Panasonic is one of 15 companies that are so-called TOP sponsors for the IOC. It’s not known the value of the Panasonic sponsorship, but sponsors contribute more than $2 billion in a four-year cycle to the IOC.

Two other Japanese companies are also among the IOC’s 15 leading sponsors. Toyota, which for several months has been reportedly ready to end its contract, was contacted Tuesday by The Associated Press but offered no new information.

“Toyota has been supporting the Olympic and Paralympic movements since 2015 and continues to do so,” Toyota said in a statement. “No announcement to suggest otherwise has been made by Toyota.”

Japanese sponsors seem to have turned away from the Olympics, likely related to the one-year delay in holding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The COVID-19 delay reduced sponsors’ visibility with no fans allowed to attend competition venues, ran up the costs, and unearthed myriad corruption scandals around the Games.

Tiremaker Bridgestone told AP “nothing has been decided.”

Paralympics Aug 29

Here's how much athletes at the Paris Paralympics earn for winning medals

news Aug 11

LVMH puts mark on Olympics as luxury brands embrace sports

Toyota had a contact valued at $835 million — reported to be the IOC’s largest when it was announced in 2015. It included four Olympics beginning with the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games in South Korea and ran through the just-completed Paris Olympics and Paralympics.

Reports in Japan suggest Toyota may keep its Paralympic Olympic sponsorship.

The IOC TOP sponsors are: ABInBev, Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Atos, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Intel, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung, Toyoto, and Visa.

In a report several months ago by the Japanese news agency Kyodo, unnamed sources said Toyota was unhappy with how the IOC uses sponsorship money. It said the money was “not used effectively to support athletes and promote sports.”

Japan was once a major font to revenue, but increasingly the IOC has sought out sponsors from China, with increasing interest from the Middle East and India.

Japan officially spent $13 billion on the Tokyo Olympics, at least half of which was public money. A government audit suggested the real cost was twice that. The IOC contribution was about $1.8 billion.

The Tokyo Games were mired in corruption scandals linked to local sponsorships and the awarding of contracts. Dentsu Inc, the huge Japanese marketing and public relations company, was the marketing arm of the Tokyo Olympics and raised a record-$3.3 billion in local sponsorship money. This is separate from TOP sponsors.

French prosecutors also looked into alleged vote-buying in the IOC’s decision in 2013 to pick Tokyo as the host for the 2020 Summer Games.

The IOC had income of $7.6 billion in the last four-year cycle ending with the Tokyo Games. Figures have not been released yet for the cycle ending with the Paris Olympics.

The IOC’s TOP sponsors paid over $2 billion in that period. The figure is expected to reach $3 billion in the next cycle.

The 4-year-old dog was taken to a pet hospital last week, where he was treated for a high fever and pleural effusion, a condition where excess fluid accumulates between the lungs and the chest wall. His owner, Tracey Callahan Molnar, explained that she took him to the hospital after noticing symptoms such as stiffness, labored breathing and fever.

In a Sept. 9 Instagram update, Molnar announced he is now home.

“Beacon has some appetite, eating some of his meals on his own and me hand feeding him the rest,” she wrote. “I’m happy to say, beacon ate his entire dinner on his own.”

Molnar’s health update included photos of his time in the hospital and later in good spirits on a drive with Molnar.

The post also noted that she and Beacon are still holding out for a diagnosis and a treatment plan.

“Beacon is not out of the woods yet but i’m not sure we could have even gotten to today without your help,” she wrote toward the end of her post. “A huge and heartfelt thank you to all of you!”

Users responded to the post with well wishes and concern.

“Hopefully recovery at home proves to be the best medicine. Sending positive thoughts and virtual treats,” one user replied.

“Praying it’s not serious and he’s going to be fine,” another replied. “Beacon has inspired me to sign up to a charity for my own golden retriever to be a therapy dog volunteer.”

Beacon became a fan favorite during the 2024 United States Olympic gymnastics team trials in June because of the support he provided to athletes like Suni Lee and Simone Biles. Read on for more about him.

Beacon’s health timeline

On Sept. 4, Molnar shared on Instagram that Beacon had been admitted to an emergency pet hospital the day before.

“This is an incredibly difficult post to make. I’ve decided to share this now because beacon has 50k + followers and i know that can mean 50k + people sending him wishes for healing and good health,” she wrote at the time.

Molnar expressed her hope that Beacon’s legion of followers — currently 56,000 and counting — would send him “wishes for healing and good health.” 

Molnar added that Beacon was not reacting to treatments, including anti-inflammatory meds and cold laser therapy. According to the post, X-rays “showed fluid in his chest cavity, which was at least in part the reason for the labored breathing.”

“The high fever was of great concern to his veterinarian. The recommendation was to transport him to an emergency hospital with specialists who could diagnose and begin to treat him,” the message continued.

Molnar noted that while Beacon had undergone some diagnostic tests, more had to be completed.

“My understanding is that there are many potential causes therefore, many things to rule out,” she wrote, adding that she would keep his faithful followers updated.

Days later, on Sept. 6, Molnar shared that Beacon was still lethargic but “open to gentle hugs, pets and conversation” when she was visiting him at the hospital.

“We still don’t have definitive answers yet,” she wrote alongside a video collage of Beacon and her visit. “He has needed to have fluid removed from his chest cavity multiple times and during a procedure yesterday to take tissue samples from some concerning lung tissue (that showed on the CT scan he had), they placed two ports which will in part, make the drainage of that fluid easier. it’s something they will teach me to do so that he might be able to come home sooner.”

She added that his lung tissue biopsy would take five to seven days.

“During our visits, I read messages to Beacon from the autograph book that Milli, a rhythmic gymnast, so kindly gave Beacon,” she wrote at the time. “I also read the comments from you that have been posted on Instagram. Please know that your comments mean so much to me and I really want Beacon to hear them as well. I want him to know how loved he is by so many.”

Beacon is USA Gymnastics’ first therapy dog

The Instagram page for Beacon, USA Gymnastics’ first official therapy dog, is filled with snapshots of him with Olympians like Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, former Olympic gymnasts Aly Raisman and Laurie Hernandez, and many more athletes.

In an interview with ESPN, Molnar said that Beacon was an “emotional sponge” for people competing.

“(Therapy dogs) absorb the stress of the people they’re relieving the stress off of,” she told ESPN. “So even though he might be lying still for two hours, he’s wiped out afterwards.”  

Due to “challenges with logistics,” Beacon could not support Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics, his Instagram noted on July 22.

“Beacon and i will be cheering our olympians on from california,” Molnar wrote on the post.

Beacon received Olympics-themed toys and, in late August, provided animal-assisted therapy at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Lake Placid, New York.

This article first appeared on TODAY.com. Read more from TODAY here:

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The proposal was announced by city mayor Anne Hidalgo on Friday and will be discussed by elected city officials in October.

Cheptegei died on Thursday at a Kenyan hospital where she was being treated after 80% of her body was burned in an attack by her partner. She was 33.

Cheptegei competed in the women’s marathon at the Paris Olympics less than a month ago and finished 44th.

“Paris joins its elected representatives in expressing its support for the family of the athlete, victim of a femicide a few weeks after her participation in the Olympic Games,” Paris city hall said in a statement.

Trans Nzoia County Police Commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom said this week that Cheptegei’s partner, Dickson Ndiema, bought a can of gasoline, poured it on her and set her ablaze during a disagreement last Sunday. Ndiema was also burned and was being treated at the same hospital.

Every 11 minutes on average, a woman or girl is killed by an intimate partner or family member somewhere in the world, according to figures from UN Women, the agency promoting gender equality, and the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime.

“An emotional thought for Rebecca Cheptegei,” Hidalgo told a press conference on Friday, quoted by French media. “We saw her, her beauty, her strength, her freedom. Paris will not forget her, and we will dedicate a sports venue to her, so that her memory and her story will be present among us.”

Four in 10 women or an estimated 41% of dating or married Kenyan women have experienced physical or sexual violence perpetrated by their current or most recent partner, according to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022.

His owner, Tracey Callahan Molnar, shared the sad news on the four-legged pup’s Instagram account on Sept. 4, calling it “an incredibly difficult post to make.”

Beacon has over 50K followers on the social media platform, which is why Molnar hoped people would send him “wishes for healing and good health.” 

“Beacon was admitted yesterday to an emergency pet hospital after some symptoms he was having (stiffness, moving into labored breathing, and then fever) were not reacting to treatments (anti-inflammatory meds, cold laser therapy),” the message said, adding that X-rays taken on Sept. 3 “showed fluid in his chest cavity which was at least in part the reason for the labored breathing.”

“The high fever was of great concern to his veterinarian. The recommendation was to transport him to an emergency hospital with specialists who could diagnose and begin to treat him,” the message continued.

Molnar noted that Beacon had some diagnostics done but still has more to go.

“My understanding is that there are many potential causes therefore, many things to rule out,” she wrote, adding that she would keep his faithful followers updated.

Among her “biggest request” was to send the 4-year-old pup good wishes “in whatever form that comes; positive thoughts, prayer, virtual hugs, whatever speaks to you.”

She added that Beacon provides animal assisted therapy but wanted people to know that “he loves people so much that the in-person interactions he had with so many of you are also meaningful to him.”

Beacon was a fan favorite during the 2024 United States Olympic gymnastics team trials in June. He is the organization’s first therapy dog.

His Instagram is filled with snapshots of him with Olympians like Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles and former Olympic gymnasts Aly Raisman and Laurie Hernandez, as well as many more athletes.

In an interview with ESPN, Molnar said that Beacon was an “emotional sponge” for people competing.

“(Therapy dogs) absorb the stress of the people they’re relieving the stress off of,” she told ESPN. “So even though he might be lying still for two hours, he’s wiped out afterwards.”  

Due to “challenges with logistics,” Beacon was not able to support Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics, his Instagram noted on July 22.

“Beacon and i will be cheering our olympians on from california,” Molnar wrote on the post.

Beacon would go to received Olympics-themed toys, and in late-August offered animal assisted therapy at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Lake Placid, New York.

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The Spirit said Wednesday that Bethune, who was part of the U.S. Olympic team that won the gold medal in Paris last month, suffered a torn meniscus “away from training” and won’t play again in 2024 while she rehabs the injury.

The 23-year-old Bethune did not travel with the team for last Sunday’s 1-1 draw at San Diego.

“She had a problem making the first pitch in the baseball game,” Spirit coach Jonatan Giráldez said after the match. “She is not going to be available this season. It is part of life. You have to keep going.”

Bethune, the third overall pick in the NWSL draft, has five goals and 10 assists in 17 games.

She was honored alongside Spirit teammates and fellow Olympians Trinity Rodman, Casey Krueger and Hal Hershfelt before the Nationals hosted the New York Yankees on Aug. 28. She appeared to grimace slightly while walking off the mound after making the pitch.

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A spokesperson at the hospital, Owen Menach, confirmed her death on Thursday. Cheptegei was receiving treatment at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret city.

Cheptegei was a distance runner who finished 44th in the women’s marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Trans Nzoia County Police Commander Jeremiah Ole Kosiom said Monday that Cheptegei’s partner, Dickson Ndiema, bought a jerrican of petrol, poured it on her and set her ablaze during a disagreement Sunday. Ndiema was also burned, and was being treated at the same hospital.

Cheptegei’s parents said their daughter bought land in Trans Nzoia to be near the county’s many athletic training centers.

A report filed by the local chief states that the couple was heard fighting over the land where the house was built before the fire started.

The U.S. women’s rugby star announced on Wednesday that she has joined the cast for Season 33 of “Dancing With the Stars.”

“Finally the word is out,” she wrote on Instagram. “So excited to join the cast of @dancingwiththestars and be led by my amazing dance partner @alanbersten.”

Maher has been making the rounds since she helped propel Team USA to its first ever rugby sevens medal in Olympic history. She recently starred on her first Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover and also made friends with retired NFL center Jason Kelce.

Now, she will be teaming up with Alan Bersten, who made his “Dancing With the Stars” debut in Season 20 and became a professional partner in Season 25.

Maher won’t be the only Olympian in the competition. Team USA gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik, the “Pommel Horse Guy” who rose to fame with two bronze medals at the Paris Games, was named the first member of the cast last month.

Other athletes in the Season 33 competition include former All-Star NBA center Dwight Howard and former New England Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola.

Here is a full look at the Season 33 cast:

• Danny Amendola, former Super Bowl champion
• Anna Sorokin, who is being billed as “Anna Delvey,” per the show’s release
• Joey Graziadei, “The Bachelor”
• Dwight Howard, former NBA champion
• Chandler Kinney, “Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin”
• Ilona Maher, rugby player and Olympic bronze medalist
• Brooks Nader, model
• Stephen Nedoroscik, gymnast and two-time Olympic bronze medalist
• Phaedra Parks, attorney, “Real Housewives of Atlanta” and “The Traitors”
• Eric Roberts, actor, brother of Julia and father of Emma
• Tori Spelling, “Beverly Hills 90210”
• Jenn Tran, “The Bachelorette”
• Reginald VelJohnson, “Family Matters” and “Die Hard”

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“Once you hit the enter key,” he said, “you can’t go back.”

Omega has been an official partner of the Olympics since 1932, and with the Paralympics since Barcelona 1992. The Swiss watchmaker is currently a top-tier partner.

The trip to every new host city brings about a push for new advancements to its timekeeping systems.

Paris 2024 has seen the debut of new photo finish cameras, capable of shooting 40,000 frames per second. Omega also brought sensors for the starting line that can record reaction time feedback every quarter of a millisecond.

The features were implemented for both Summer Games, Olympic and Paralympic, but some additions are exclusive to the Paralympics. Zobrist and Omega have given a couple of tours and demonstrations to journalists at arenas to display how their equipment operates.

“We have photocells that are installed closer to the ground to capture wheelchairs,” Zobrist said Monday, standing on the field of play of the Stade de France. “Additionally, flashlights can be put on the starting blocks that are in-time with the sound of the starting gun.”

Timing is also very standardized. The front torso denotes the winner in standing events, and the front part of the wheel is what is used for wheelchair events.

The torso measurement became a talking point during the Olympics, when many fans questioned who actually won the men’s 100-meter final, Noah Lyles or Kishane Thompson. Lyles’ front torso crossed the line first, giving him the gold medal.

“There was no controversy,” Zobrist said. “Everything is laid out perfectly.”

Nonetheless, Omega and the International Paralympic Committee allow for a 30-minute period for filing a protest after track and field events.

“It is the only way to keep everything fair,” Zobrist said.

Timing and scoring are the focal points of Omega’s role in the Games, but they do a multitude of other assignments at every venue and event.

If a television broadcast is showing a live display of the gap between competitors, Omega is supplying those graphics. They are also responsible for feeding data and statistics to viewers around the world watching at home.

“Our staff are mostly engineers that have a focus on accuracy and attention to detail,” Zobrist said. “It’s great to work alongside such a great group.”

Panasonic is one of 15 companies that are so-called TOP sponsors for the IOC. It’s not known the value of the Panasonic sponsorship, but sponsors contribute more than $2 billion in a four-year cycle to the IOC.

Two other Japanese companies are also among the IOC’s 15 leading sponsors. Toyota, which for several months has been reportedly ready to end its contract, was contacted Tuesday by The Associated Press but offered no new information.

“Toyota has been supporting the Olympic and Paralympic movements since 2015 and continues to do so,” Toyota said in a statement. “No announcement to suggest otherwise has been made by Toyota.”

Japanese sponsors seem to have turned away from the Olympics, likely related to the one-year delay in holding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The COVID-19 delay reduced sponsors’ visibility with no fans allowed to attend competition venues, ran up the costs, and unearthed myriad corruption scandals around the Games.

Tiremaker Bridgestone told AP “nothing has been decided.”

Paralympics Aug 29

Here's how much athletes at the Paris Paralympics earn for winning medals

news Aug 11

LVMH puts mark on Olympics as luxury brands embrace sports

Toyota had a contact valued at $835 million — reported to be the IOC’s largest when it was announced in 2015. It included four Olympics beginning with the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games in South Korea and ran through the just-completed Paris Olympics and Paralympics.

Reports in Japan suggest Toyota may keep its Paralympic Olympic sponsorship.

The IOC TOP sponsors are: ABInBev, Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Atos, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Intel, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung, Toyoto, and Visa.

In a report several months ago by the Japanese news agency Kyodo, unnamed sources said Toyota was unhappy with how the IOC uses sponsorship money. It said the money was “not used effectively to support athletes and promote sports.”

Japan was once a major font to revenue, but increasingly the IOC has sought out sponsors from China, with increasing interest from the Middle East and India.

Japan officially spent $13 billion on the Tokyo Olympics, at least half of which was public money. A government audit suggested the real cost was twice that. The IOC contribution was about $1.8 billion.

The Tokyo Games were mired in corruption scandals linked to local sponsorships and the awarding of contracts. Dentsu Inc, the huge Japanese marketing and public relations company, was the marketing arm of the Tokyo Olympics and raised a record-$3.3 billion in local sponsorship money. This is separate from TOP sponsors.

French prosecutors also looked into alleged vote-buying in the IOC’s decision in 2013 to pick Tokyo as the host for the 2020 Summer Games.

The IOC had income of $7.6 billion in the last four-year cycle ending with the Tokyo Games. Figures have not been released yet for the cycle ending with the Paris Olympics.

The IOC’s TOP sponsors paid over $2 billion in that period. The figure is expected to reach $3 billion in the next cycle.

Rebecca Cheptegei, a distance runner who finished 44th in the women’s marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics, was attacked in her house in the western Trans Nzoia County.

Trans Nzoia County Police Commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom said Monday that Cheptegei’s boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema, bought a jerrican of petrol, poured it on her and set her ablaze during a disagreement Sunday. Ndiema also sustained burn wounds, and the two are receiving specialized treatment at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret city.

Cheptegei’s parents said their daughter bought land in Trans Nzoia to be near the county’s many athletic training centers.

A report filed by the local chief states that the couple was heard fighting over the land where the house was built before the fire started.

In 2023, Ugandan Olympic runner and steeplechaser Benjamin Kiplagat was found dead with stab wounds. In 2022, Kenyan-born Bahraini athlete Damaris Muthee was found dead with a postmortem report stating that she was strangled.

Panasonic is one of 15 companies that are so-called TOP sponsors for the IOC. It’s not known the value of the Panasonic sponsorship, but sponsors contribute more than $2 billion in a four-year cycle to the IOC.

Two other Japanese companies are also among the IOC’s 15 leading sponsors. Toyota, which for several months has been reportedly ready to end its contract, was contacted Tuesday by The Associated Press but offered no new information.

“Toyota has been supporting the Olympic and Paralympic movements since 2015 and continues to do so,” Toyota said in a statement. “No announcement to suggest otherwise has been made by Toyota.”

Japanese sponsors seem to have turned away from the Olympics, likely related to the one-year delay in holding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The COVID-19 delay reduced sponsors’ visibility with no fans allowed to attend competition venues, ran up the costs, and unearthed myriad corruption scandals around the Games.

Tiremaker Bridgestone told AP “nothing has been decided.”

Paralympics Aug 29

Here's how much athletes at the Paris Paralympics earn for winning medals

news Aug 11

LVMH puts mark on Olympics as luxury brands embrace sports

Toyota had a contact valued at $835 million — reported to be the IOC’s largest when it was announced in 2015. It included four Olympics beginning with the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games in South Korea and ran through the just-completed Paris Olympics and Paralympics.

Reports in Japan suggest Toyota may keep its Paralympic Olympic sponsorship.

The IOC TOP sponsors are: ABInBev, Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Atos, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Intel, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung, Toyoto, and Visa.

In a report several months ago by the Japanese news agency Kyodo, unnamed sources said Toyota was unhappy with how the IOC uses sponsorship money. It said the money was “not used effectively to support athletes and promote sports.”

Japan was once a major font to revenue, but increasingly the IOC has sought out sponsors from China, with increasing interest from the Middle East and India.

Japan officially spent $13 billion on the Tokyo Olympics, at least half of which was public money. A government audit suggested the real cost was twice that. The IOC contribution was about $1.8 billion.

The Tokyo Games were mired in corruption scandals linked to local sponsorships and the awarding of contracts. Dentsu Inc, the huge Japanese marketing and public relations company, was the marketing arm of the Tokyo Olympics and raised a record-$3.3 billion in local sponsorship money. This is separate from TOP sponsors.

French prosecutors also looked into alleged vote-buying in the IOC’s decision in 2013 to pick Tokyo as the host for the 2020 Summer Games.

The IOC had income of $7.6 billion in the last four-year cycle ending with the Tokyo Games. Figures have not been released yet for the cycle ending with the Paris Olympics.

The IOC’s TOP sponsors paid over $2 billion in that period. The figure is expected to reach $3 billion in the next cycle.

“That feels crazy, especially just thinking about where I was a little over a year ago,” Truwit, 24, told NBC News’ Emilie Ikeda in an interview that aired Aug. 23 on the 3rd hour of TODAY.

Truwit, who previously competed on Yale University’s swim team, was attacked by a shark as she snorkeled with a former teammate in the Turks and Caicos Islands as part of a trip to celebrate her college graduation. 

“A shark came up and started attacking us and aggressively bumping us and ramming us from underneath, and we fought back and shoved and kicked, but pretty quickly it got my leg in its mouth,” she explained. “And the next thing I knew, it had bitten off my foot and part of my leg.”

“So we made the split-second decision to swim for our lives, roughly 75 yards in the open ocean water back to the boat,” she added.

Truwit underwent multiple blood transfusions and surgeries, including amputation, and she said it wasn’t easy adjusting to her new reality.

“I remember I left the hospital, and I asked my parents to put all of my shorts and short skirts and short dresses away and give them away,” she said.

“I didn’t want anyone to see my prosthetic leg,” she added.

She eventually returned to the pool as part of her rehabilitation, and her former coach, Jamie Barone, came out of retirement to help Truwit with her recovery.

“Without hesitation, she’s the hardest worker I’ve ever met,” Barone told TODAY.

“If at any point in time she had texted me or called me and said, ‘You know what, I’m just going to curl up in a ball today, and I’m going to cry.’ Everyone in the world would be like, ‘That checks out. You take the day, you do whatever,’” he explained. “Not once. She has never once missed a day of practice.”

Truwit may have initially returned to the water to work on her recovery, but before long, she set her sights on even bigger goals. 

She returned to competing that year, medaling in the U.S. Paralympics Swimming National Championships in December 2023. And a few months later, she qualified for the Paralympics.

Her mom, Jody Truwit, says witnessing her daughter’s determination has taught her to be “fearless.”

“I think this whole year has been her facing one fear after another,” she told TODAY. “And I think a lesson for all of us in our family is just, don’t let fear rule you. Just fight it.”

Truwit will compete in the women’s 400m freestyle, 100m freestyle and 100m backstroke events at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, which begin Aug. 28. 

Everyone at home will be rooting for her, including Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, who recently designated Aug. 28, 2024, as Ali Truwit Day.

As she prepares for her first Paralympics, Truwit reflected on her journey over the past year.

“I’m unique in that I was attacked by a shark, but I’m not unique in that we all go through hardship and trauma and tough times in life and we all have the capacity to rise back up,” she said.

This article first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:

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The Olympic gymnast is joining the cast of Season 33 of “Dancing With the Stars,” the show announced Thursday, Aug. 22.

“From Paris to #DWTS!🥉 We’re thrilled to welcome pommel horse legend @stephen_nedoroscik as the first star of the season, premiering live Tuesday, September 17 on ABC and Disney+! Next day on Hulu,” the show wrote in the caption of an Instagram post.

Nedoroscik, known to many as “Pommel Horse Guy” after memes including the gymnast went viral during the 2024 Paris Olympics, was the first celebrity announced to be joining the next season of “Dancing With the Stars.”

The 25-year-old captured hearts in Paris and beyond as his dorky demeanor would change in a matter of seconds as he would shed his glasses to emerge into a powerhouse gymnast on the pommel horse — leading some to call him the Clark Kent of gymnastics.

Nedoroscik’s performance on the pommel horse led Team USA to the podium for the first time since 2008 in the men’s team final, winning the bronze medal. He also won another bronze in the individual pommel horse event.

Gymnastics Aug 3

‘He did it again!' Social media erupts for Nedoroscik's 2nd bronze

news Jul 30

Team USA pommel horse specialist Stephen Nedoroscik used visualization to help win an Olympic bronze medal

He addressed his newfound fame on TODAY on Aug. 14.

“I mean, it’s definitely different than what we’re used to. It’s a new normal at this point, but I’m loving it,” Nedoroscik said. “I’m loving the attention I’m bringing to men’s gymnastics and all my teammates. So I think it’s a really good thing, and I’m excited to see where it brings me.”

Nedoroscik also brought awareness to two vision conditions that he has while competing: strabismus and coloboma.

He discussed what it’s like to compete without his glasses during an appearance on TODAY on July 30.

“It’s not necessarily clear, but the thing about pommel horse is if I keep them on, they’re going to fly somewhere,” he said of his glasses. “When I go up on the pommel horse, it’s all about feeling the equipment. I don’t even really see when I’m doing my gymnastics. It’s all in the hands — I can feel everything.”

While Nedoroscik has clinched a spot on “DWTS,” he spoke about the possibility of appearing on the dancing show in an interview with Access Hollywood on Aug. 14.

When asked if he would ever compete on “DWTS,” he left the door open.

“One of my biggest insecurities is dancing, personally,” he said. “But I’m always the type of guy that pushes boundaries, like even just competing at the Olympics is a very uncomfortable environment, and I’ve gotten comfortable with being uncomfortable, so definitely not out of the question.”

Further cast members for Season 33 will be announced Sept. 4, according to ABC News. The new season will premiere Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+.

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:

• Simone Biles re-creates, and makes fun of, her own viral stare from the Olympics
• Viral chocolate muffin from Paris Olympics makes US debut
• What Olympic events are coming to LA in 2028 and why is breaking not on the list?

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Panasonic is one of 15 companies that are so-called TOP sponsors for the IOC. It’s not known the value of the Panasonic sponsorship, but sponsors contribute more than $2 billion in a four-year cycle to the IOC.

Two other Japanese companies are also among the IOC’s 15 leading sponsors. Toyota, which for several months has been reportedly ready to end its contract, was contacted Tuesday by The Associated Press but offered no new information.

“Toyota has been supporting the Olympic and Paralympic movements since 2015 and continues to do so,” Toyota said in a statement. “No announcement to suggest otherwise has been made by Toyota.”

Japanese sponsors seem to have turned away from the Olympics, likely related to the one-year delay in holding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The COVID-19 delay reduced sponsors’ visibility with no fans allowed to attend competition venues, ran up the costs, and unearthed myriad corruption scandals around the Games.

Tiremaker Bridgestone told AP “nothing has been decided.”

Paralympics Aug 29

Here's how much athletes at the Paris Paralympics earn for winning medals

news Aug 11

LVMH puts mark on Olympics as luxury brands embrace sports

Toyota had a contact valued at $835 million — reported to be the IOC’s largest when it was announced in 2015. It included four Olympics beginning with the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games in South Korea and ran through the just-completed Paris Olympics and Paralympics.

Reports in Japan suggest Toyota may keep its Paralympic Olympic sponsorship.

The IOC TOP sponsors are: ABInBev, Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Atos, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Intel, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung, Toyoto, and Visa.

In a report several months ago by the Japanese news agency Kyodo, unnamed sources said Toyota was unhappy with how the IOC uses sponsorship money. It said the money was “not used effectively to support athletes and promote sports.”

Japan was once a major font to revenue, but increasingly the IOC has sought out sponsors from China, with increasing interest from the Middle East and India.

Japan officially spent $13 billion on the Tokyo Olympics, at least half of which was public money. A government audit suggested the real cost was twice that. The IOC contribution was about $1.8 billion.

The Tokyo Games were mired in corruption scandals linked to local sponsorships and the awarding of contracts. Dentsu Inc, the huge Japanese marketing and public relations company, was the marketing arm of the Tokyo Olympics and raised a record-$3.3 billion in local sponsorship money. This is separate from TOP sponsors.

French prosecutors also looked into alleged vote-buying in the IOC’s decision in 2013 to pick Tokyo as the host for the 2020 Summer Games.

The IOC had income of $7.6 billion in the last four-year cycle ending with the Tokyo Games. Figures have not been released yet for the cycle ending with the Paris Olympics.

The IOC’s TOP sponsors paid over $2 billion in that period. The figure is expected to reach $3 billion in the next cycle.

Just a week after the conclusion of the Paris Olympics, the 18-year-old silver medalist was filmed helping out at her family’s restaurant in Hengyang City in Hunan Province, China, according to Beijing-based news channel CGTN.

The clip shows Zhou, who is wearing her Olympic uniform, serving food to customers.

“After winning the Olympic silver medal, [Zhou] has returned to her parents’ home for a vacation,” user @thinking_panda posted on X. “Of course, you can’t call it a vacation. Because she needs to help work in the restaurant run by her parents.”

The video first went viral on Chinese social media platforms like Weibo and Douyin, China’s version of TikTok.

Social media users were quick to praise Zhou.

“Hard work an feet on the ground,” @theoharis_c said on X in response to @thinking_panda’s tweet.

“It’s heartwarming to see Zhou Yaqin balancing her Olympic success with family responsibilities,” @SwatiSarangi10 also posted. “So humble!”

Zhou was one of five gymnasts representing China in Paris. She earned her silver medal on the balance beam, scoring 14.100 in the final to finish just behind Italy’s Alice D’Amato (14.366). During the ceremony, Zhou garnered attention after seeing D’Amato and Italian teammate Manila Esposito, who placed third, biting their medals on the podium. After looking confused, Zhou joined in.

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During a seminar at Fanatics Fest, Durant and Edwards sat down for a conversation on the “Boardroom,” detailing their strange experience following the Americans’ emphatic victory that saw the trio of NBA stars each get drug tested.

“After the gold medal, me and him [Durant] had a, what you call it? A drug test,” Edwards said. “We couldn’t really celebrate in the locker room for real because me, him and Steph had to take like a drug test or something.”

Curry torched France with four 3-pointers in the final three minutes of regulation, stamping Team USA’s gold medal bid and securing his own Olympic immortality in the process.

Curry’s epic Olympics finale was preceded by an incredible 36-point performance against Serbia to keep the Americans’ gold-medal dreams alive, with the star point guard’s legendary back-to-back showings being so impressive that they apparently warranted a drug screening.

The unexpected drug tests are a memory that Curry, Durant and Edwards can look back on with a laugh for the rest of their lives.

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Noah Lyles is standing by Junelle Bromfield.

After the Olympic gold medalist’s girlfriend — who competed in Paris 2024 for Team Jamaica — became subject to scrutiny online, Lyles shared a lengthy statement of support.

“I just want to say how incredibly proud I am of my GF and give her the flowers she deserves now,” Lyles wrote in an Aug. 17 Instagram post. “She has been through so much in her life that I could never imagine fighting through. Beyond that she is a survivor, 2x Olympian, Olympic medalists, Multi world championship medalist, and has been representing Jamaica on the world stage since she was 8 years old.”

And Lyles — who previously shared in a July interview that Bromfield had detailed the “drama” of how Jamaican runners train to him — specifically called out his girlfriend’s own country for the hate she’d been receiving.

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“The most impressive thing I’ve seen recently is how she’s dealt with the pure disrespect and hatred towards her from her own country,” the 27-year-old continued. “This woman has been attacked by people who have never met her, heard her name before, never seen her smile, or heard what she believes in.”

Lyles finished, “She keeps moving forward knowing that God will always make a way. That’s why God keeps blessing her!”

While Lyles was coming to his girlfriend’s defense, many detractors suggested that the sprinter was the reason for the hate his girlfriend was receiving in the first place, due to his past comments about the couple’s private conversations.

“Jamaicans DO NOT HATE Junelle,” one person responded in the comments. “Jamaicans hate the fact that she told you something about what’s happening in Jamaica with the other athletes.”

Despite what fans had to say in the comments, Bromfield was touched by her boyfriend’s words.

“Thank you baby For always supporting long before we even started dating,” the 26-year-old wrote in her own comment under Lyles’ post. “ I love and appreciate you always.”

The rapper’s latest quest was to send Nick Mayhugh’s parents to France for the 2024 Paralympics. The runner posted a GoFundMe link on Aug. 5, which Flavor Flav noticed and reshared on X on Aug. 14.

One day later, the fundraiser surpassed its goal of $10,000 — and it has now topped $11,000 with the Paralympics set to begin on Aug. 28 in Paris.

Having his parents in attendance will be extra special for Mayhugh after they were unable to attend the Tokyo Paralympics in person due to COVID-19. The American sprinter won three gold medals and one silver medal in Japan at his first Paralympics.

Flavor Flav, meanwhile, has been one of Team USA’s most outspoken supporters throughout the summer. He was the “official hype man” for the women’s water polo team, even trying to set up a team meeting with Taylor Swift.

Then he helped discus thrower Veronica Fraley pay rent after seeing her struggle on social media.

He even offered gymnast Jordan Chiles a bronze clock necklace as a replacement for her medal after the controversial appeals process.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

Panasonic is one of 15 companies that are so-called TOP sponsors for the IOC. It’s not known the value of the Panasonic sponsorship, but sponsors contribute more than $2 billion in a four-year cycle to the IOC.

Two other Japanese companies are also among the IOC’s 15 leading sponsors. Toyota, which for several months has been reportedly ready to end its contract, was contacted Tuesday by The Associated Press but offered no new information.

“Toyota has been supporting the Olympic and Paralympic movements since 2015 and continues to do so,” Toyota said in a statement. “No announcement to suggest otherwise has been made by Toyota.”

Japanese sponsors seem to have turned away from the Olympics, likely related to the one-year delay in holding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The COVID-19 delay reduced sponsors’ visibility with no fans allowed to attend competition venues, ran up the costs, and unearthed myriad corruption scandals around the Games.

Tiremaker Bridgestone told AP “nothing has been decided.”

Paralympics Aug 29

Here's how much athletes at the Paris Paralympics earn for winning medals

news Aug 11

LVMH puts mark on Olympics as luxury brands embrace sports

Toyota had a contact valued at $835 million — reported to be the IOC’s largest when it was announced in 2015. It included four Olympics beginning with the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games in South Korea and ran through the just-completed Paris Olympics and Paralympics.

Reports in Japan suggest Toyota may keep its Paralympic Olympic sponsorship.

The IOC TOP sponsors are: ABInBev, Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Atos, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Intel, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung, Toyoto, and Visa.

In a report several months ago by the Japanese news agency Kyodo, unnamed sources said Toyota was unhappy with how the IOC uses sponsorship money. It said the money was “not used effectively to support athletes and promote sports.”

Japan was once a major font to revenue, but increasingly the IOC has sought out sponsors from China, with increasing interest from the Middle East and India.

Japan officially spent $13 billion on the Tokyo Olympics, at least half of which was public money. A government audit suggested the real cost was twice that. The IOC contribution was about $1.8 billion.

The Tokyo Games were mired in corruption scandals linked to local sponsorships and the awarding of contracts. Dentsu Inc, the huge Japanese marketing and public relations company, was the marketing arm of the Tokyo Olympics and raised a record-$3.3 billion in local sponsorship money. This is separate from TOP sponsors.

French prosecutors also looked into alleged vote-buying in the IOC’s decision in 2013 to pick Tokyo as the host for the 2020 Summer Games.

The IOC had income of $7.6 billion in the last four-year cycle ending with the Tokyo Games. Figures have not been released yet for the cycle ending with the Paris Olympics.

The IOC’s TOP sponsors paid over $2 billion in that period. The figure is expected to reach $3 billion in the next cycle.

Phogat was set to compete for a gold medal when she was disqualified for weighing about 3 ounces more than the limit.

In a statement shared to X on Aug. 16, the 29-year-old wrestler expressed that the disqualifying decision was unfairly made.

“All I want to say is that we did not give up, our efforts did not stop, and we did not surrender, but the clock stopped, and the time was not fair. So was my fate,” her statement reads in part.

“To my team, my fellow Indians and my family, it feels like the goal we were working towards and what we had planned to achieve is unfinished, that something might always remain missing and that things might never be the same again. Maybe under different circumstances, I could see myself playing til 2032 because the fight in me and wrestling in me will always be there.”

The athlete appealed for a shared silver medal, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed her request on Wednesday, Aug. 14.

In a story relatable to anyone who’s ever been frustrated by their daily weight fluctuations, Phogat, 29, “tried all possible drastic measures” to lower the number on the scale, including severely limiting her diet, spending hours in the sauna and even cutting her hair, Reuters reported.

To no avail.

Why did Vinesh Phogat disqualify?

Phogat competes in the 50-kilogram (110-pound) weight class, meaning she can’t weigh more. She reached the final for that weight category on Tuesday, Aug. 6 — the first Indian woman wrestler to make it that far.

But on Wednesday, Aug. 7, the day she was to compete for the gold medal, the required weigh-in revealed she was just over the limit.

“Despite the best efforts by the team through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50kg this morning,” the Indian Olympic Association posted on X.

Phogat was 100 grams, or 3.5 ounces, overweight and she was disqualified, according to nbcolympics.com. That’s about the weight of a small apple.

Vinesh Phogat’s Olympic match 2024

Viren Rasquinha, the CEO of Olympic Gold Quest — a nonprofit organization that sponsors Indian athletes and has been supporting Phogat — posted details of what happened on X.

According to Rasquinha:

• Phogat weighed under the limit on the morning of Aug. 6, then had a recovery meal to regain strength.
• That evening, after the semifinal, she weighed 52.7 kilograms (116 pounds) and had about 12 hours to lose the extra 2.7 kilograms (6 pounds) until the next morning’s weigh-in.
• To do that, the wrestler didn’t have any more water or food, and exercised throughout the night instead of sleeping. “She and her team did everything possible — steam, sauna, static cycling, running, gym, etc.” Rasquinha wrote.
• Phogat “pushed herself to the limits” under the supervision of her doctor, nutritionist and coach, but missed the required weight by 100 grams during the weigh-in on the morning of Aug. 7.
• She normally weighs 55 kilograms (121 pounds) but like many wrestlers, she fights in a lower weight class — usually 53 kilograms (about 117 pounds). Another wrestler won the quota for India in that category for the Olympics as Phogat was recovering from knee surgery in 2023, so she decided to compete in the 50-kilogram weight class.

The woman she beat in the semifinals, Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, replaced her in the gold medal match. She went on to lose to American wrestler Sarah Ann Hildebrandt.

Afterwards, Phogat had to be treated for dehydration at the Olympic Village clinic because she had restricted her food and drink so severely to reduce her weight, Olympics.com reported.

She also announced her retirement from the sport.

“I don’t have the strength to go on anymore. Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024. I will forever be indebted to all of you. Please forgive me,” Vinesh posted on X.

What about Vinesh Phogat’s silver medal?

On Friday, Aug. 9, the Court of Arbitration for Sport announced the wrestler was asking to be awarded a shared silver medal.

The arbitrator dismissed her request on Wednesday, Aug. 14.

How normal is it for weight to fluctuate?

Daily weight fluctuations of 2 to 3 pounds either up or down are normal, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

They can be caused by everything from hormones, stress, constipation and water retention, to life events such as changing jobs or going through a breakup.

Even the day of the week can make a difference. Weight increases on the weekends as people often eat and drink more on their days off, then decreases again during the week, studies have found.

But drastic unexplained weight changes should be discussed with your doctor. Sudden weight loss when you’re not trying to shed pounds, for example, can be a symptom of illness.

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:

• Who is Jasveen Sangha? What to know about the ‘Ketamine Queen’ charged in Matthew Perry’s death
• The Blake Lively backlash, explained
• Eugene Levy will host the Emmys with son Dan. What to know about his 2 kids

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

Panasonic is one of 15 companies that are so-called TOP sponsors for the IOC. It’s not known the value of the Panasonic sponsorship, but sponsors contribute more than $2 billion in a four-year cycle to the IOC.

Two other Japanese companies are also among the IOC’s 15 leading sponsors. Toyota, which for several months has been reportedly ready to end its contract, was contacted Tuesday by The Associated Press but offered no new information.

“Toyota has been supporting the Olympic and Paralympic movements since 2015 and continues to do so,” Toyota said in a statement. “No announcement to suggest otherwise has been made by Toyota.”

Japanese sponsors seem to have turned away from the Olympics, likely related to the one-year delay in holding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The COVID-19 delay reduced sponsors’ visibility with no fans allowed to attend competition venues, ran up the costs, and unearthed myriad corruption scandals around the Games.

Tiremaker Bridgestone told AP “nothing has been decided.”

Paralympics Aug 29

Here's how much athletes at the Paris Paralympics earn for winning medals

news Aug 11

LVMH puts mark on Olympics as luxury brands embrace sports

Toyota had a contact valued at $835 million — reported to be the IOC’s largest when it was announced in 2015. It included four Olympics beginning with the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games in South Korea and ran through the just-completed Paris Olympics and Paralympics.

Reports in Japan suggest Toyota may keep its Paralympic Olympic sponsorship.

The IOC TOP sponsors are: ABInBev, Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Atos, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Intel, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung, Toyoto, and Visa.

In a report several months ago by the Japanese news agency Kyodo, unnamed sources said Toyota was unhappy with how the IOC uses sponsorship money. It said the money was “not used effectively to support athletes and promote sports.”

Japan was once a major font to revenue, but increasingly the IOC has sought out sponsors from China, with increasing interest from the Middle East and India.

Japan officially spent $13 billion on the Tokyo Olympics, at least half of which was public money. A government audit suggested the real cost was twice that. The IOC contribution was about $1.8 billion.

The Tokyo Games were mired in corruption scandals linked to local sponsorships and the awarding of contracts. Dentsu Inc, the huge Japanese marketing and public relations company, was the marketing arm of the Tokyo Olympics and raised a record-$3.3 billion in local sponsorship money. This is separate from TOP sponsors.

French prosecutors also looked into alleged vote-buying in the IOC’s decision in 2013 to pick Tokyo as the host for the 2020 Summer Games.

The IOC had income of $7.6 billion in the last four-year cycle ending with the Tokyo Games. Figures have not been released yet for the cycle ending with the Paris Olympics.

The IOC’s TOP sponsors paid over $2 billion in that period. The figure is expected to reach $3 billion in the next cycle.

Panasonic is one of 15 companies that are so-called TOP sponsors for the IOC. It’s not known the value of the Panasonic sponsorship, but sponsors contribute more than $2 billion in a four-year cycle to the IOC.

Two other Japanese companies are also among the IOC’s 15 leading sponsors. Toyota, which for several months has been reportedly ready to end its contract, was contacted Tuesday by The Associated Press but offered no new information.

“Toyota has been supporting the Olympic and Paralympic movements since 2015 and continues to do so,” Toyota said in a statement. “No announcement to suggest otherwise has been made by Toyota.”

Japanese sponsors seem to have turned away from the Olympics, likely related to the one-year delay in holding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The COVID-19 delay reduced sponsors’ visibility with no fans allowed to attend competition venues, ran up the costs, and unearthed myriad corruption scandals around the Games.

Tiremaker Bridgestone told AP “nothing has been decided.”

Paralympics Aug 29

Here's how much athletes at the Paris Paralympics earn for winning medals

news Aug 11

LVMH puts mark on Olympics as luxury brands embrace sports

Toyota had a contact valued at $835 million — reported to be the IOC’s largest when it was announced in 2015. It included four Olympics beginning with the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games in South Korea and ran through the just-completed Paris Olympics and Paralympics.

Reports in Japan suggest Toyota may keep its Paralympic Olympic sponsorship.

The IOC TOP sponsors are: ABInBev, Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Atos, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Intel, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung, Toyoto, and Visa.

In a report several months ago by the Japanese news agency Kyodo, unnamed sources said Toyota was unhappy with how the IOC uses sponsorship money. It said the money was “not used effectively to support athletes and promote sports.”

Japan was once a major font to revenue, but increasingly the IOC has sought out sponsors from China, with increasing interest from the Middle East and India.

Japan officially spent $13 billion on the Tokyo Olympics, at least half of which was public money. A government audit suggested the real cost was twice that. The IOC contribution was about $1.8 billion.

The Tokyo Games were mired in corruption scandals linked to local sponsorships and the awarding of contracts. Dentsu Inc, the huge Japanese marketing and public relations company, was the marketing arm of the Tokyo Olympics and raised a record-$3.3 billion in local sponsorship money. This is separate from TOP sponsors.

French prosecutors also looked into alleged vote-buying in the IOC’s decision in 2013 to pick Tokyo as the host for the 2020 Summer Games.

The IOC had income of $7.6 billion in the last four-year cycle ending with the Tokyo Games. Figures have not been released yet for the cycle ending with the Paris Olympics.

The IOC’s TOP sponsors paid over $2 billion in that period. The figure is expected to reach $3 billion in the next cycle.

Panasonic is one of 15 companies that are so-called TOP sponsors for the IOC. It’s not known the value of the Panasonic sponsorship, but sponsors contribute more than $2 billion in a four-year cycle to the IOC.

Two other Japanese companies are also among the IOC’s 15 leading sponsors. Toyota, which for several months has been reportedly ready to end its contract, was contacted Tuesday by The Associated Press but offered no new information.

“Toyota has been supporting the Olympic and Paralympic movements since 2015 and continues to do so,” Toyota said in a statement. “No announcement to suggest otherwise has been made by Toyota.”

Japanese sponsors seem to have turned away from the Olympics, likely related to the one-year delay in holding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The COVID-19 delay reduced sponsors’ visibility with no fans allowed to attend competition venues, ran up the costs, and unearthed myriad corruption scandals around the Games.

Tiremaker Bridgestone told AP “nothing has been decided.”

Paralympics Aug 29

Here's how much athletes at the Paris Paralympics earn for winning medals

news Aug 11

LVMH puts mark on Olympics as luxury brands embrace sports

Toyota had a contact valued at $835 million — reported to be the IOC’s largest when it was announced in 2015. It included four Olympics beginning with the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games in South Korea and ran through the just-completed Paris Olympics and Paralympics.

Reports in Japan suggest Toyota may keep its Paralympic Olympic sponsorship.

The IOC TOP sponsors are: ABInBev, Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Atos, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Intel, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung, Toyoto, and Visa.

In a report several months ago by the Japanese news agency Kyodo, unnamed sources said Toyota was unhappy with how the IOC uses sponsorship money. It said the money was “not used effectively to support athletes and promote sports.”

Japan was once a major font to revenue, but increasingly the IOC has sought out sponsors from China, with increasing interest from the Middle East and India.

Japan officially spent $13 billion on the Tokyo Olympics, at least half of which was public money. A government audit suggested the real cost was twice that. The IOC contribution was about $1.8 billion.

The Tokyo Games were mired in corruption scandals linked to local sponsorships and the awarding of contracts. Dentsu Inc, the huge Japanese marketing and public relations company, was the marketing arm of the Tokyo Olympics and raised a record-$3.3 billion in local sponsorship money. This is separate from TOP sponsors.

French prosecutors also looked into alleged vote-buying in the IOC’s decision in 2013 to pick Tokyo as the host for the 2020 Summer Games.

The IOC had income of $7.6 billion in the last four-year cycle ending with the Tokyo Games. Figures have not been released yet for the cycle ending with the Paris Olympics.

The IOC’s TOP sponsors paid over $2 billion in that period. The figure is expected to reach $3 billion in the next cycle.

Panasonic is one of 15 companies that are so-called TOP sponsors for the IOC. It’s not known the value of the Panasonic sponsorship, but sponsors contribute more than $2 billion in a four-year cycle to the IOC.

Two other Japanese companies are also among the IOC’s 15 leading sponsors. Toyota, which for several months has been reportedly ready to end its contract, was contacted Tuesday by The Associated Press but offered no new information.

“Toyota has been supporting the Olympic and Paralympic movements since 2015 and continues to do so,” Toyota said in a statement. “No announcement to suggest otherwise has been made by Toyota.”

Japanese sponsors seem to have turned away from the Olympics, likely related to the one-year delay in holding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The COVID-19 delay reduced sponsors’ visibility with no fans allowed to attend competition venues, ran up the costs, and unearthed myriad corruption scandals around the Games.

Tiremaker Bridgestone told AP “nothing has been decided.”

Paralympics Aug 29

Here's how much athletes at the Paris Paralympics earn for winning medals

news Aug 11

LVMH puts mark on Olympics as luxury brands embrace sports

Toyota had a contact valued at $835 million — reported to be the IOC’s largest when it was announced in 2015. It included four Olympics beginning with the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games in South Korea and ran through the just-completed Paris Olympics and Paralympics.

Reports in Japan suggest Toyota may keep its Paralympic Olympic sponsorship.

The IOC TOP sponsors are: ABInBev, Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Atos, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Intel, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung, Toyoto, and Visa.

In a report several months ago by the Japanese news agency Kyodo, unnamed sources said Toyota was unhappy with how the IOC uses sponsorship money. It said the money was “not used effectively to support athletes and promote sports.”

Japan was once a major font to revenue, but increasingly the IOC has sought out sponsors from China, with increasing interest from the Middle East and India.

Japan officially spent $13 billion on the Tokyo Olympics, at least half of which was public money. A government audit suggested the real cost was twice that. The IOC contribution was about $1.8 billion.

The Tokyo Games were mired in corruption scandals linked to local sponsorships and the awarding of contracts. Dentsu Inc, the huge Japanese marketing and public relations company, was the marketing arm of the Tokyo Olympics and raised a record-$3.3 billion in local sponsorship money. This is separate from TOP sponsors.

French prosecutors also looked into alleged vote-buying in the IOC’s decision in 2013 to pick Tokyo as the host for the 2020 Summer Games.

The IOC had income of $7.6 billion in the last four-year cycle ending with the Tokyo Games. Figures have not been released yet for the cycle ending with the Paris Olympics.

The IOC’s TOP sponsors paid over $2 billion in that period. The figure is expected to reach $3 billion in the next cycle.

Panasonic is one of 15 companies that are so-called TOP sponsors for the IOC. It’s not known the value of the Panasonic sponsorship, but sponsors contribute more than $2 billion in a four-year cycle to the IOC.

Two other Japanese companies are also among the IOC’s 15 leading sponsors. Toyota, which for several months has been reportedly ready to end its contract, was contacted Tuesday by The Associated Press but offered no new information.

“Toyota has been supporting the Olympic and Paralympic movements since 2015 and continues to do so,” Toyota said in a statement. “No announcement to suggest otherwise has been made by Toyota.”

Japanese sponsors seem to have turned away from the Olympics, likely related to the one-year delay in holding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The COVID-19 delay reduced sponsors’ visibility with no fans allowed to attend competition venues, ran up the costs, and unearthed myriad corruption scandals around the Games.

Tiremaker Bridgestone told AP “nothing has been decided.”

Paralympics Aug 29

Here's how much athletes at the Paris Paralympics earn for winning medals

news Aug 11

LVMH puts mark on Olympics as luxury brands embrace sports

Toyota had a contact valued at $835 million — reported to be the IOC’s largest when it was announced in 2015. It included four Olympics beginning with the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games in South Korea and ran through the just-completed Paris Olympics and Paralympics.

Reports in Japan suggest Toyota may keep its Paralympic Olympic sponsorship.

The IOC TOP sponsors are: ABInBev, Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Atos, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Intel, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung, Toyoto, and Visa.

In a report several months ago by the Japanese news agency Kyodo, unnamed sources said Toyota was unhappy with how the IOC uses sponsorship money. It said the money was “not used effectively to support athletes and promote sports.”

Japan was once a major font to revenue, but increasingly the IOC has sought out sponsors from China, with increasing interest from the Middle East and India.

Japan officially spent $13 billion on the Tokyo Olympics, at least half of which was public money. A government audit suggested the real cost was twice that. The IOC contribution was about $1.8 billion.

The Tokyo Games were mired in corruption scandals linked to local sponsorships and the awarding of contracts. Dentsu Inc, the huge Japanese marketing and public relations company, was the marketing arm of the Tokyo Olympics and raised a record-$3.3 billion in local sponsorship money. This is separate from TOP sponsors.

French prosecutors also looked into alleged vote-buying in the IOC’s decision in 2013 to pick Tokyo as the host for the 2020 Summer Games.

The IOC had income of $7.6 billion in the last four-year cycle ending with the Tokyo Games. Figures have not been released yet for the cycle ending with the Paris Olympics.

The IOC’s TOP sponsors paid over $2 billion in that period. The figure is expected to reach $3 billion in the next cycle.

And NBA enjoyers who often have been on the wrong side of “Chef” Curry’s flurries, too, got to cheer on the greatest shooter in basketball history as he served patriotism in the city of croissants.

Everyone — so it seemed — relished in Curry’s electric performance. The French, however, were unhappy after what was a disastrous Saturday at Bercy Arena in Paris.

Especially the host country’s McDonald’s locations.

In France, “Classic Curry” dipping sauce is a staple at McDonald’s. Now, the sauce serves as a reminder of Curry’s — the player — classic 3-pointer barrage.

McDonald’s France’s hilarious Instagram post was translated to read, “For obvious reasons, we are considering removing this sauce.” (h/t ESPN’s Anthony Gharib).

“For 4 years minimum,” adds the caption, noting how France needs the next olympiad to heal after Curry cooked.

Curry finished the win with 24 points strictly on eight made 3s. 

While some of his splashes came off open looks, the Golden State legend made some ridiculous shots in the face of tight defense.

The French had no answer for Curry; the double teams and focus on defending the perimeter didn’t matter, as Team USA’s No. 4 was on a mission.

France doesn’t have an answer for Team USA basketball in general.

The American women earned gold this summer, too, after narrowly beating France on Sunday by a score of 67-66. The American men also defeated the French for gold at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.

Curry and Team USA still have a chokehold over the basketball world, even though the globe is catching up.

Curry put the naysayers to sleep and Team USA on his back, concluding probably the greatest one-and-done summer Olympics experience at age 36.

And the French will never be able to enjoy “Classic Curry” sauce without being reminded of Aug. 10, 2024.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

Raisman, who won the bronze medal on the balance beam at the 2012 Olympics after her coach submitted an inquiry into her score, boosting her from fourth to third place, may relate the most to Chiles. The 30-year-old addressed Chiles’ situation on TODAY Aug. 12.

“This is just so heartbreaking, and I’m just so gutted for Jordan,” Raisman said on TODAY. “I can’t even imagine what this past week has been like for Jordan and the other athletes involved. This is completely devastating.”

“I don’t think people realize these gymnasts work their entire lives for this moment, and it’s supposed to be a celebration,” Raisman continued. “This was one of my favorite moments at the Olympics, watching Jordan celebrate. I think it’s so unfair. It’s so cruel.”

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Aug. 11 that it would reallocate Chiles’ bronze medal to Romania’s Ana Bărbosu after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) recommended for Chiles’ original floor routine score to be reinstated.

“I don’t think that Jordan should have to give her medal back. The IOC has given more than one medal before, and I think that they should do that now,” Raisman said.

Raisman added she “can’t even believe that we’re in this position.”

“As an athlete, we trust the process. We trust that the rules are in place, that there’s been a lot of thought behind it, and that the rules are there to be fair,” she said. “Going forward, we need to understand how this is happening and how to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”

“It’s appalling, but I think that the organizations that are in charge of this need to really look at the athletes’ mental health and how much this is affecting them, and how cruel it is to take a medal away from someone,” she continued. “It’s just, like, unfathomable to me.”

Chiles initially received a score of 13.666 for her floor routine at the Olympic final, which put her in fifth place. Team USA then submitted an inquiry into Chiles’ score because it thought the judges didn’t give her credit for a skill.

The judges reviewed Chiles’ routine and updated her score to 13.766, which was enough to boost her into third place — earning her the bronze medal.

The CAS ruled that Chiles’ coach submitted the inquiry four seconds past the one-minute deadline, voiding the inquiry that ultimately led Chiles to win the bronze medal for her floor routine.

USA Gymnastics said it would appeal the court’s ruling, writing in an Aug. 11 statement that officials submitted a letter and video evidence that had not been previously available that it said showed Chiles’ coach requested to file an inquiry 47 seconds after the score was published.

“We firmly believe that Jordan rightfully earned the bronze medal, and there were critical errors in both the initial scoring by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and the subsequent CAS appeal process that need to be addressed,” the statement said.

Raisman said that while she understands the judges “are human,” these mistakes have impacted the biggest moment of these athletes’ lives

“The judges did make a mistake. (USA Gymnastics) put the inquiry in. The judges accepted it, which means that they felt that it was under that minute. This is just — it’s just so — it’s unfair,” she added.

Chiles, 23, posted several broken heart emoji to her Instagram story on Aug. 10, before posting another story saying she would be removing herself from social media.

“I am taking the time and removing myself from social media for my mental health thank you,” Chiles wrote.

Raisman said she has been in contact with Chiles, but wanted to keep what the 23-year-old said to her private.

“I’ve known Jordan for a really long time, and I’m so proud of who she is. I loved watching her during this Olympic Games and the way that she has just done so much,” Raisman said. “I mean, people love her and support her for good reason. She’s just an incredible person.”

“I can’t even imagine how much she’s going through and how hard this is. She even said she’s taking a break from social media. There’s been horrific bullying, and I just feel for her,” she continued. “My heart’s going out to her. I support her, fully, and I’m just so sad and so disappointed that this is happening.”

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:

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Samantha Heyison, a Division I college athlete from Fredrick County, Maryland, will go for gold in the shot put and discus events. 

The 19-year-old began her athletic journey at 6 years old and won bronze medals at last year’s World Championships.

However, the three-time high school state champion didn’t have an easy journey. 

Heyison was born with constricted band syndrome, which cut off several of her fingers and toes. 

“Perseverance is probably the biggest trait that any athlete ever needs, because it really is mind over matter,” she said. 

“I just learned what things I can and can’t do, and I found out along the way that there isn’t much I can’t, so it’s been a cool journey,” Heyison said. 

Her parents, Mark and Tania, told News4 how proud they are to have seen her overcome her challenges. 

“We raised Samantha that there is nothing she couldn’t do if she put her mind to it, regardless of what issues she has, because other people have it worse,” Mark Heyison said said.

They even created a routine to calm their nerves while watching their daughter compete.

“Tania and I have our routines ourselves,” Mark Heyison said. “I’m at one part of the track and she’s on the other part of the track.”

As Samantha Heyison packs her bags for Paris, she told News4 how fulfilling the process has been, and her parents are excited to see her journey.

“If she happens to win a medal, I don’t know if I’ll stop crying then or by the time we land,” her father said. 

Panasonic is one of 15 companies that are so-called TOP sponsors for the IOC. It’s not known the value of the Panasonic sponsorship, but sponsors contribute more than $2 billion in a four-year cycle to the IOC.

Two other Japanese companies are also among the IOC’s 15 leading sponsors. Toyota, which for several months has been reportedly ready to end its contract, was contacted Tuesday by The Associated Press but offered no new information.

“Toyota has been supporting the Olympic and Paralympic movements since 2015 and continues to do so,” Toyota said in a statement. “No announcement to suggest otherwise has been made by Toyota.”

Japanese sponsors seem to have turned away from the Olympics, likely related to the one-year delay in holding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The COVID-19 delay reduced sponsors’ visibility with no fans allowed to attend competition venues, ran up the costs, and unearthed myriad corruption scandals around the Games.

Tiremaker Bridgestone told AP “nothing has been decided.”

Paralympics Aug 29

Here's how much athletes at the Paris Paralympics earn for winning medals

news Aug 11

LVMH puts mark on Olympics as luxury brands embrace sports

Toyota had a contact valued at $835 million — reported to be the IOC’s largest when it was announced in 2015. It included four Olympics beginning with the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games in South Korea and ran through the just-completed Paris Olympics and Paralympics.

Reports in Japan suggest Toyota may keep its Paralympic Olympic sponsorship.

The IOC TOP sponsors are: ABInBev, Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Atos, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Intel, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung, Toyoto, and Visa.

In a report several months ago by the Japanese news agency Kyodo, unnamed sources said Toyota was unhappy with how the IOC uses sponsorship money. It said the money was “not used effectively to support athletes and promote sports.”

Japan was once a major font to revenue, but increasingly the IOC has sought out sponsors from China, with increasing interest from the Middle East and India.

Japan officially spent $13 billion on the Tokyo Olympics, at least half of which was public money. A government audit suggested the real cost was twice that. The IOC contribution was about $1.8 billion.

The Tokyo Games were mired in corruption scandals linked to local sponsorships and the awarding of contracts. Dentsu Inc, the huge Japanese marketing and public relations company, was the marketing arm of the Tokyo Olympics and raised a record-$3.3 billion in local sponsorship money. This is separate from TOP sponsors.

French prosecutors also looked into alleged vote-buying in the IOC’s decision in 2013 to pick Tokyo as the host for the 2020 Summer Games.

The IOC had income of $7.6 billion in the last four-year cycle ending with the Tokyo Games. Figures have not been released yet for the cycle ending with the Paris Olympics.

The IOC’s TOP sponsors paid over $2 billion in that period. The figure is expected to reach $3 billion in the next cycle.

Panasonic is one of 15 companies that are so-called TOP sponsors for the IOC. It’s not known the value of the Panasonic sponsorship, but sponsors contribute more than $2 billion in a four-year cycle to the IOC.

Two other Japanese companies are also among the IOC’s 15 leading sponsors. Toyota, which for several months has been reportedly ready to end its contract, was contacted Tuesday by The Associated Press but offered no new information.

“Toyota has been supporting the Olympic and Paralympic movements since 2015 and continues to do so,” Toyota said in a statement. “No announcement to suggest otherwise has been made by Toyota.”

Japanese sponsors seem to have turned away from the Olympics, likely related to the one-year delay in holding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The COVID-19 delay reduced sponsors’ visibility with no fans allowed to attend competition venues, ran up the costs, and unearthed myriad corruption scandals around the Games.

Tiremaker Bridgestone told AP “nothing has been decided.”

Paralympics Aug 29

Here's how much athletes at the Paris Paralympics earn for winning medals

news Aug 11

LVMH puts mark on Olympics as luxury brands embrace sports

Toyota had a contact valued at $835 million — reported to be the IOC’s largest when it was announced in 2015. It included four Olympics beginning with the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games in South Korea and ran through the just-completed Paris Olympics and Paralympics.

Reports in Japan suggest Toyota may keep its Paralympic Olympic sponsorship.

The IOC TOP sponsors are: ABInBev, Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Atos, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Intel, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung, Toyoto, and Visa.

In a report several months ago by the Japanese news agency Kyodo, unnamed sources said Toyota was unhappy with how the IOC uses sponsorship money. It said the money was “not used effectively to support athletes and promote sports.”

Japan was once a major font to revenue, but increasingly the IOC has sought out sponsors from China, with increasing interest from the Middle East and India.

Japan officially spent $13 billion on the Tokyo Olympics, at least half of which was public money. A government audit suggested the real cost was twice that. The IOC contribution was about $1.8 billion.

The Tokyo Games were mired in corruption scandals linked to local sponsorships and the awarding of contracts. Dentsu Inc, the huge Japanese marketing and public relations company, was the marketing arm of the Tokyo Olympics and raised a record-$3.3 billion in local sponsorship money. This is separate from TOP sponsors.

French prosecutors also looked into alleged vote-buying in the IOC’s decision in 2013 to pick Tokyo as the host for the 2020 Summer Games.

The IOC had income of $7.6 billion in the last four-year cycle ending with the Tokyo Games. Figures have not been released yet for the cycle ending with the Paris Olympics.

The IOC’s TOP sponsors paid over $2 billion in that period. The figure is expected to reach $3 billion in the next cycle.

Police evacuated the area around the Eiffel Tower on Sunday afternoon after a shirtless man was seen scaling the 330-meter (1,083-foot) tall landmark hours before Closing Ceremony of the 2024 Summer Games.

It’s unclear where he began his ascent, but he was spotted above the Olympic rings adorning the second section of the monument, just above the first viewing deck. Police intervened and arrested the man.

Prosecutors opened an investigation on charges of “endangering the lives of other people and trespassing at a historical or cultural site,” according to a statement from the Paris public prosecutor’s office. The police custody order for the suspect was lifted on Monday, the also statement said. It did not name the man, but said he is a British national.

The Eiffel Tower was the centerpiece of the lavish Opening Ceremony on the River Seine, with Celine Dion serenading the city from one of its viewing areas. It featured prominently during the two and a half extraordinary weeks of Olympic competition, but was not part of the Closing Ceremony, which was staged at Stade de France stadium in the northern suburb of Saint-Denis.

More than 30,000 police officers and other security personnel were deployed around Paris on Sunday to ensure safety on the last day of the Olympics and the star-studdedfinal show in France’s national stadium.

Panasonic is one of 15 companies that are so-called TOP sponsors for the IOC. It’s not known the value of the Panasonic sponsorship, but sponsors contribute more than $2 billion in a four-year cycle to the IOC.

Two other Japanese companies are also among the IOC’s 15 leading sponsors. Toyota, which for several months has been reportedly ready to end its contract, was contacted Tuesday by The Associated Press but offered no new information.

“Toyota has been supporting the Olympic and Paralympic movements since 2015 and continues to do so,” Toyota said in a statement. “No announcement to suggest otherwise has been made by Toyota.”

Japanese sponsors seem to have turned away from the Olympics, likely related to the one-year delay in holding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The COVID-19 delay reduced sponsors’ visibility with no fans allowed to attend competition venues, ran up the costs, and unearthed myriad corruption scandals around the Games.

Tiremaker Bridgestone told AP “nothing has been decided.”

Paralympics Aug 29

Here's how much athletes at the Paris Paralympics earn for winning medals

news Aug 11

LVMH puts mark on Olympics as luxury brands embrace sports

Toyota had a contact valued at $835 million — reported to be the IOC’s largest when it was announced in 2015. It included four Olympics beginning with the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games in South Korea and ran through the just-completed Paris Olympics and Paralympics.

Reports in Japan suggest Toyota may keep its Paralympic Olympic sponsorship.

The IOC TOP sponsors are: ABInBev, Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Atos, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Intel, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung, Toyoto, and Visa.

In a report several months ago by the Japanese news agency Kyodo, unnamed sources said Toyota was unhappy with how the IOC uses sponsorship money. It said the money was “not used effectively to support athletes and promote sports.”

Japan was once a major font to revenue, but increasingly the IOC has sought out sponsors from China, with increasing interest from the Middle East and India.

Japan officially spent $13 billion on the Tokyo Olympics, at least half of which was public money. A government audit suggested the real cost was twice that. The IOC contribution was about $1.8 billion.

The Tokyo Games were mired in corruption scandals linked to local sponsorships and the awarding of contracts. Dentsu Inc, the huge Japanese marketing and public relations company, was the marketing arm of the Tokyo Olympics and raised a record-$3.3 billion in local sponsorship money. This is separate from TOP sponsors.

French prosecutors also looked into alleged vote-buying in the IOC’s decision in 2013 to pick Tokyo as the host for the 2020 Summer Games.

The IOC had income of $7.6 billion in the last four-year cycle ending with the Tokyo Games. Figures have not been released yet for the cycle ending with the Paris Olympics.

The IOC’s TOP sponsors paid over $2 billion in that period. The figure is expected to reach $3 billion in the next cycle.

Panasonic is one of 15 companies that are so-called TOP sponsors for the IOC. It’s not known the value of the Panasonic sponsorship, but sponsors contribute more than $2 billion in a four-year cycle to the IOC.

Two other Japanese companies are also among the IOC’s 15 leading sponsors. Toyota, which for several months has been reportedly ready to end its contract, was contacted Tuesday by The Associated Press but offered no new information.

“Toyota has been supporting the Olympic and Paralympic movements since 2015 and continues to do so,” Toyota said in a statement. “No announcement to suggest otherwise has been made by Toyota.”

Japanese sponsors seem to have turned away from the Olympics, likely related to the one-year delay in holding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The COVID-19 delay reduced sponsors’ visibility with no fans allowed to attend competition venues, ran up the costs, and unearthed myriad corruption scandals around the Games.

Tiremaker Bridgestone told AP “nothing has been decided.”

Paralympics Aug 29

Here's how much athletes at the Paris Paralympics earn for winning medals

news Aug 11

LVMH puts mark on Olympics as luxury brands embrace sports

Toyota had a contact valued at $835 million — reported to be the IOC’s largest when it was announced in 2015. It included four Olympics beginning with the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games in South Korea and ran through the just-completed Paris Olympics and Paralympics.

Reports in Japan suggest Toyota may keep its Paralympic Olympic sponsorship.

The IOC TOP sponsors are: ABInBev, Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Atos, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Intel, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung, Toyoto, and Visa.

In a report several months ago by the Japanese news agency Kyodo, unnamed sources said Toyota was unhappy with how the IOC uses sponsorship money. It said the money was “not used effectively to support athletes and promote sports.”

Japan was once a major font to revenue, but increasingly the IOC has sought out sponsors from China, with increasing interest from the Middle East and India.

Japan officially spent $13 billion on the Tokyo Olympics, at least half of which was public money. A government audit suggested the real cost was twice that. The IOC contribution was about $1.8 billion.

The Tokyo Games were mired in corruption scandals linked to local sponsorships and the awarding of contracts. Dentsu Inc, the huge Japanese marketing and public relations company, was the marketing arm of the Tokyo Olympics and raised a record-$3.3 billion in local sponsorship money. This is separate from TOP sponsors.

French prosecutors also looked into alleged vote-buying in the IOC’s decision in 2013 to pick Tokyo as the host for the 2020 Summer Games.

The IOC had income of $7.6 billion in the last four-year cycle ending with the Tokyo Games. Figures have not been released yet for the cycle ending with the Paris Olympics.

The IOC’s TOP sponsors paid over $2 billion in that period. The figure is expected to reach $3 billion in the next cycle.

In a post on X, Flavor Flav wrote “Ayyy YOOOO @ChilesJordan ,,, imma make you a BRONZE CLOCK NECKLACE,,, and that’s something NO ONE else has,!!! Hit me up my girl,,, I gotchu,!!!”

Chiles was ordered to return her bronze medal by the IOC following an appeal from the Romanian Gymnastics Federation. The ruling stated that Chiles’ coach, Cecile Landi, made an appeal about the gymnast’s score, which was 4 seconds past the deadline.

International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) guidelines require coaches to make any appeal of a score within one minute of the score being posted.

Romania’s Ana Barbosu replaced American Jordan Chiles as the Olympic bronze medalist in gymnastics floor exercise.

USA Gymnastics says new video evidence shows the first inquiry into Chiles’ score following her final floor performance was within the one-minute deadline and that the IOC ruling should be reversed.

Flavor Flav was also a huge supporter of the U.S. women’s water polo team, not only sponsoring the team but being the ultimate hype man.

The clock-wearing icon has earned the respect of athletes and fans across the Olympic atmosphere.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

“I never would have believed I could make it here almost on my own,” she said Wednesday after her 1 1/2-hour commute from her home in southern Paris.

Her daily journey highlights the city’s efforts to improve accessibility for people with disabilities ahead of the Olympics and Paralympics. Lame said an online system that lets her book assistance at commuter train stations has been particularly helpful.

Challenges remain, however, particularly in the underground Metro system where most stations are not fully accessible to people in wheelchairs. And Lame wonders whether the train station assistants will still be there after the Paralympics, which start just over two weeks after the Olympics end.

2024 Paris Olympics Aug 11

Closing ceremony marks end of Paris Olympics with Tom Cruise and a handover to Los Angeles

2024 Paris Olympics Aug 11

Tied for gold: US, China make history knotted at 40 top prizes each

“Right now, people are taking care of us, but after September, it will be back to the everyday struggle,” she said.

On Wednesday, AP journalists accompanied Lame on her commute from her home in Porte de Versailles, in southwestern Paris, to the Stade de France in Saint Denis, in the northern suburbs of the French capital.

Wearing the teal-coloured attire of the Paris 2024 volunteers, Lame, who was diagnosed with polio when she was 11 months old, glided out the automatic door and took the elevator down to the street. From there, a short ride on the sidewalk in her motorized wheelchair took her to the nearest tram station, which she accessed on a smooth concrete ramp.

“So far so good,” she said as she joined the commuters on the crowded T3 line, which runs alongside the Périphérique, the highway ring separating Paris from its outskirts. Other passengers made room for her wheelchair in the center of the tram car.

At Cité-Universitaire train station, Lame transferred to an RER commuter train. A station assistant helped her access an elevator that brought her to the platform. Another placed a ramp on the platform that allowed her to enter the train.

The process, while straightforward, is not always reliable, Lame said.

“Sometimes the websites say that the elevator is running and it turns out that it is not,” she said. This regularly forces her to make detours, resulting in significant delays.

On Wednesday, 53 out of the 162 lifts in all train and Metro stations in the Paris region were under maintenance, according to IDF Mobilité, the regional body overseeing public transit.

After exiting the train at the Plaine Saint-Denis station, Lame made her way to the Stade de France in her wheelchair.

“I was afraid of running late the entire time,” she said.

At the Stade de France, one of the biggest obstacles for people using wheelchairs is accessing the stadium on the Passerelle de l’Ecluse, a pedestrian bridge with stairs leading up to it but no elevator.

Hugues Valet, a 26-year-old aspiring para-triathlete who lost the use of his legs after a car accident, was surprised to find an assistant on hand to help him up the stairs as he and his cousin arrived at the stadium to watch the track competition.

“When I saw those stairs from afar, I was pretty upset and told my little cousin that we will have to turn around and make a huge detour to find another entry point,” Valet said. “I’m pretty stunned at how we’re being taken care of.”

Andrew Parsons, president of the International Paralympic Committee, praised the city’s efforts to make overground transport more accessible, but noted the frustration that many feel regarding other parts of the public transit system, particularly the century-old Metro system in which 93% of stations remain inaccessible or only partially accessible to people in wheelchairs.

“When the Metro system was built in Paris more than a century ago, people with disabilities were absolutely marginalized and considered second-class citizens,” Parsons said. “I understand the degree of frustration, but I’d like to see the glass half full and think about where we were, where we are and where we are going to be.”

When the Paralympics begin on Aug. 28, the spotlight on Paris will not only be on the athletes but also on the city itself—its triumphs in accessibility, and the gaps that still need bridging.

Paris has made significant investments to improve accessibility since winning the bid to host the Summer Games in 2017. The city boasts that 100% of its bus routes and tram lines are now wheelchair accessible, and 125 million euros have been allocated to further these efforts. The city hall has also invested in the creation of 17 “enhanced accessibility districts” in which public facilities and shops are adapted with ramps, tactile strips and designated parking spots for people with disabilities.

“The idea was to radically transform the city,” Lamia El Aaraje, deputy mayor of Paris in charge of accessibility, said on Thursday. “And I think we are delivering on our promise.”

Here are some of the highlights of the Ceremony (and watch the full Primetime in Paris presentation of the Ceremony on NBC at 7 p.m. local time, or streaming here at 7 p.m. ET, or here at 7 p.m. PT).

Paris Olympics Photos Aug 11

In photos: See moments from the 2024 Olympics closing ceremony in Paris

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Who organized the Closing Ceremony for the 2024 Olympics?

Katie Ledecky, Nick Mead carry U.S. flag

Katie Ledecky won two golds, a silver and a bronze in Paris — bringing her epic career medal to 14 total Olympic medals. Nick Mead was part of Team USA’s gold medal-winning coxless four rowing team — bringing America its first rowing gold medal since 1960.

Above, watch them carry the American flag at the Closing Ceremony.

Golden Voyager meets goddess of victory

During the ceremony, a Golden Voyager descended into the Stade de France in an imagining of a time without the Olympics.

See the masked performance, including a meeting with Nike, the goddess of victory, here.

H.E.R. sings USA anthem to transition the Games to Los Angeles

The singing of the national anthem started the transition of Paris gradually handing over the Olympic reigns to Los Angeles, where the 2028 Games will be held.

American singer-songwriter H.E.R. performed the national anthem at the Stade de France.

Olympic flag is handed off to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass

With the 2024 Olympics in the books, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo passed over the flag to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

It marked the first time two female mayors passed the Olympic flag as the 2028 Games heads to Southern California.

Tom Cruise repels from Stade de France roof

The preparation for the 2028 Olympics began with actor Tom Cruise repelling from the roof of the Stade de France as he made his way to collect the Olympic flag.

The 62-year-old made it look effortless.

Simone Biles, Karen Bass hand Olympic flag to Tom Cruise

The passing of the torch from Paris to Los Angeles occurred during the latter part of the ceremony

Watch as star gymnast Simone Biles and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass handed the Olympic flag to actor Tom Cruise, who then hopped on a motorcycle headed for the next destination.

French singer Yseult sings rendition of ‘My Way’

French singer-songwriter Yseult performed a rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” at the end of the ceremony as the Olympic flame extinguished.

Watch Yseult’s scorching performance here.

Panasonic is one of 15 companies that are so-called TOP sponsors for the IOC. It’s not known the value of the Panasonic sponsorship, but sponsors contribute more than $2 billion in a four-year cycle to the IOC.

Two other Japanese companies are also among the IOC’s 15 leading sponsors. Toyota, which for several months has been reportedly ready to end its contract, was contacted Tuesday by The Associated Press but offered no new information.

“Toyota has been supporting the Olympic and Paralympic movements since 2015 and continues to do so,” Toyota said in a statement. “No announcement to suggest otherwise has been made by Toyota.”

Japanese sponsors seem to have turned away from the Olympics, likely related to the one-year delay in holding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The COVID-19 delay reduced sponsors’ visibility with no fans allowed to attend competition venues, ran up the costs, and unearthed myriad corruption scandals around the Games.

Tiremaker Bridgestone told AP “nothing has been decided.”

Paralympics Aug 29

Here's how much athletes at the Paris Paralympics earn for winning medals

news Aug 11

LVMH puts mark on Olympics as luxury brands embrace sports

Toyota had a contact valued at $835 million — reported to be the IOC’s largest when it was announced in 2015. It included four Olympics beginning with the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games in South Korea and ran through the just-completed Paris Olympics and Paralympics.

Reports in Japan suggest Toyota may keep its Paralympic Olympic sponsorship.

The IOC TOP sponsors are: ABInBev, Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Atos, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Intel, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung, Toyoto, and Visa.

In a report several months ago by the Japanese news agency Kyodo, unnamed sources said Toyota was unhappy with how the IOC uses sponsorship money. It said the money was “not used effectively to support athletes and promote sports.”

Japan was once a major font to revenue, but increasingly the IOC has sought out sponsors from China, with increasing interest from the Middle East and India.

Japan officially spent $13 billion on the Tokyo Olympics, at least half of which was public money. A government audit suggested the real cost was twice that. The IOC contribution was about $1.8 billion.

The Tokyo Games were mired in corruption scandals linked to local sponsorships and the awarding of contracts. Dentsu Inc, the huge Japanese marketing and public relations company, was the marketing arm of the Tokyo Olympics and raised a record-$3.3 billion in local sponsorship money. This is separate from TOP sponsors.

French prosecutors also looked into alleged vote-buying in the IOC’s decision in 2013 to pick Tokyo as the host for the 2020 Summer Games.

The IOC had income of $7.6 billion in the last four-year cycle ending with the Tokyo Games. Figures have not been released yet for the cycle ending with the Paris Olympics.

The IOC’s TOP sponsors paid over $2 billion in that period. The figure is expected to reach $3 billion in the next cycle.

Panasonic is one of 15 companies that are so-called TOP sponsors for the IOC. It’s not known the value of the Panasonic sponsorship, but sponsors contribute more than $2 billion in a four-year cycle to the IOC.

Two other Japanese companies are also among the IOC’s 15 leading sponsors. Toyota, which for several months has been reportedly ready to end its contract, was contacted Tuesday by The Associated Press but offered no new information.

“Toyota has been supporting the Olympic and Paralympic movements since 2015 and continues to do so,” Toyota said in a statement. “No announcement to suggest otherwise has been made by Toyota.”

Japanese sponsors seem to have turned away from the Olympics, likely related to the one-year delay in holding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The COVID-19 delay reduced sponsors’ visibility with no fans allowed to attend competition venues, ran up the costs, and unearthed myriad corruption scandals around the Games.

Tiremaker Bridgestone told AP “nothing has been decided.”

Paralympics Aug 29

Here's how much athletes at the Paris Paralympics earn for winning medals

news Aug 11

LVMH puts mark on Olympics as luxury brands embrace sports

Toyota had a contact valued at $835 million — reported to be the IOC’s largest when it was announced in 2015. It included four Olympics beginning with the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games in South Korea and ran through the just-completed Paris Olympics and Paralympics.

Reports in Japan suggest Toyota may keep its Paralympic Olympic sponsorship.

The IOC TOP sponsors are: ABInBev, Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Atos, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Intel, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung, Toyoto, and Visa.

In a report several months ago by the Japanese news agency Kyodo, unnamed sources said Toyota was unhappy with how the IOC uses sponsorship money. It said the money was “not used effectively to support athletes and promote sports.”

Japan was once a major font to revenue, but increasingly the IOC has sought out sponsors from China, with increasing interest from the Middle East and India.

Japan officially spent $13 billion on the Tokyo Olympics, at least half of which was public money. A government audit suggested the real cost was twice that. The IOC contribution was about $1.8 billion.

The Tokyo Games were mired in corruption scandals linked to local sponsorships and the awarding of contracts. Dentsu Inc, the huge Japanese marketing and public relations company, was the marketing arm of the Tokyo Olympics and raised a record-$3.3 billion in local sponsorship money. This is separate from TOP sponsors.

French prosecutors also looked into alleged vote-buying in the IOC’s decision in 2013 to pick Tokyo as the host for the 2020 Summer Games.

The IOC had income of $7.6 billion in the last four-year cycle ending with the Tokyo Games. Figures have not been released yet for the cycle ending with the Paris Olympics.

The IOC’s TOP sponsors paid over $2 billion in that period. The figure is expected to reach $3 billion in the next cycle.

Panasonic is one of 15 companies that are so-called TOP sponsors for the IOC. It’s not known the value of the Panasonic sponsorship, but sponsors contribute more than $2 billion in a four-year cycle to the IOC.

Two other Japanese companies are also among the IOC’s 15 leading sponsors. Toyota, which for several months has been reportedly ready to end its contract, was contacted Tuesday by The Associated Press but offered no new information.

“Toyota has been supporting the Olympic and Paralympic movements since 2015 and continues to do so,” Toyota said in a statement. “No announcement to suggest otherwise has been made by Toyota.”

Japanese sponsors seem to have turned away from the Olympics, likely related to the one-year delay in holding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The COVID-19 delay reduced sponsors’ visibility with no fans allowed to attend competition venues, ran up the costs, and unearthed myriad corruption scandals around the Games.

Tiremaker Bridgestone told AP “nothing has been decided.”

Paralympics Aug 29

Here's how much athletes at the Paris Paralympics earn for winning medals

news Aug 11

LVMH puts mark on Olympics as luxury brands embrace sports

Toyota had a contact valued at $835 million — reported to be the IOC’s largest when it was announced in 2015. It included four Olympics beginning with the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games in South Korea and ran through the just-completed Paris Olympics and Paralympics.

Reports in Japan suggest Toyota may keep its Paralympic Olympic sponsorship.

The IOC TOP sponsors are: ABInBev, Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Atos, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Intel, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung, Toyoto, and Visa.

In a report several months ago by the Japanese news agency Kyodo, unnamed sources said Toyota was unhappy with how the IOC uses sponsorship money. It said the money was “not used effectively to support athletes and promote sports.”

Japan was once a major font to revenue, but increasingly the IOC has sought out sponsors from China, with increasing interest from the Middle East and India.

Japan officially spent $13 billion on the Tokyo Olympics, at least half of which was public money. A government audit suggested the real cost was twice that. The IOC contribution was about $1.8 billion.

The Tokyo Games were mired in corruption scandals linked to local sponsorships and the awarding of contracts. Dentsu Inc, the huge Japanese marketing and public relations company, was the marketing arm of the Tokyo Olympics and raised a record-$3.3 billion in local sponsorship money. This is separate from TOP sponsors.

French prosecutors also looked into alleged vote-buying in the IOC’s decision in 2013 to pick Tokyo as the host for the 2020 Summer Games.

The IOC had income of $7.6 billion in the last four-year cycle ending with the Tokyo Games. Figures have not been released yet for the cycle ending with the Paris Olympics.

The IOC’s TOP sponsors paid over $2 billion in that period. The figure is expected to reach $3 billion in the next cycle.

It’s all anyone seems to be talking about as the 2024 Olympics come to an end. We know Team USA collected a lot of top prizes in Paris but how about the total number of gold medals won?

The Americans wound up in a tie with China at 40 in the gold medal count — a first for the history of the Summer Games.

The gold medal wins by China helped boost them into second place in the "weighted total" standings for medals where golds are given a 3-point weight, where as silver nets 2 points and a bronze a single point.

The U.S. walked away with dominant wins in both the total medals (126) and the weighted total (250). It also finished with 17 more silver medals than the next country (also China) and 13 more bronze medals than Britain's second-best, 29 third-place finishes in Paris.

Despite all the positives, the column on the far left — the gold column — does show where the Americans were "most susceptible" in 2024. And that was at the top of the podium.

It must be caveated though as America, China and Japan were the only three nations to leave Paris with more than 20 gold medals.

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The Court of Arbitration for Sport voided an on-floor appeal by Chiles’ coach that vaulted her to third, saying the appeal came 4 seconds beyond the 1-minute time limit for scoring inquiries.

The International Gymnastics Federation said Saturday night it would respect the court’s decision and elevate Barbosu to third. The International Olympic Committee confirmed the ruling Sunday, announcing that it was reallocating the bronze from last Monday’s women’s floor final to Romanian Ana Barbosu.

“We firmly believe that Jordan rightfully earned the bronze medal, and there were critical errors in both the initial scoring by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and the subsequent CAS appeal process that need to be addressed,” the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee statement said.

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CAS ruled Saturday that Team USA coach Cecile Landi’s appeal to have 0.1 added to Chiles’ score came outside the 1-minute window allowed by the FIG. The ad hoc committee wrote that Landi’s inquiry came 1 minute, 4 seconds after Chiles’ initial score was posted.

The IOC said in a statement it will be in touch with the USOPC regarding the return of Chiles’ bronze and will work with the Romanian Olympic Committee to discuss a reallocation ceremony honoring Barbosu.

“The initial error occurred in the scoring by FIG, and the second error was during the CAS appeal process, where the USOPC was not given adequate time or notice to effectively challenge the decision,” said the USOPC statement, which was released Sunday.

It was unclear the exact process the appeal would take first. The two potential places the USOPC could take the appeal would be to Switzerland’s highest court, the Swiss Tribunal or the European Court of Human Rights.

CAS wrote Saturday that the initial finishing order should be restored, with Barbosu third, Romanian Sabrina Maneca-Voinea fourth and Chiles fifth. The organization added the FIG should determine the final ranking “in accordance with the above decision,” but left it up to the federation to decide who would get the medal behind gold winner Rebeca Andrade of Brazil and silver medalist Simone Biles of the U.S.

The FIG said it was the IOC’s call on whether to reallocate the medal. The IOC confirmed Sunday it would respect FIG’s decision and seek to have Chiles’ medal returned.

The rapid turn of events adds another layer to what has been a difficult few days for all three athletes.

Romanian gymnastics legend and 1976 Olympic champion Nadia Comaneci feared for Barbosu’s mental health because of the wrenching sequence in which she went from bronze medalist to fourth-place finisher.

“I can’t believe we play with athletes mental health and emotions like this… let’s protect them,” Comaneci posted on X earlier in the week.

Comaneci, at the same time, criticized the judges for the way they scored Maneca-Voinea’s routine — the gymnast was docked 0.1 points for stepping out of bounds, but viral replays showed she narrowly stayed inbounds. Comaneci urged the Romanian Olympic Committee to protest, which it did, but CAS denied that appeal.

Chiles hinted at the decision in an Instagram story on Saturday, indicating she is heartbroken and is “taking this time and removing myself from social media for my mental health, thank you.”

Jazmin Chiles, Jordan’s sister, said on Instagram that Chiles was stripped of a medal “not because she wasn’t good enough. But because the judges failed to give her difficulty and forced an inquiry to be made.”

U.S. teammates offered support to Chiles, a two-time Olympian.

“Sending you so much love Jordan,” American star Simone Biles posted on Instagram. “Keep your chin up ‘Olympic champ’ we love you.”

“All this talk about the athlete, what about the judges?” six-time Olympic medalist Sunisa Lee added on Instagram. “Completely unacceptable, this is awful and I’m gutted for jordan.”

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USA Gymnastics said in a statement on Saturday it is “devastated” by the ruling.

“The inquiry into the Difficulty Value of Jordan Chiles’ floor exercise routine was filed in good faith and, we believed, in accordance with FIG rules to ensure accurate scoring,” the organization wrote.

Barbosu and Maneca-Voinea were left outside the medals in the floor final after finishing with matching scores of 13.700. Barbosu thought she had won bronze over Maneca-Voinea via a tiebreaker — a higher execution score — and began celebrating with a Romanian flag.

Chiles was the last athlete to compete and initially given a score of 13.666 that placed her fifth, right behind Maneca-Voinea. Landi called for an inquiry on Chiles’ score after it was announced.

“At this point, we had nothing to lose, so I was like ‘We’re just going to try,‘” Landi said after the awards ceremony. “I honestly didn’t think it was going to happen, but when I heard her scream, I turned around and was like ‘What?’”

Judges awarded the appeal, leapfrogging Chiles past Barbosu and Maneca-Voinea.

Barbosu made it a point after returning home to Romania that she had no problem with Chiles.

“I only want for everybody to be fair, we don’t want to start picking on other athletes of any nationality,” Barbosu told reporters. “We as athletes don’t deserve something like that, we only want to perform as best as we can and to be rewarded based on our performance. The problems lie with the judges, with their calculations and decisions.”

Chiles’ mother, Gina Chiles, called out the critics in a post, writing she was “tired” of the derogatory comments being leveled at Jordan.

“My daughter is a highly decorated Olympian with the biggest heart and a level of sportsmanship that is unmatched,” Gina Chiles posted. “And she’s being called disgusting things.”

The uncertainty also tinges what had been a beautiful moment on the medal stand, when Chiles and Biles knelt to honor Andrade after the Brazilian star won her fourth medal in Paris.

“It was just the right thing to do,” Biles said about a moment that soon went viral, with even the Louvre itself suggesting it might be worthy enough for a spot somewhere in the vicinity of the Mona Lisa.

That memory now carries a complicated and emotional postscript.

Associated Press writer Stephen McGrath and AP Sports Writers Eddie Pells and Graham Dunbar contributed to this report.

A supportive crowd at Paris’ Stade de France national stadium rallied around Britain’s Megan Keith as she crossed the finish line for the women’s 10,000m final Aug. 9 by herself.

Keith, who was traveling behind the rest of her competitors after reportedly suffering an ankle injury, was met at the finish by teammate Eilish McColgan.

The two embraced in an emotional exchange that was caught on camera and shared across the social media.

One person shared on X, “Best bit of the Olympics so far, Megan Keith finishing the 10,000m Never give up What a flippen amazing thing to get to run in an Olympic final In the time I can do it, she can get round twice.”

“Love how Eilish McColgan waited over two minutes on the line for team-mate Megan Keith to finish the 10,000m on her Olympics debut,” another posted on X.

Another wrote, “There’s no failure when you push yourself to the limit and it doesn’t work out. Megan Keith from Inverness is only 22 and, hopefully, has another two or three Olympics in front of her. I’m convinced Eilish McColgan told her that. I have absolute respect for both!”

“All the medals are great, but honestly this race by Megan Keith is one of the most inspirational things I’ve seen at the Olympics,” one person wrote. “She was so far behind, but she never gave up. She went to race and she finished her race, and the crowd were right behind her as she did.”

“What a hero, love that she did this. Keep going lady, be so proud. You had injuries, got lapped and nothing was stopping you from saying you finished!!” another commented on TikTok.

Team Great Britain called the runners’ finishes a “valiant effort,” adding that McColgan wound up in 15th position with a time of 31 minutes and 20 seconds. Meanwhile, Keith finished 23rd in 33 minutes and 19 seconds.

Ultimately, Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet earned the gold with a time of 30:23:25, followed by Italy’s Nadia Battocletti, who took home silver with a time of 30:43.35, and Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands who won bronze with a time of 30:44.12. 

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At Paris 2024, Taiwan’s red and blue flag is banned, as is the name “Taiwan” and its anthem. The island, which is claimed by Beijing, is only one of three competitors whose flag is banned from these Olympics, the others being Russia and Belarus over the invasion of Ukraine.

The policy has seen several flashpoints at these Games.

During Sunday’s thrilling men’s doubles badminton final, in which Taiwan’s Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin bested China’s Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang to retain their title from Tokyo, a sign reading “Let’s go Taiwan” was ripped out of a fan’s hands and torn up.

A green towel reading “Taiwan” was confiscated from another supporter during the match, according to news reports and witnesses. Those who were there said it was not clear who seized the items.

At another badminton match on Aug. 2, between Taiwan’s Chou Tien Chen and India’s Lakshya Sen, a spectator was removed from the venue after displaying a green sign that also said “Let’s go Taiwan,” witnesses said.

That incident prompted a strong response from the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which in a statement last Saturday condemned the “violent and despicable act” of forcibly removing the placard.

It added, “This violent behavior is not only utterly uncivilized but also severely violates the spirit of civilization represented by the Olympics, contravenes the rule of law, and infringes upon freedom of speech.”

In response to a request for comment, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Friday that it firmly opposed any attempts to use the Olympic Games to “manipulate the Taiwan issue.”

“The International Olympic Committee has always adhered to the one-China principle and has made clear regulations, which are universally observed by the international sports community,” the ministry said in a statement. “The Olympic Charter clearly stipulates that any political propaganda or expression at the Olympic venues is strictly prohibited.”

Geopolitics is at the heart of the dispute being played out in the sports arena.

Taiwan is a self-governing democracy that competes as “Chinese Taipei,” an attempt to participate in the Olympics without angering mainland China. The Chinese Communist Party sees it as a rogue, breakaway province, and President Xi Jinping, like other leaders before him, has not ruled out the use of force in seizing control of the island.

It’s a delicate dance, one enforced by the International Olympic Committee, which upholds the ban on Taiwanese flags in all of its venues. That included the women’s team table tennis quarterfinal between Chinese Taipei and China that NBC News attended Wednesday.

Asked about the incidents Monday, IOC spokesperson Mark Adams referred to a 1981 agreement in which Olympic officials and the Taiwanese government agreed to use the name and flag of Chinese Taipei after the U.S. and much of the world switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing.

The IOC’s prohibition of any displays of political messaging at Olympic venues would include banners such as the one reading “Let’s go, Taiwan,” he said.

“You can see how this can lead into, ‘If that’s allowed, then why not this? And if this is allowed, why not that?” he told a news briefing. “So that’s why the rules are quite strict, because we have to try to bring 206 national Olympic committees together in one place and it’s quite a tough ask.”

He added that the IOC’s job was “to try to build a culture of peace” and that “we need to bring everyone together and keep the temperature down in all sorts of debates and discussions.”

Taiwan has competed under several different names since 1949, when China’s Nationalist government fled to the island after being defeated by Mao Zedong’s Communists in a civil war. It has competed as the Republic of China, Formosa and, briefly in the 1960s, Taiwan. In a 2018 referendum, its citizens voted against renaming their Olympic team “Taiwan” — which some experts say was a pragmatic attempt not to incur Beijing’s ire.

Sunday’s badminton victory over the top-ranked Chinese duo — Chinese Taipei’s first and only gold medal at the Paris Games so far — was a moment of celebration for the island and its 25 million people. But for some in the crowd, the win was tainted by what happened in the stands.

“It got ruined,” said Maori Chiang, 23, who is from Taiwan but is currently studying in London. He was among the spectators for the final, and said that it “made me feel angry and upset.”

His friend Yu Tsing Lin, 25, who also lives in London, said “the ban on our flag makes no sense.”

“We are our own country; we are not part of them,” she added, referring to mainland China.

Stuck in the middle of all of this are the players.

“After we finish playing, we should be interviewed about our thoughts on the match,” said four-time Olympian Chen Szu-yu, one-half of the Chinese Taipei women’s team that lost to China at table tennis Wednesday.

“Questions about the audience should be handled by the audience or the organizers, not by us players,” she said.

The island’s badminton victory on Sunday stirred nationalist sentiment in China, where state-run broadcaster CCTV cut the feed during parts of the match and refrained from running the medal ceremony at all.

“No matter how you fight, you cannot change the fact that Taiwan has been a part of China since ancient times,” one user wrote on the social media platform Weibo. “Taiwan Independence, go to die.”

“Motherland will retake Taiwan tomorrow, okay?” said another, referring to China. “What gives Taiwan independence forces the illusion that winning a gold medal makes you revive again? I’m going to laugh my ass off.”

On a hot day this week, NBC News visited Chinese Taipei House, one of the cultural centers set up across Paris by various Olympic committees. Taiwanese people there said that while it was an honor to participate in the Games, it stung to be unable to do so under their preferred name.

“Apart from China, no one else really cares and they all think it’s very strange,” said Arial Su, 32, who is from Taiwan but works in London.

“Why can’t we represent ourselves with our own flag?”

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:

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Coaches for Romania and the United States filed appeals for Monday’s floor final for scores given to Ana Barbosu, Sabrina Maneca-Voinea, and Chiles. The decisions from the judges on that day meant that Chiles’ score was increased by .1, enough to boost her past the Romanians and into third position for the bronze.

Because the appeal from the U.S. came four seconds after the one-minute deadline, the Court of Arbitration of Sport ruled that Chiles score must be dropped back down and her position lowered to fifth, behind the Romanian competitors. The next day, the International Olympic Committee would officially announce that Chiles would have to return her bronze medal.

Romania’s Ana Barbosu will become the new bronze medalist from the women’s floor final in Paris.

“The IOC will reallocate the bronze medal to Ana Barbosu (Romania). We are in touch with the NOC of Romania to discuss the reallocation ceremony and with USOPC regarding the return of the bronze medal,” the IOC said in a statement reported by olympics.com.

The series of decisions from the arbitration panel, international gymnastics body, and Olympics committee prompted widespread fury and frustration. Critics were furious about the change so many days after the end of competition and what impact that could have on Chiles and other gymnasts.

Romania, according to NBC News, had requested as part of its appeal that instead of stripping Chiles of her bronze medal, all three gymnasts (Chiles, Barbosu, and Maneca-Voinea) earn a bronze medal each.

The International Gymnastics Federation said it was the IOC’s call on whether to reallocate the medal. The IOC confirmed Sunday it would respect FIG’s decision and seek to have Chiles’ medal returned.

What happened to Jordan Chiles?

When the decision came down, Chiles posted an Instagram Story with four broken hearts and said she was taking time away from social media for her mental health.

After the court ruling, Chiles’ teammate, Simone Biles, who won gold in the floor event, posted a message of support to Chiles.

“sending you so much love Jordan 🤍 keep your chin up olympic champ! we love you!”, Biles posted on Instagram.

Biles accompanied her post, which included a photo of the two gymnasts embracing, with 12 white heart emojis.

“🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍”

USA Gymnastics and the USOPC released a statement saying they are “devastated” and that the inquiry into Chiles’ score was “filed in good faith.”

What happens to Jordan Chiles’ bronze medal?

Chiles must return the bronze medal, which will be allocated to Romania’s Ana Barbosu, the IOC said.

The IOC said in a statement it will be in touch with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee regarding the return of Chiles’ bronze and will work with the Romanian Olympic Committee to discuss a reallocation ceremony honoring Barbosu.

The FIG said it was the IOC’s call on whether to reallocate the medal. The IOC confirmed Sunday it would respect FIG’s decision and seek to have Chiles’ medal returned.

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This blog is no longer being updated. See our Olympics page for full coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The shirtless man was seen scaling the 1,083-foot tall tower in the afternoon. It’s unclear where he began his ascent, but he was spotted just above the Olympic rings adorning the second section of the monument, just above the first viewing deck.

The Eiffel Tower was a centerpiece of the opening ceremony, with Celine Dion serenading the city from one of its viewing areas. The Tower is not expected to be part of the closing ceremony, which was set to begin at Stade de France in the Saint-Denis area around 9 p.m.

More than 30,000 police officers have been deployed around Paris and beyond to watch over the last Olympic events and the closing ceremony Sunday.

France’s Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said about 3,000 police officers will be mobilized around the Stade de France, and 20,000 police troops and other security personnel in Paris and the Saint-Denis area will be mobilized late into Sunday night to ensure safety on the last day of the Olympics.

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Valente finished with 144 points in the multidiscipline event, well ahead of Daria Pikulik of Poland, who had 131. Ally Wollaston of New Zealand held off Lotte Kopecky of Belgium at the end of the 80-lap concluding points race to take bronze.

Valente helped the Americans win gold in the team pursuit earlier in the week, along with Kristen Faulkner, who also won two gold medals after her road race triumph. In all, the U.S. team captured three gold medals and six in cycling events, its best haul since the team won four golds and nine medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

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Earlier in the final session of cycling, Harrie Lavreysen won his third gold medal of the Paris Games by holding off Australians Matthew Glaetzer and Matthew Richardson in the finals of the men’s keirin, and Ellesse Andrews of New Zealand captured her second gold and third medal overall by sweeping Lea Friedrich of Germany in the sprint finals.

The session began with the scratch race, the first event in the omnium, where riders try to cover 30 laps as quickly as possible. And just as Valente did at the Tokyo Games, she played the cat-and-mouse game perfectly to secure maximum points.

Just as the peloton was hitting the bell lap, two of her biggest threats — Kopecky and Neah Evans of Britain — touched wheels. Kopecky wound up 17th, which may have cost her a medal in the end, while Evans hit the deck and finished last.

In the tempo race, where a point is awarded to the leader of each of the final 25 laps, Valente was joined by Pikulik and Georgia Baker of Australia in an early attack, and they worked together to share the 21 remaining sprint points.

The top three riders entering the elimination race, where one rider is taken from the field every two laps, were also the last three on the track. Valente again went to the front and held off Baker at the finish to earn the maximum points.

That gave Valente a 10-point lead entering the points race, where the top four riders in sprints every 10 laps get points. Riders also can earn a 20-point bonus by taking a lap on the field, though, and that is what the American did with 36 laps to go.

Valente was so far ahead that she merely had to avoid any catastrophes to stand atop another Olympic podium.

In the keirin, world champion Kevin Quintero of Colombia and two-time world silver medalist Jeffrey Hoogland of the Netherlands were eliminated in the same quarterfinal, where only the first four in the six-rider field advanced to the semis.

While the favorites safely made the finals, Hamish Turnbull of Britain and Luca Spiegel of Germany crashed heavily near the end of their semifinal. Medics tended to both for several minutes, though each of them managed to walk off the track.

It wasn’t the last crash of their competition.

Just as Lavreysen hit the front stretch of the finals, Kaiya Ota of Japan swerved up the track and collided with Jack Carlin behind him. The British rider went down hard and slid to a stop on the bottom of the track, where he lay motionless for a moment while medics rushed to check on him. Carlin eventually stood up and was able to walk off the track.

Lavreysen won the sprint and team sprint gold medals earlier in the week, and then he finished the job after coming up just short of the trifecta at the Tokyo Games. He won gold in both sprint events there but had to settle for bronze in the keirin.

Richardson took the silver medal Sunday to go with silver in the sprint and bronze in the team sprint, while Glaetzer earned his second bronze medal of the Paris Games after also competing for Australia in the team sprint.

“I’ve been sprinting since I was 19. I’ve been riding a track bike since I was 13, 14 years old,” Andrews said. “It’s been a 10-year dream to be here and not one that I always thought was possible.”

Andrews, whose father, Jon, competed at the 1992 Barcelona Games, rode brilliantly in her best-of-three sprint final. The 24-year-old from Christchurch won the opening race from the lead, holding off Friedrich all the way to the line, and then roared around the outside and past her German rival in the second race to capture the gold medal.

Andrews also won the keirin and teamed with Rebecca Petch and Shaane Fulton to win silver in the team sprint.

In the race for sprint bronze, Emma Finucane of Britain swept Dutch rider Hetty van de Wouw, winning both of their races from the front. It was the second medal for the 21-year-old from Wales after her bronze in the keirin.

“I would have loved to win gold, but that bronze medal means everything to me,” Finucane said. “For the last two races, I gave everything. I have nothing else to give.”

Panasonic is one of 15 companies that are so-called TOP sponsors for the IOC. It’s not known the value of the Panasonic sponsorship, but sponsors contribute more than $2 billion in a four-year cycle to the IOC.

Two other Japanese companies are also among the IOC’s 15 leading sponsors. Toyota, which for several months has been reportedly ready to end its contract, was contacted Tuesday by The Associated Press but offered no new information.

“Toyota has been supporting the Olympic and Paralympic movements since 2015 and continues to do so,” Toyota said in a statement. “No announcement to suggest otherwise has been made by Toyota.”

Japanese sponsors seem to have turned away from the Olympics, likely related to the one-year delay in holding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The COVID-19 delay reduced sponsors’ visibility with no fans allowed to attend competition venues, ran up the costs, and unearthed myriad corruption scandals around the Games.

Tiremaker Bridgestone told AP “nothing has been decided.”

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Toyota had a contact valued at $835 million — reported to be the IOC’s largest when it was announced in 2015. It included four Olympics beginning with the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games in South Korea and ran through the just-completed Paris Olympics and Paralympics.

Reports in Japan suggest Toyota may keep its Paralympic Olympic sponsorship.

The IOC TOP sponsors are: ABInBev, Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Atos, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Intel, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung, Toyoto, and Visa.

In a report several months ago by the Japanese news agency Kyodo, unnamed sources said Toyota was unhappy with how the IOC uses sponsorship money. It said the money was “not used effectively to support athletes and promote sports.”

Japan was once a major font to revenue, but increasingly the IOC has sought out sponsors from China, with increasing interest from the Middle East and India.

Japan officially spent $13 billion on the Tokyo Olympics, at least half of which was public money. A government audit suggested the real cost was twice that. The IOC contribution was about $1.8 billion.

The Tokyo Games were mired in corruption scandals linked to local sponsorships and the awarding of contracts. Dentsu Inc, the huge Japanese marketing and public relations company, was the marketing arm of the Tokyo Olympics and raised a record-$3.3 billion in local sponsorship money. This is separate from TOP sponsors.

French prosecutors also looked into alleged vote-buying in the IOC’s decision in 2013 to pick Tokyo as the host for the 2020 Summer Games.

The IOC had income of $7.6 billion in the last four-year cycle ending with the Tokyo Games. Figures have not been released yet for the cycle ending with the Paris Olympics.

The IOC’s TOP sponsors paid over $2 billion in that period. The figure is expected to reach $3 billion in the next cycle.

Thousands of amateur runners got that chance Saturday night, tackling either a marathon or 10-kilometer race (6.2 miles) along the same iconic route as the elite athletes who competed at the 2024 Olympics.

Opening up the route to the public is a first for the Olympics, according to the official website of the Paris Games. Combined for both races, more than 40,000 people signed up from 127 countries.

A few hours after the male Olympians crossed the same finish line, the amateur runners set off as music and cheering crowds hyped them up. The women’s Olympic marathon followed Sunday morning.

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“We watched the Games for two weeks, and we are really in the mood,” said Parisian Régane Bonnot, 27, who ran the 10K race. “So when I was running, I felt like I wanted to do like them when they were in the stadium and we were screaming in front of the TV.”

She has run other races and described this one as having a “crazy” atmosphere. People were cheering for everyone, and the mood among the runners was friendly, not competitive, she said.

“I think that was the best way to end the Olympics Games,” Bonnot said ahead of the closing ceremony Sunday.

The route went through nine Paris districts and covered some of the most iconic landmarks of the French capital, like the Louvre, Eiffel Tower and Grand Palais.

“I wanted to be a part of the Olympic Games,” said 29-year-old Samantha Eymard of Paris. She didn’t even need music and podcasts to keep her going, dedicating her 10K to taking in the city and observing the monuments illuminated at night.

“It was really nice just to look around,” she said, adding that the whole experience felt like once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

At the finish line, runners got medals, hanging them around their necks as they paraded through the streets of Paris, taking pictures with friends and family. Many supporters brought posters to cheer on their loved ones, with some even holding up large, printed faces of the runners — reminiscent of the support the French showed their athletes during the Olympics.

Marie Pietruszka of Paris waited patiently for her sister who was running the 10K, smiling and waving a poster that read, “You are super,” on one side and, “You go, Popo,” on the other with the Olympic rings in the background.

When they finally found each other near the crowded finish line, Pietruszka beamed with pride as she hugged her sister, Pauline Pietruszka. The latter had spent the entire summer training for the race.

“I live in the city, and those parts of the city I have never seen like this,” Pauline Pietruszka said, adding that everyone was so happy along the route, singing and clapping. “It was amazing.”

The U.S. had a 6-5 lead heading into the fourth quarter, but Hungary opened the period with three straight goals. Team USA battled back to knot the match at 8-8 and held on defensively to force the penalty shootout.

The shootout was all Team USA. Hannes Daube, Max Irving and Alex Bowen scored for the U.S., while Hungary was unable to score on any of its three attempts.

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American goalkeeper Adrian Weinberg came up huge in both regulation and the shootout, stopping 16 of Hungary’s 24 shots.

The bronze is Team USA’s 10th ever medal in Olympic men’s water polo, second all-time behind Hungary’s 16. The team had not medaled at the Olympics since losing the gold medal match to Hungary and settling for silver at the 2008 Beijing Games.

Team USA’s victory on Sunday comes exactly 124 years to the day that Olympic water polo debuted in the River Seine.