Lost in translation
What we won’t miss: Sun Yang & an entourage that still has questions to answer over 2014 doping positive.
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Vladimir Putin stripped of FINA Order
FINA has stripped Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia and aggressor in the invasion of Ukraine, of the highest honour of the global regulator, the FINA Order, granted in 2014.
The coalition of Olympic perpetrators
The IOC and the Olympic federations are obliged to punish Russia and its warmonger, Vladimir Putin. Jens Weinreich calls for a comprehensive independent criminal investigation of the longstanding deep connection of the Olympic institutions with the Kremlin within the framework of the EU.
Wunderkinder are too valuable for the Olympic system to set age limits
Kamila Valieva' doping case raised questions about a minimum age for Olympic athletes. The Games thrive on high-performing children – some of them so young that they are not even allowed to compete in the Youth Olympic Games. Children are vulnerable to authoritarian states chasing medals and glory.
Compromat. KGB. FSB. GRU. An intelligence overview of Putin’s relationship with the IOC
For decades there has been speculation about information and possibly incriminating material on IOC members and other big names that might be stored in Moscow's secret service archives. If anyone had access to compromat, it was Vladimir Putin. The spying activities span half a century.
Why I don’t cover the Propaganda Games in Beijing
Normally, for most of the Winter and Summer Games I have covered so far, thirteen times in total, I started my coverage exactly one week before the Opening Ceremony. Today I would like to outline why I did not fly to Beijing, to the Genocide and Propaganda Games of CCP
Wild West: gambling advertising at Premier League grounds
Did you place a bet over the Christmas period? You certainly wouldn’t be alone. Betting on sports is big business, and the FA Premier League (FAPL) is globally recognised as football’s most commercially successful league. And online sports betting is a regulated, legal activity in the UK.
Fixing friendlies – zero scrutiny
Low level club friendlies remain at greater risk of match fixing but football’s international governing bodies are doing little or nothing to try and regulate what are essentially privately organised fixtures with no integrity safeguarding.
Olympic powerbroker Sheikh Al-Sabah sentenced to prison
Sheikh Ahmad Al-Sabah has been sentenced to prison. Our author has observed the Kuwaiti Sheikh for many years and has been threatened by the Sheikh’s aides several times. He describes the methods that brought Ahmad to power and the implications of the conviction for Al-Sabah and the Olympic system.
RIP Gian Franco Kasper
An incomparable era is coming to an end. In 97 years of the FIS, there have only been 5 presidents, 70 years of which two Swiss men determined the course of events in their federation. In these 97 years, the Catholic Church has had 8 popes, at least. An obituary for Gian Franco Kasper (1944 - 2021).
Technically banned from the Olympics
The second anti-doping violation committed by Chinese swim controversy Sun Yang has now led to a damning ‘guilty’ verdict for a third time, the latest and last Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling having confirmed that the athlete must serve a penalty, now set at four years, three months.
Bullying investigation highlights Olympic Movement’s control of WADA
IOC's WADA representatives Francesco Ricci Bitti and Patrick Baumann were accused of intimidating Beckie Scott at a 2018 meeting, where a decision was taken to reinstate RUSADA, despite Russia not meeting WADA’s requirements. So why did WADA’s investigation cost the insane amount of $1.6 million?
«La CAF est devenue un département de la FIFA»
L’élection la semaine dernière du nouveau président de la Confédération africaine de football, le Sud-Africain Patrice Motsepe, a montré, au grand jour, l’ingérence de Gianni Infantino. Mais peu de voix osent s’en offusquer ouvertement.
The playbook that keeps Thomas Bach in power at the IOC
Thomas Bach has been re-elected as IOC President for a final term without any opponents or opposition. Using Bach’s doctoral thesis as a departure point, Jens Weinreich describes how constantly planning for the future has provided Bach with an unprecedented hold on power in the Olympic system.
Whistleblowing and the curious case of Rui Pinto
Hacking implies criminality. Leaking implies opportunism. Whistleblowing implies heroism. A reflection on the subtle differences of publicising dirty dealings.
The list of all IOC payments for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and what it means for Tokyo
For the first time ever it can be revealed in detail how much cash the IOC paid to an Olympic host. Investigative journalist Jens Weinreich publishes the list of 117 payments to Rio 2016 in a worldwide exclusive in his magazine SPORT & POLITICS.