NearPup

Ya, I'm sure he's on the team to tick a box and not because, oh I don't know, he's been quite good with Spurs lately.

That + a free kick is the proper outcome. The free kick for having too many players on the field, the yellow card for entering the field without the referee's permission.

The crazy scenarios did not happen, qualified for the 2027 men’s rugby World Cup at the very first opportunity.

It’s about the swimming venue being used for opening ceremony and needing time for the transition. The reason the Olympic swimming venue isn’t getting used for the Paralympics is because they need to get it ready for the NFL season.

Nah I’m pretty sure it was genuinely a logistical issue.

If anything I’m surprised so few teams are affected. Seems like it’s been sort of a nightmare to get these tests in some countries (I know the Canadian athletics team was having issues with it).

I guess he’s back :O

I knew Victor Lai was having a good year but ever expected this

I feel like speed skating and short track balance each other really well. I don’t mind speed skating experimenting with new formats (I feel like the team pursuit was a huge success, the mass start not so much) as long as they keep the 500-10000 as they are.

That would suck, the 10k is a fantastic event.

Victor Lai fought bravely against world number 1 Shi Yuqi, but ultimately lost 21-13, 20-22, 17-21. Incredible tournament by Lai, who is now considering going full time.

The has won one world championship title, the men's doubles back in 2005. Won by Howard Bach and Tony Gunawan (who was an Olympic champion for in 2000). Bach and Gunawan were only able to compete in the Olympics as a pair once, in 2012, after Gunawan became a naturalized American citizen.

Which is, of course, Canada's first ever medal at the Badminton world championships and the first singles medal for the Americas.

As someone who is not pre-disposed to liking modern pentathlon (and who's long believed it should be axed from the Olympics)... credit where it's due, this new format is quite good. The fencing phase in particular is much, much better than the old bonus round.

And he beat world number 11 Lu Guangzu in the process. It doesn't look like a fluke either, all his wins have been fairly convincing.

I mean sure, but by that same logic there’s no reason why ski jumping has to be in the Winter Olympics rather than the Summer Olympics, the snow is purely optional at this point.

I'm actually more mad about this than about it being a 2028 qualification event. You can't change what is and isn't a qualifying event AFTER THE EVENT HAPPENED.

It's backcountry skiing. Which is quite normal in North America (with many resorts having fairly large "in bounds" backcountry areas), not sure how it is in Europe. I certainly know a lot of people who do it recreationally. While a speed skiier did die in 1992, it was not while doing speed skiing. He was warming up using regular slalom skis on a regular piste and he colided with a snow cat.

Ice cross isn't so bad because it usually uses temporary venues.

I'm assuming if the organizers want to add a new discipline it would be added by the IOC the way disciplines are added normally, not through some weird additional sport process. Going to do my thoughts on all of them: Ski mountaineering makes a lot of sense, it will already be there in 2026. It feels like a natural addition to the winter Olympics and I would not be surprised if it becomes a permanent addition down the line Freeride seems like a great candidate. It has a very established world tour and the full support of the FIS. It's probably the most well developed winter sport / discipline that is not currently in the Olympics Telemark I am mixed on. I enjoy watching it and I'd be happy to have it included, but I wonder if it is perhaps too niche? Speed skiing is the least interesting sport on this list. It's both incredibly dangerous and incredibly boring. I actually think it has a great chance at being included in 2030 because of where the Olympics are being held, but I don't think it will come back very often Sled dog racing is a big old no for me Ice Cross I would be happy to see added. It is relatively well developed and it definitively plays well on TV 3x3 hockey is a no for me, it barely even exists yet Ice Climbing is a big yes for me, of all the sports not currently in the (pure) winter Olympics this is the one I most want to see added Cross country running / trail running is actually the single sport I most want to see added in the Winter Olympics. It would allow a ton of non-traditional countries to have a serious involvement in the winter Olympics, and cross country running is a real winter sport when done in wintery conditions Cyclocross would also be a good fit for the winter Olympics, and I would also like to see it added If I were picking four out of that list, it would be: Ski mountaineering, cross country running, ice climbing and freeride. What I expect (from most to least likely): Ski mountaineering, freeride, speed skiing, cross country running

And even Baseball/Softball, which has a lot going against it (not gender equal, no MLB players and baseball has the highest roster size of any team sport), was *barely* removed (IIRC Softball was within a vote or two from being re-included immediately for 2012), and it's still been included 2/3 times since we've moved to having optional sports. And before that we have to go back all the way to 1920 to see an established (had been in a few Olympics in a row) sport be removed (tug of war). Hopefully you're right.

There are a few potential candidates. Cross country running and cyclo cross are sports that would fit well in the Winter Olympics if the IOC ever wanted to go that direction, the FIS will absolutely make a push to add freeride in 2030 and ice climbing could also be a realistic option. I’ve assumed Nordic Combined was likely going to be removed in 2030 ever since the IOC announced the 2026 event program. There is no other good reason to deeply cut the field size and to not allow a women’s event. Even the rational the IOC have sounded like they were keeping it for one more Olympic as a courtesy. I hope I’m wrong and that Nordic Combined stays, but I do not think that’s a realistic option unless the IOC is willing to go over the very restrictive 2900 athlete quota (which they absolutely should IMO). With the gender equality push and the modernization of the program the athlete quota simply needs to grow a little bit.

Liking how Sarault is doing so far :3 Fellow slater Rikki Doak seems to be having a horror trials so far. I wonder what’s up with that.

XV but: opened their 2027 men’s World Cup with a big 34-20 win over the . Canada is now extremely likely to qualify for the next World Cup. There are scenarios where they don‘t but they are improbable.

The universe seems to really not want him to get an Olympic medal, with Chan not subbing out for the long in 2018 (despite Canada having an unused substitution) and the whole COVID situation in 2022.