Olympic Games set to steady ship with major Chinese sponsor February 6, 2025 Consumer electronics firm TCL is reportedly set to become an Olympic partner in a boost to the International Olympic Committee after long-term sponsors jumped ship. The Chinese organisation is in the final stages of signing a deal to join the IOC sponsorship family, according to SportBusiness. In 2023 the cooperation generated £19bn and its subsidiaries [...]
Exclusive: Saudi Arabia readies Olympic Games bid but may hold until 2040 February 4, 2025 Saudi Arabia is readying a bid to host the Olympic Games but is prepared to wait until 2040 to maximise its chances, a leading official has told City AM. Group CEO of Diriyah Company Jerry Inzerillo said it was a “matter of time before Saudi will announce an intention for an Olympic bid”, adding that [...]
2026 World Cup: Visa backlog could keep teams and fans locked out of US January 30, 2025 US officials have raised concerns that visa backlogs may prevent overseas football fans and even teams from attending the men’s 2026 World Cup. Wait times for interviews for business and tourism visas exceed 330 days at 18 US embassies and consulates, the LA Times reported. With tickets for the World Cup not expected to go [...]
No noise LA fires could impact 2028 Olympic Games, UK broadcaster says January 23, 2025 LA Olympics broadcaster Warner Bros. Discovery doesn’t believe recent Los Angeles fires will impact the 2028 Games. Wild fires have swept across swathes of California in recent months, causing huge amounts of damage and forcing mass evacuations. The city is set to host the next summer Olympics, in 2028, following on from Paris last year. [...]
Paris 2024 Olympic medals to be replaced after they flake and rust January 21, 2025 Red-faced Olympics chiefs have pledged to replace defective medals from the Paris 2024 Games after more than 100 athletes complained that they have begun to flake and rust. Just days after the closing ceremony, disgruntled athletes began sharing pictures of their damaged medals on social media and demanding they be replaced. American skateboarder Nyjah Huston [...]
Forget the gloom, sport’s broad palette offers many reasons be cheerful January 16, 2025 Elite sport may make us despair at times but we shouldn’t forget that the wider ecosystem offers so many opportunities to connect and participate, says Ed Warner. Memo to self: don’t always be a miserabilist. The data says that the most upbeat editions of this column garner as many readers as the more downbeat. So, [...]
Wada crisis: US Anti-Doping Agency backs government withholding funds January 9, 2025 The US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) has insisted it “fully supports” the US government’s call to withhold millions to the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada). Usada chief executive Travis Tygart said withholding the funds, given the US has been Wada’s biggest funder since its founding, was “the only right choice to protect athletes’ rights, accountability and fair [...]
Battle for IOC presidency needs rigorous candidate tests January 2, 2025 The position of president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) isn’t quite the leadership of the free world, but is arguably more influential on the global stage than the heads of many nations, both free and not-so-free. It comes with far fewer constraints on the post-holder’s power too. Little wonder that seven sporting presidents, vice-presidents, [...]
Ratcliffe, IPL and Littler: The City AM Sport 2024 year in review December 31, 2024 It was the year that was in sport; when iconic athletes retired, major brands made fascinating choices and one pole vaulter was knocked out of the Olympics because of his hefty package. The 12 months that made up 2024 weaved the retirement of cricketer James Anderson with the iconic breakdancer Raygun, it saw a German [...]
Women’s football and NFL: The biggest sports deals of 2024 December 31, 2024 Sport has been full of deals in 2024 with Premier League clubs being taken over, cricket selling stakes in franchise teams and transfers sending sports fans mad. But which were the standout deals of the last 12 months? Founder of SportsInvest Advisory Achille de Rauglaudre takes a look. March: Women’s football on the rise 2024 [...]