-year-old Olympic diver revealed he is in a relationship with a man earlier this week in a candid YouTube video. He then sat down with Wossy to discuss his decision to talk about his sexuality, and revealed it …

“It felt like a dirty little secret, it felt like I had chains wrapped around me, I couldn’t be who I was, I felt alone and trapped. Just telling one person made me feel so much better, just that one person took a weight off my shoulder. I told Sophie my best friend first as I knew she’d be really …

British Olympic diver Tom Daley came out as bisexual this week and tabloids are now claiming that he’s dating Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black. A friend of the sportsman allegedly told The Sun: “He’s besotted with Dustin. They love each other and aren’t concerned what anyone says about age difference.” “Dustin is very proud of Tom for making such a …

A couple of months ago I reported that Athlete Ally and All Out were joining to offer gear that promotes Principle Six of the International Olympic Committee, which declares opposition to discrimination based on “race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise.” Sales commenced today, reports the New York Times: Andre Banks, executive director of All Out, said the merchandise “allows us …

After a year of widespread speculation, British Olympic diver Tom Daley has come out. Via the Guardian: The Olympic diving star Tom Daley has said he is in a relationship with a man. He made the announcement in a video on YouTube to “put an end to all the rumours and speculation”. Daley, 19, said he “couldn’t be happier” in …

“Wresting has been an Olympic sport ever since the Olympic Games were started in ancient Greece. The opposition to wrestling was probably coming from the feminists who do not excel in the sport of wrestling, and who dislike anything that is truly masculine, as wrestling certainly is. I’m happy to report that our campaign was successful and wrestling will remain …

NBC reports: Two-time Olympic figure skater and three-time U.S. champion Johnny Weir is hanging up the skates and picking up the mic. Weir is retiring from competition and joining NBC Olympics as a figure skating analyst for the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, he announced on TODAY Wednesday. The skating star, who is openly gay and married to a Russian …

People Magazine has the story: Louganis, 53, married paralegal Johnny Chaillot, 52, Saturday evening at Geoffrey’s in Malibu. “It was amazing because I have so many people from all facets of my life here tonight and they are all here and celebrating it is all wonderful,” Louganis told PEOPLE immediately following the sunset ceremony. “I already feel different. The ceremony …

I first posted about World Order, a band headed by a retired martial arts champion, a couple of years ago.  This is their “welcome” to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.  Nice track, cool dancing, lyrics in Japanese. (Tipped by JMG reader Greg)

The International Olympic Committee has reversed itself and reinstated wrestling for the 2020 Summer Games, which will be held in Tokyo. Wrestling, which was surprisingly dropped from the list of core sports in February, received 49 votes to win in the first round of secret balloting by the International Olympic Committee. Baseball-softball got 24 votes and squash 22. The decision …