TSX RECAP: Congressional Republicans demand IOC follow Trump order on transgenders; Watanabe says Russian gymnasts must stay as neutrals

● For March 12,?2025?●

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement. ★

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡ ?

● WOMEN IN SPORT: 28 U.S. Congressional Republicans sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee with a "demand" that the next IOC chief preserve and protect "female athletes on the Olympic stage." In other words, to get in line with President Donald Trump’s 5 February Executive Order, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.”?The IOC election is on 20 March. Read more here: https://bit.ly/43CLINa

● GYMNASTICS: IOC Presidential candidate and Federation Internationale de Gymnastique President Morinari Watanabe?(JPN) told Russian gymnasts – in Moscow – they can only compete as neutrals, until the Russian invasion of Ukraine ends. This after he visited a gymnasium in Kyiv (UKR) for an online news conference last week! Read more here: https://bit.ly/4bHBUU8 ?

≡ PANORAMA ≡

All items available in a single post here.

● Milan Cortina 2026: The 2026 Winter Games organizing committee signed the Italian brands of automotive giant Stellantis – Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia and Maserati – as a premium partner of the Games, potentially opening the door for LA28 to also sign an auto sponsor, since Toyota did not renew beyond 2024.

● Commonwealth Games: Britain’s King Charles III opened the first Commonwealth Sport King’s Baton Relay in London on Monday, beginning a 500-day route to all 74 Commonwealth federations, ending with the opening of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.?

● World Anti-Doping Agency: The rosters of the WADA Foundation Board and Executive Committee were published, with the U.S. nowhere to be found. The U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy has not paid the agreed-on dues of $3.625 million for 2024 in a continuing tug-of-war over WADA’s response to the January 2021 Chinese swimming doping incident.

● U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee: The long-time and highly-respected security chief of the USOC, Larry Buendorf, has passed away at age 87. Best known for ending the assassination attempt against U.S. President Gerald Ford in 1975, he was widely appreciated for his excellent service to the U.S. Olympic Movement.?

● Football:?Argentine superstar Diego Maradona died in 2020, but his neurosurgeon and six others are now on trial for possible "homicide with possible intent." The trial, in Buenos Aires, may have 100 witnesses and is expected to take months.?

● Freestyle Skiing: American Moguls star Jaelin Kauf, the Beijing 2022 runner-up, won the FIS World Cup Moguls competition in Livigno (ITA) on Tuesday and clinched the seasonal Crystal Globe in Moguls, Dual Moguls and Overall Moguls!

● Gymnastics: The Federation Internationale de Gymnastique has ruled teen star (and Tokyo gold medalist) Viktoria Listunova ineligible to compete as a neutral due to social-media use of the ribbon of St. George. The Russian federation, of course, is angry.?

● Ski Jumping: Following the disqualification of two star jumpers at the FIS Nordic World Championships in the Large Hill competition last weekend, the Norwegian ski federation suspended the ski jumping team coach, assistant coach and equipment manager, with an investigation from the International Ski & Snowboard Federation upcoming.

● Swimming: Want to know what was in the NCAA gift pack given to swimmers at the Division II women’s championships in Indianapolis? Check out the list, and a link to an unboxing video!

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