Monday, 23 February 2026
Sunday, 22 February 2026
USA BEATS CANADA IN OT FOR FIRST MEN'S HOCKEY OLYMPIC GOLD IN 46 YEARS
Feb. 22 (UPI) -- Jack Hughes took a hockey blade to the teeth in the third period, but found revenge with a dramatic one-timer in overtime to lead Team USA past Canada for the Americans' first men's hockey Olympic gold medal in 46 years Sunday in Milan, Italy.
"This is all about our country right now," Hughes said on the NBC broadcast. "I love the USA. I love my teammates. It's unbelievable. The USA hockey brotherhood is so strong. We have so much support amongst players. "I'm so proud to be American today."
The New Jersey Devils forward beat Canadian net minder Jordan Binnington for the golden goal 1:41 into the 3-on-3 bonus period of the 2-1 gold medal game triumph at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
The score sealed the 2026 Winter Olympics title exactly 46 years to the day of the Americans' Miracle on Ice victory from the 1980 Winter Olympics
It also resulted in the first men's and women's hockey gold medal sweep for the United States at the same Olympics.
Teeth-cracking physicality was matched only by scintillating speed in the rivalry matchup, with the world-class rosters foiling vicious offensive assaults.
Canada, who played without its injured captain, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby, for the second consecutive game, outshot Team USA 41-26. Team USA goalie Connor Hellebuyck totaled 41 saves.
"He was our best player by a mile," Hughes said of Hellebuyck. "Unbelievable game."
Binnington made 26 stops, but allowed first blood on his first save opportunity six minutes into the finale. Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy brought the initial lamp lighting.
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews found Boldy behind the Team USA blue line to start the breakaway. Boldy flipped the puck up with his blade and juggled through Canadian traffic. He then faced up with Binnington and slid the puck by the St. Louis Blues goalie's right knee pad.
Canada proceeded to launch a deluge of daggers at Hellebuyck in the American net, with seven of the next eight shot attempts. But the Canadians couldn't beat the Winnipeg Jets goalie until Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar equalized with 1:44 remaining in the second period.
The deep red sweaters swarmed Hellebuyck down the stretch and increased their physicality, including a high stick from Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett to Hughes' teeth, but could not find an opening against the American goaltender, resulting in overtime.
Hellebuyck proceeded to use every inch of his frame to deny Canada's Connor McDavid-led attack until Hughes beat Binnington to end the finale.
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski received the puck behind the American net at the start of the final play. He poked a pass forward to Hughes, who stabbed the puck away from Canada.
Werenski recovered the possession along the right boards as Hughes skated wide left. Werenski then found him again with a feed inside the left circle.
Hughes pulled back his stick shaft and unloaded, pelting a screamer by Binnington's for Team USA's third men's hockey Olympic gold medal.
"Unreal game by our team," Hughes said. "Just a ballsy, gutsy win. That's American hockey right there. That's a great Canadian team, but we're USA. We are so proud to be American. Tonight was all for our country."
Hughes finished the tournament as Team USA's top goal scorer, with four over six appearances in Milan. His brother, Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes, logged an assist in the victory to push his total to a team-leading seven.
Hellebuyck's 95.65% save percentage was the best among Olympic goaltenders.
McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) finished the 2026 Winter Olympics with a tournament-best 13 points, from 11 assists and two goals.
Winning moments from the 2026 Winter Olympics
- Alex Butler
Friday, 13 February 2026
SEX BETWEEN ATHLETICS IS MORE COMMON | SUSEN TIEDTKE
Susen Tiedtke, former German long jump athlete, explained that sexual relations at the Olympic Games are something natural because of the unique context in the Olympic Village.
According to her, athletes arrive after years of discipline and extreme pressure, and when they finish competing they experience a very strong emotional release.
On top of that, they are in peak physical condition, with high levels of adrenaline and hormones activated by the competition.
In addition, thousands of young athletes live together in the same place, far from their usual routine, sharing celebrations and an atmosphere of euphoria that encourages intimate connections.
Thursday, 12 February 2026
Monday, 9 February 2026
Sunday, 8 February 2026
Saturday, 7 February 2026
Friday, 6 February 2026
CHINA'S AI TECHNOLOGY POWERS MILANO CORTINA OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES
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| Cross country skiers make their way in heavy snowfall on a track parallel to the mountain pass road near Toblach running between the Olympic venues in Cortina and Antholz, northern Italy, January 25, 2026. /VCG |
According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the first official large language model in Olympic history, developed with technical support from Chinese companies, has been deployed simultaneously for professional Games operations and public services.
On the operations side, an AI assistant allows members of national Olympic delegations to access official information simply by asking questions in their native languages, significantly improving coordination and preparation efficiency.
For the public, the "Olympic AI Assistant" is available worldwide, providing real-time, accurate answers to questions about competition rules, Olympic history, and other Games-related information.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry said the IOC has launched the first official large language model in Olympic history. She expressed appreciation for China's technological support, noting it is helping make the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games one of the smartest Olympic Games ever while opening up new possibilities for the Olympic Movement.
Beyond public services, Chinese AI technology is also deeply integrated into the Games' broadcast coverage. AI-enabled technologies, such as "bullet time," have been deployed at 10 core venues, covering more than two-thirds of competition events, including alpine skiing, snowboarding, and ski jumping, thereby enhancing the viewing experience for global audiences.
Sotiris Salamouris, Chief Technology Officer of Olympic Broadcasting Services, said winter Olympic sports are highly dynamic, characterized by extreme speed and explosive power. He noted that advanced technology that freezes athletes' movements and captures their performances from multiple angles helps audiences better understand these sports and fully appreciate the athletes' extraordinary achievements.
- CGTN
Wednesday, 3 December 2025
US STAR STRIPPED OF OLYMPIC MEDALS AND SENT TO PRISON NOW 'STRUGGLES TONWALK'
An American sprinter won five Olympic medals at the Sydney Olympics
An American sprinter who was stripped of her Olympic gold medals and later served time in prison has revealed that she now 'struggles to walk'.
Marion Jones was one of the stars of the Sydney Olympics in 2000, winning three golds and two bronze medals - becoming the first woman in history to claim five medals at a single Games.
Her victories came in the 100m, 200m and the 4x400m relay, while she added bronze medals in the long jump and the 4x100m relay.
However, Jones was later stripped of all five medals after admitting to using performance-enhancing drugs.
After years of denying allegations of steroid abuse, she finally confessed in 2008 that she had used banned substances.
At the time, Jones said: "I have no-one to blame but myself for what I've done.
"Making the wrong choices and bad decisions can be disastrous."
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| Marion Jones won five medals at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 (Image: Getty) |
She was also sentenced to six months in prison, two years of supervised release and 800 hours of community service, after pleading guilty to charges of lying to federal investigators in 2003 about using performance-enhancing drugs.
Since her release in September 2008, the former sprinter has faced a series of health challenges.
In 2020, she was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease called neuromyelitis optica.
The condition left her temporarily paralysed and initially unable to walk.
Last month, Jones shared a video on Instagram of herself struggling to make her way down a set of stairs.
In the clip, she can be heard saying: “They [knees] are hanging on by a thread, fam… but we’re still standing.”
Jones then added a caption onto the post, writing: “It’s always “Are you Marion Jones?! You were the fastest woman in the world once!” And never “how are your knees doing?”
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| Marion Jones (Image: Instagram) |
The video has now received more than 300,000 likes on her Instagram account where she regularly uploads to her 181,000 followers.
Speaking to ABC News last year, Jones reflected on how drastically her life has changed since her release from prison and how her focus has shifted towards supporting others.
"Well, I would hope that people would look at my journey, Robin, and ultimately come to the conclusion that failure isn't forever," she said.
"That although many people cannot relate to being an Olympic athlete, an Olympic champion, a convicted felon, everybody can relate when it comes to failure in their lives, right?"
"I coach, and teach and mentor entrepreneurs on how to pull themselves up when they're dealing with stuff.
"And I'm loving it. I'm so passionate about it."
- James Taylor
Tuesday, 23 September 2025
Friday, 21 March 2025
Monday, 17 February 2025
WHAT GERMANY'S ELECTION MEANS FOR SPORTS AND AN OLYMPIC BID
A German Olympic bid for 2036 or 2040? Sports as a national objective in the constitution? DW takes a look at the sporting side of party manifestos ahead of Germany's 2025 election.
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| Germany is aiming to host the Olympics again in the futureImage: Frank May/picture alliance |
Sports are a focus in the election manifestos of several Germany's political parties despite the other pressing issues facing the country in the lead up to elections on February 23.
While the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), the center-right Christian Democrats (CDU), Greens, the neoliberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) and left-wing Left Party address sports in relative detail, the Sarah Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) is largely reticent.
And sports do not even appear in the election manifesto of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Many of the parties' statements on the topic are rather generic, few are specific.
But here is what we know.
Olympic and Paralympic Games
The CDU, SPD, Greens and FDP promise to support a German bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. This would likely be for the 2036 or 2040 event.
Though some parties add provisos. For instance, the FDP will only support bids "provided they meet ecological, economic and humanitarian standards as well as the traditional values of sport."
The Greens, meanwhile, set requirements in terms of sustainability. Existing sports facilities would have to be included in the bid and "new ones to be built would have to be made usable for the public."
"Those who benefit financially from hosting the Olympic Games should pay taxes on the proceeds and pay the usual municipal fees for events," the Greens say.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) normally obtains tax privileges from Olympic bidders.
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| Nancy Faeser is Germany's Minister of the Interior, which includes governance of sport Image: Jörg Carstensen/dpa/picture alliance |
Sports minister
Only the conservative CDU has taken up the demand frequently voiced by the German sports associations and is calling for a minister responsible solely for sports.
"We are reorganizing the political structures of sports, placing sport policy in the Federal Chancellery and appointing a Minister of State for Sports and Volunteering," the CDU promises.
Sports currently falls under the Interior Ministry.
Sports as a national objective
"We want to enshrine sports as a national objective in the German constitution in order to use the power of sports to strengthen health, social participation, inclusion and integration," writes the SPD in its election manifesto.
In doing so, the Social Democrats are meeting a demand that the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) has been making for two decades. It would need a two-thirds majority in the Bundestag to amend Germany's basic law, but they would have the support of Die Linke, another party that wants sports to be a national objective.
Promotion of sports
The SPD and Greens want to continue with the planned, but not yet adopted, Sports Promotion Act, which would see the establishment of a dedicated funding agency for sports.
The law aims to improve the competitiveness of top athletes by securing reliable funding.
But their former coalition partner, the FDP remains rather vague on the matter. The business-friendly Free Democrats want to promote top-class sports "with clear goals and efficient structures."
The CDU is also rather unclear. "Only with the best training conditions, the best support, also with regard to physical and mental health, can we achieve a change in trend towards more medals at major events," it writes.
In their own words, the CDU wants to expand dual careers — the combination of a more traditional career and one in elite sport in order to prepare athletes for a fulfilling life after sports. "In addition to the military, police and customs as pillars of elite sport, we will also support local authorities and companies in the future."
Gender in sports
The Greens have a different focus.
"We specifically promote the interests of girls and women with our sports policy, and we also have the interests of queer people in mind," its party manifesto says. "Two important means of achieving this are gender budgeting [promoting gender equality through the distribution of funds in public budgets] and equal pay."
The Left also believes that sports programs and sports funding must be "gender-equitable."
The BSW's plans are the polar opposite. The party wants to revoke the new self-determination law that has been in force since November 2024, which makes it easier for transgender, intersex and non-binary people to have their gender registration and first names changed. The BSW also refers to sports in this context: "Allowing biological men who feel like women to compete in the women's category is unfair and contradicts the core idea of sporting competition."
Grassroots sport
All parties that mention sports in their election manifestos claim to want to promote grassroots sports, for example, by making money available for the renovation of dilapidated sports facilities.
According to their own statements, the CDU and the Left Party want to ensure that all children in Germany can swim by the time they finish primary school. Currently, around 20% of 6 to 10 year olds are non-swimmers.
The CDU and FDP are aiming to maintain the "Federal Youth Games with a competitive character." These annual sporting events have been held at German schools since 1979.
In 2023, there was a controversial reform of the Federal Youth Games that made them less competetive and added more playful elements.
The BSW promises, if elected, to introduce a federal government subsidy of up to €150 ($157) per child for the first year of a sports club membership.
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| Some political parties in Germany have promised to give esports clubs charitable statusImage: Wunderl/BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/picture alliance |
Esports
As for esports, the CDU promises to recognize it as a sport worthy of non-profit status."
Non-profit associations enjoy tax advantages in Germany. To gain this status, tax authorities must recognize that organizations, "selflessly promote the general public in material, spiritual or moral terms," the law states, including the "promotion of sports."
The Greens and FDP have also announced that they want to grant esports — competitions between computer gamers who compete individually or in teams — charitable status.
According to estimates by Germany's esports national association, around 3 million mainly young people play esports in Germany, where there are 250 clubs.
Sunday, 29 December 2024
Tuesday, 5 November 2024
Monday, 4 November 2024
MUSIC LEGEND AND ARTISTIC ADVISER FOR THE 2008 BEIJING GAMES QUINCY JONES DIES AT AGE 91
As the Olympics come to a close…I want to congratulate all of the athletes for doing such an INCREDIBLE job in the midst of an undoubtedly trying time. I had the honor of being appointed the only American Artistic Adviser for the 2008 Beijing Games & co-composed/arranged/produced the theme song “Grace” for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics (which also appeared as the B-side to “We Are the World)…so, I’ve been a part of this space for a very long time, & I know how much work y’awl put into training. It makes me smile to see humanity persevering during a pandemic, to come together in the form of the Olympics & remind us of what determination can do. Big-time props to all-a-y’awl, & to the beautiful country of Japan for hosting!
- Quincy Jones
