https://www.scmp.com/rss/50379/feed The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is an international, non-profit, non-governmental organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre, Baron de Coubertin, on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president. Today its membership consists of 100 active members, 32 honorary members, and one honour member. The IOC is the supreme authority of the worldwide modern Olympic movement. The current IOC president is Thomas Bach. He was preceded by Jacques Rogge. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ada Li Ada Li The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has agreed to begin discussions towards shifting the year of the Asian Games to an odd-numbered year, the year before the Summer Olympics, at a board meeting earlier this week in Sanya, China where the Asian Beach Games are being held. If approved, the 2030 Games in Doha, which were originally scheduled to run from November 4 to 19 that year, and Riyadh’s 2034 edition would move to 2031 and 2035, respectively. The 20th edition of the Games, Aichi-Nagoya Games... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3351354/olympic-council-asia-discuss-holding-asian-games-odd-numbered-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3351354/olympic-council-asia-discuss-holding-asian-games-odd-numbered-years?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:00:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse,Reuters Agence France-Presse,Reuters India has been elevated to a list of nations including Russia where there is an “extremely high” risk of doping, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said on Monday. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) joins the likes of Russia, Belarus, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and Ukraine in the AIU’s highest rating of Category A after being moved up from Category B. Category A means India’s athletes must now comply with more stringent anti-doping requirements, including minimum testing thresholds for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3350758/indian-athletes-face-tougher-dope-testing-federation-banished-highest-risk-bracket?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3350758/indian-athletes-face-tougher-dope-testing-federation-banished-highest-risk-bracket?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:00:11 +0000 Reuters,Associated Press Reuters,Associated Press Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu-ting took bronze at the ⁠Asian Boxing Elite ⁠Championships on Monday in ⁠her first competition since a gender-eligibility row overshadowed her Olympic gold-medal-winning performance at the 2024 Paris Games. Lin opted not to compete in the world championships last year after ‌governing body World Boxing announced that women boxers would have to undergo mandatory sex testing as part of a new eligibility policy. The policy was introduced a year after Lin and Algerian Imane... https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3349227/chinese-taipei-boxer-lin-yu-ting-takes-bronze-asian-championships-competitive-return?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3349227/chinese-taipei-boxer-lin-yu-ting-takes-bronze-asian-championships-competitive-return?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 07:00:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Sports authorities in Ukraine asked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ⁠on Wednesday to examine ⁠the “neutral” status of Russian athletes ⁠they accused of having links to the military or competing in events that violated Olympic sanctions. The IOC allowed a limited number of athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics and ‌the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Games with no flags or anthems, subject to vetting. This included stipulations that athletes not be linked to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3348734/ukraine-ask-ioc-examine-neutral-status-russian-athletes-paris-olympics-winter-games?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3348734/ukraine-ask-ioc-examine-neutral-status-russian-athletes-paris-olympics-winter-games?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 04:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse South African Caster Semenya, a two-time Olympic 800m champion, said on Sunday that the IOC’s reinstatement of gender verification tests for the 2028 Los Angeles Games was “a disrespect for women”. The former hyperandrogenic athlete also expressed her disappointment that the measure was taken under the leadership of the new IOC president, Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe. “For me, personally, for her being a woman coming from Africa, knowing how African women or women in the Global South are affected... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3348308/ioc-reinstating-gender-shows-disrespect-women-olympic-champion-caster-semenya-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3348308/ioc-reinstating-gender-shows-disrespect-women-olympic-champion-caster-semenya-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 14:00:14 +0000 Reuters,Associated Press Reuters,Associated Press Only biological female athletes, whose gender ⁠will be determined by a ⁠one-time gene-screening test, will be eligible ⁠to take part in female category events at Olympic Games from now on, the International Olympic Committee said on Thursday. The IOC unveiled its new policy on the protection of the female category as part of its initiative to have a universal rule for competitors in ‌female elite sports after years of fragmented regulation that led to some major controversies. The IOC said all... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3348042/only-biological-females-can-compete-womens-events-olympic-games-ioc-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3348042/only-biological-females-can-compete-womens-events-olympic-games-ioc-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:00:12 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Thursday it was reintroducing testing for gender to determine eligibility to compete in the female category, preventing transgender women from competing. The screening will mean Olympic women’s sports at the 2028 Los Angeles Games will be limited to biological females, which would also rule out those with differences in sexual development (DSD) from competing. The IOC is abandoning rules it brought in in 2021 which allowed individual federations... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3348045/olympic-womens-sport-be-limited-biological-females?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3348045/olympic-womens-sport-be-limited-biological-females?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:44:48 +0000 Reuters Reuters Italian President Sergio Mattarella officially opened the Milano Cortina ‌Winter Olympics on Friday during a colourful ceremony that celebrated his country’s history, arts and fashion but where political tensions surfaced. Mattarella, 84, spoke at the main event in Milan’s San ‍Siro stadium as part of an unprecedented show that also linked to celebrations in cohost Cortina d’Ampezzo, more than 400km (250 miles) away in the Dolomites. US Vice-President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3342735/milan-cortina-winter-olympics-kicks-unique-opening-ceremony?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3342735/milan-cortina-winter-olympics-kicks-unique-opening-ceremony?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 20:20:16 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing and artificial intelligence arm of Alibaba Group Holding, has unveiled a suite of AI-powered tools for the Milano Cortina Winter Games, marking the first time a large language model (LLM) will be embedded into the Olympics’ digital infrastructure. The partnership between Alibaba Cloud, Olympic Broadcasting Services and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was announced on Wednesday. Alibaba’s Qwen model will power “Olympic AI Assistants”, a digital system... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3342418/chatbots-replays-alibaba-rolls-out-ai-suite-2026-winter-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3342418/chatbots-replays-alibaba-rolls-out-ai-suite-2026-winter-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 14:41:13 +0000 dpa dpa Fifa president Gianni Infantino has apologised over remarks he made about British fans and defended the decision to award a peace prize to US President Donald Trump. Infantino said at last month’s World Economic Forum in Davos that the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 had been special because “for the first time in history no Brit was arrested”. His comments were described as a “cheap” joke at the expense of fans by the Football Supporters’ Association, while the UK’s football policing lead Chief... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3342154/fifa-boss-sorry-offending-british-football-fans-defends-trump-peace-prize?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3342154/fifa-boss-sorry-offending-british-football-fans-defends-trump-peace-prize?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 17:34:26 +0000 Reuters Reuters International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) president Johan Eliasch warned that the Winter Olympics should not be ‌diluted with novelty events, saying the Games must remain rooted in snow and ice – even ‍joking that water skiing would make more sense than some recent proposals. “I saw some videos of bicycles doing slalom in a slalom course,” Eliasch said. “Sure, you can invent anything, but quite frankly, water skiing would have more to do with ⁠the Olympic Winter Games than this. “At least... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3338963/water-skiing-would-make-more-sense-winter-games-novelty-events-snowboarding-boss?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3338963/water-skiing-would-make-more-sense-winter-games-novelty-events-snowboarding-boss?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 14:24:04 +0000 Paul McNamara,Wynna Wong,Stephy Zhang Paul McNamara,Wynna Wong,Stephy Zhang Wheels were turning in more ways than one at a packed Hong Kong Velodrome last month when cyclist Ceci Lee Sze-wing rode to her third gold medal of the 15th National Games. Roared on by home spectators, it symbolised the successful realisation of the decision for the city to co-host the Games alongside Guangdong and Macau, its partners under the Greater Bay Area development plan. It created a scene officials hope to see replicated on an even bigger scale: historic achievements in front of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3336896/greater-ambition-how-hong-kong-and-bay-area-neighbours-could-host-asian-games-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3336896/greater-ambition-how-hong-kong-and-bay-area-neighbours-could-host-asian-games-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Dec 2025 00:30:08 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Top IOC officials Thomas Bach and Juan Antonio Samaranch Jnr expect China to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics again, and become a growing force in the latter on the back of the Beijing Games in 2022. Speaking on the sidelines of a series of events in Budapest to mark the 130th anniversary of the Hungarian Olympic Committee on Monday, the pair also highlighted the importance of China’s sporting development to the Olympic Movement. Bach’s comments came less than a month after the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/article/3336747/ioc-bigwigs-say-china-should-consider-hosting-both-summer-winter-olympics-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/article/3336747/ioc-bigwigs-say-china-should-consider-hosting-both-summer-winter-olympics-again?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 07:45:37 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry and her World Anti-Doping Agency counterpart have called for unity in the fight against performance-enhancing drugs following a fracture with the United States. “Too often we’ve seen energy spent on division, finger-pointing and competing agendas,” Coventry told Wada’s World Conference on Doping in Sport, being held this week in the South Korean city of Busan. “It has been difficult to watch this divide within our community.” Her comments... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3335022/end-finger-pointing-doping-fight-ioc-president-tells-conference?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3335022/end-finger-pointing-doping-fight-ioc-president-tells-conference?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 06:48:33 +0000 dpa dpa The majority of residents in Berlin do not want the city to bid to host an Olympic Games, according to a survey published on Monday. In a Civey survey commissioned by the Tagesspiegel newspaper, 67 per cent of the respondents are against a bid for the 2036, 2040 or 2044 Games, while 27 per cent support the plan. Some 6 per cent are undecided. These results are likely to intensify the debate around the bid, especially after the “NOlympia” alliance announced a referendum, which is set to begin on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3333991/majority-berlin-residents-against-bid-host-olympic-games-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3333991/majority-berlin-residents-against-bid-host-olympic-games-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Nov 2025 23:00:10 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Several months ago, a group of business leaders in the city floated the idea that Hong Kong might play a key role in bringing the 2036 Olympics to the Greater Bay Area. At the time it felt more than a little fanciful. The sort of pie in the sky thinking designed to start conversations around improving the city’s sporting infrastructure which, Kai Tak Sports Park aside, is badly in need of rejuvenation, and driving ambition, rather than being a proposal for serious consideration. How times... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3333779/flights-fancy-reality-national-games-paves-way-bright-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3333779/flights-fancy-reality-national-games-paves-way-bright-future?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Nov 2025 05:30:16 +0000 Jiang Chuqin Jiang Chuqin The Greater Bay Area’s hopes of one day hosting an Olympics were given a major boost by former IOC president Thomas Bach on Wednesday, after he told Hong Kong and the region to “go for it”. Bach, who was president of the International Olympic Committee for 12 years until he was replaced by Kirsty Coventry in June, hailed the GBA for its world-class sporting facilities and sports-loving public on a visit to Hong Kong. And officials were left to wonder if the National Games were “a dry run” after... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3332530/gbas-olympics-hopes-get-major-boost-after-thomas-bach-praises-world-class-facilities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3332530/gbas-olympics-hopes-get-major-boost-after-thomas-bach-praises-world-class-facilities?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Nov 2025 12:52:59 +0000 Josh Ball,Ada Li,Harvey Kong,Zhao Ziwen,Wynna Wong Josh Ball,Ada Li,Harvey Kong,Zhao Ziwen,Wynna Wong President Xi Jinping opened China’s 15th National Games in Guangzhou on Sunday, on a night filled with symbolism and heavy on emphasising the role the Greater Bay Area will play in the country’s future. As might be expected from an opening ceremony at a major sporting occasion in China, there was a stunning mix of old and new on display, with water at its centre and fire at its end. Hong Kong, co-hosting for the first time in its history, was well represented too, not just by its athletes and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3332118/stunning-mix-old-and-new-show-national-games-officially-opened-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3332118/stunning-mix-old-and-new-show-national-games-officially-opened-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Nov 2025 16:23:54 +0000 Reuters,Agence France-Presse Reuters,Agence France-Presse The International Olympic Committee and Saudi Arabia have ended their 12-year esports partnership after only a year, parting ways to develop separate projects, the IOC said on Thursday. Two years before the first Olympic Esports Games were to be held in Riyadh, the IOC said discussions with the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee had ended the partnership 14 months after announcing a 12-year deal during the 2024 Paris Olympics. “Recently, the two parties and the Esports World Cup Foundation... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3330938/ioc-saudi-arabia-cancel-12-year-deal-riyadh-host-video-gaming-esports-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3330938/ioc-saudi-arabia-cancel-12-year-deal-riyadh-host-video-gaming-esports-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 14:00:23 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Olympic chiefs have ruled out any dialogue with Indonesia about hosting future events after Jakarta’s refusal to issue visas for Israeli athletes at the ongoing world artistic gymnastics championships. The Israeli Gymnastics Federation appealed against the Indonesian government’s decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), demanding that it either guaranteed their athletes’ presence or forced a move or cancellation of the event. But CAS rejected the appeal, meaning that Israeli... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3329982/olympic-chiefs-slap-indonesia-hosting-ban-over-exclusion-israeli-gymnasts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3329982/olympic-chiefs-slap-indonesia-hosting-ban-over-exclusion-israeli-gymnasts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Oct 2025 18:00:10 +0000 Reuters Reuters Australia’s Fitzroy River is a step closer to hosting rowing and canoeing events at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics after passing technical testing, domestic media said on Tuesday. Known for crocodiles and strong tides, the waterway some 600 km (370 miles) north of Brisbane drew a mixed reception when it was proposed as an Olympic venue in March, because of concerns about its currents. However, Queensland state lawmaker Matt Canavan told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation the river had passed... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3329797/crocodiles-strong-tides-no-worries-australian-river-approved-2032-olympic-rowing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3329797/crocodiles-strong-tides-no-worries-australian-river-approved-2032-olympic-rowing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 13:00:08 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov Alibaba Group Holding’s artificial intelligence and cloud computing unit on Thursday inked a multi-year collaboration with the National Basketball Association (NBA) in China, a partnership that is expected to strengthen fan engagement on the mainland for the world’s premier men’s professional basketball league. Alibaba Cloud will develop innovative applications to enhance live game viewing and other fan engagement experiences, including with the annual NBA All-Star Game, the NBA Playoffs and the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3328352/alibaba-cloud-inks-multi-year-deal-nba-china-latest-sports-related-collaboration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3328352/alibaba-cloud-inks-multi-year-deal-nba-china-latest-sports-related-collaboration?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Oct 2025 09:00:09 +0000 Geoffrey Chan,Brad Kininmonth Geoffrey Chan,Brad Kininmonth For cities around the world, hosting the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games is often seen as both a prestigious honour and a daunting economic burden. The need to construct sports complexes, modernise transport networks and expand accommodation capacity can saddle hosts with debt and infrastructure that often falls into disuse post-Games. But what if the host has the DNA for hosting a successful Olympics and can surmount this financial strain? What comes to mind is the Greater Bay Area – a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3324566/why-greater-bay-area-should-host-2036-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3324566/why-greater-bay-area-should-host-2036-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Olympic boxing gold medallist Lin Yu-ting will not compete at the world championships starting this week, Chinese Taipei’s association said on Tuesday, despite reportedly submitting her gender test results. Lin and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif were at the centre of a major gender row at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where they won titles in separate weight classes. World Boxing said last month that women wanting to compete at the championships in Liverpool on September 4-14 would have to undergo... https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3324063/chinese-taipei-olympic-boxer-lin-yu-ting-will-not-compete-world-championships-official?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3324063/chinese-taipei-olympic-boxer-lin-yu-ting-will-not-compete-world-championships-official?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Sep 2025 10:05:07 +0000 Andrew Cesare Richardson Andrew Cesare Richardson Just Climb founder Danny Ho Sin-fai said on Friday he hoped the opening of a new facility at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park could attract the sport's biggest events to the city. Climbing was first included as an Olympic sport at the Tokyo Games in 2021, when there was just one event that combined the three disciplines: lead, which sees the climber ascend while clipping the rope into protection; bouldering – without a rope or harness – and speed, where the athlete attempts to reach the top as... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/article/3322016/kai-taks-new-climbing-wall-can-bring-global-scene-hong-kong-ex-pro-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/article/3322016/kai-taks-new-climbing-wall-can-bring-global-scene-hong-kong-ex-pro-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Aug 2025 01:00:20 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Doha is bidding to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games, authorities said on Tuesday, as the wealthy Gulf state sets its sights on yet another major sport event to diversify its energy-reliant economy. One of the smallest and wealthiest states in the Gulf, Qatar had already hosted the 2022 Fifa World Cup. Should it be chosen, Qatar would become the first country in the Middle East and North Africa to host the Olympic Games, said Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3319181/new-milestone-2022-world-cup-hosts-qatar-bids-stage-2036-olympic-games?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3319181/new-milestone-2022-world-cup-hosts-qatar-bids-stage-2036-olympic-games?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jul 2025 13:00:16 +0000 Reuters,SCMP Sport Reuters,SCMP Sport The Australian government has confirmed it will contribute A$3.435 billion (US$2.25 billion) towards the A$7.1 billion cost of building the venues for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, clearing the way for the start of construction. Queensland taxpayers and private finance will provide the balance of the money for the 17 new and upgraded venues for the Summer Games under the funding deal announced by state and federal governments on Thursday. “The Sydney 2000 Games left an incredible legacy and many... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3316778/2032-brisbane-olympics-us225-billion-funding-confirmed-games-venues?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3316778/2032-brisbane-olympics-us225-billion-funding-confirmed-games-venues?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Jul 2025 06:59:18 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball The group behind a potentially audacious bid to bring the 2036 Olympics to Hong Kong said the IOC president’s decision to revisit the bidding process “created an important window of opportunity” for the city. On Friday, Kirsty Coventry announced she had paused the fast-tracking of a preferred bidder, a signature policy of predecessor Thomas Bach, in a concession to International Olympic Committee members who have wanted more say in decisions under new leadership. That was seen as not only... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3316199/hong-kong-has-window-opportunity-2036-olympics-bid-working-group-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3316199/hong-kong-has-window-opportunity-2036-olympics-bid-working-group-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Jun 2025 05:14:29 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport New IOC president Kirsty Coventry has paused the fast tracking of a preferred bidder for the 2036 Olympics, potentially opening the door to a bid from Hong Kong. While India had been considered the front runner to win hosting rights, Coventry’s decision on Thursday has seemingly stalled that momentum in a race that also includes the likes of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Turkey. China has yet to officially express an interest in hosting a third Olympics, after staging the Summer Games in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3316032/iocs-coventry-pauses-2036-olympics-hosting-contest-does-open-door-hong-kong-bid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3316032/iocs-coventry-pauses-2036-olympics-hosting-contest-does-open-door-hong-kong-bid?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Jun 2025 03:14:32 +0000 Reuters Reuters Kirsty Coventry, the newly elected president of the International Olympic Committee, emphasised collaboration with stakeholders as a key priority for her tenure, in remarks made on Thursday ahead of her official takeover next week. Coventry, a former Olympic swimming champion from Zimbabwe and Africa’s most decorated Olympian, was elected to the post in March, succeeding Thomas Bach. She will formally assume the role following Monday’s handover ceremony in Lausanne. “I like to collaborate, to be... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3315119/new-ioc-president-kirsty-coventry-vows-lead-through-collaboration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3315119/new-ioc-president-kirsty-coventry-vows-lead-through-collaboration?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Jun 2025 16:30:07 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Olympic hero Simone Biles showed she was enjoying her visit to Hong Kong, as she uploaded pictures of herself in the city on her Instagram page. The seven-time Olympic gold medallist was in the city to take part in a UBS Asian Investment Conference, where she addressed 600 young athletes as well as fans from the local gymnastics clubs. Biles uploaded a picture of herself standing next to a sign that simply read “Hong Kong”, followed by two images of her at restaurants and another at Temple... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3313140/olympic-great-simone-biles-enjoys-hong-kong-visit-shares-snaps-instagram?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3313140/olympic-great-simone-biles-enjoys-hong-kong-visit-shares-snaps-instagram?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Jun 2025 06:00:20 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Hong Kong entrepreneur Jonathan Wan Kwok-keun is no stranger to overcoming mental setbacks - when he was 18 and swimming near Ocean Beach, San Francisco, he was pulled under by a current, lost consciousness, and needed a nearby surfer to save his life. Now 51, Wan does not remember much about that day in a city he has called home since 1991. But the mental scars remained, and he did not swim again for nearly two decades. More than 30 years later, Wan overcame his fear and completed the Escape... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3312813/hong-kong-ai-creators-mental-health-system-athletes-inspired-simone-biles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3312813/hong-kong-ai-creators-mental-health-system-athletes-inspired-simone-biles?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Jun 2025 01:30:20 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif must undergo genetic sex screening to participate in upcoming events with the sport’s new governing body. World Boxing announced mandatory sex testing for all athletes on Friday. The governing body specifically mentioned Khelif when announcing the policy, saying the Algerian gold medal winner must be screened before she would be approved to fight at any upcoming events, including the Eindhoven Box Cup next month in the Netherlands. “The introduction of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3312582/olympic-champ-imane-khelif-must-undergo-genetic-sex-screening-fight-under-new-boxing-body?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3312582/olympic-champ-imane-khelif-must-undergo-genetic-sex-screening-fight-under-new-boxing-body?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 May 2025 14:00:11 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan For Bonnie Lee Tin-sum, sport has always been about more than the physical. She sees it as having the power to bring people together, change society and teach life values. Now, she hopes to use her position as one of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) young leaders to “plant the seeds” for the next generation, after learning first-hand what having resources could mean. The 25-year-old Metro radio presenter does not have a particularly stellar sporting résumé, but she was chosen, along... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3309706/hongkonger-bonnie-lee-hoping-use-new-ioc-role-inspire-next-generation-greatness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3309706/hongkonger-bonnie-lee-hoping-use-new-ioc-role-inspire-next-generation-greatness?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 May 2025 00:30:07 +0000 The addition of six new swimming events for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics was described as “an amazing decision” by Britain’s Adam Peaty as he announced his intention to compete at a fourth Games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) ratified a move that will see the 50-metre backstroke, butterfly and breaststroke all contested for the first time. Previously, only freestyle was raced over the sport’s shortest distance despite all four strokes being on the schedule at world... https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/aquatics/article/3306003/los-angeles-2028-olympics-remaining-50-metre-events-added-swimming-programme?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/aquatics/article/3306003/los-angeles-2028-olympics-remaining-50-metre-events-added-swimming-programme?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Apr 2025 09:44:53 +0000 The election of a new president for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) comes at a pivotal time for the movement, which is facing many challenges. Kirsty Coventry, a former Olympic swimming champion, emerged victorious and will take up the most influential position in global sport in June. Coventry’s elevation marks the beginning of a new era, with Thomas Bach, who led the organisation for 12 years, stepping down. And she has already broken new ground. The new leader is the first woman to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3304379/kirsty-coventry-must-rise-olympic-challenge-after-stunning-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3304379/kirsty-coventry-must-rise-olympic-challenge-after-stunning-win?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Mar 2025 18:54:28 +0000 Kirsty Coventry may soon discover that winning the presidency of the International Olympic Committee was the easy bit. Russia, Donald Trump and the largely unpredictable nature of the world’s politics, gender equality and sustainability all sit among the thorny issues she will need to tackle in the coming weeks, months and years. The youngest person to hold the most powerful position in world sport, the 41-year-old Zimbabwean is also the first woman to lead the Olympic Movement and the first... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3303404/new-ioc-president-kirsty-coventry-faces-complex-geopolitics-and-gender-minefield?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3303404/new-ioc-president-kirsty-coventry-faces-complex-geopolitics-and-gender-minefield?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Mar 2025 23:00:11 +0000 The big sporting news on Thursday was undoubtedly history being made as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) elected its first woman president. But you can read about that here. While you were sleeping, she discussed her plans after swooping. And that’s where we’ll start our overnight sporting round up. Trump card Fresh from her election to sport’s top job, Kirsty Coventry said she wants to sit down with United States President Donald Trump to make sure the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics are... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3303237/ioc-chief-coventry-eyes-trump-talks-mbappe-and-co-stunned-germany-win-euro-clasico?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3303237/ioc-chief-coventry-eyes-trump-talks-mbappe-and-co-stunned-germany-win-euro-clasico?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Mar 2025 00:30:10 +0000 Kirsty Coventry became the first woman and first African to be elected president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thursday, saying it was an “extraordinary moment”. The 41-year-old two-time Olympic swimming champion from Zimbabwe is also the youngest person ever to hold the most powerful position in sports governance. “It is a really powerful signal we are truly global and evolved into an organisation open to diversity,” said Coventry, who was only the second woman to run for the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3303223/extraordinary-moment-kirsty-coventry-becomes-first-woman-and-first-african-lead-ioc?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3303223/extraordinary-moment-kirsty-coventry-becomes-first-woman-and-first-african-lead-ioc?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Mar 2025 18:04:12 +0000 Whoever succeeds Thomas Bach as president of the International Olympic Committee on Thursday would need to be “cool under fire”, with some members believing the very existence of the Olympic Movement to be at stake. Seven candidates are vying to become the most powerful person in sport governance and replace Bach, who steps down after a stormy 12-year tenure when he had to contend with Covid-19, a Russian doping scandal as well as Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. “I believe this is the most... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3302781/thomas-bachs-successor-needs-cool-head-guide-olympics-through-stormy-seas-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3302781/thomas-bachs-successor-needs-cool-head-guide-olympics-through-stormy-seas-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Mar 2025 04:30:08 +0000 A gender row involving two female boxers at the Paris 2024 Olympics was the result of a Russian fake news campaign and had little to do with reality, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said on Saturday. Bach, who is stepping down in June after 12 years in charge of the biggest job in world sports, said the IOC had needed to fight off many similar campaigns before and after the Paris Games. The boxing competition at the Paris Games was run by the IOC after it stripped the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3302534/paris-boxing-gender-row-was-product-russian-fake-news?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3302534/paris-boxing-gender-row-was-product-russian-fake-news?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Mar 2025 13:23:11 +0000 American former swimmer Gary Hall Junior is set to receive replicas of the 10 Olympic medals he lost in the Los Angeles wildfires that destroyed his home, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has said. Hall represented the United States at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympics, winning five gold, three silver and two bronze medals in Atlanta, Sydney and Athens. The 50-year-old was forced to leave the medals behind at his Pacific Palisades home during the fires. “I’m too proud... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3294589/la-wildfire-ioc-replace-gary-halls-olympic-medals-gauff-swiatek-show-victims-support?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3294589/la-wildfire-ioc-replace-gary-halls-olympic-medals-gauff-swiatek-show-victims-support?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Jan 2025 12:34:31 +0000 Japan’s Morinari Watanabe is a rank outsider to become International Olympic Committee president but he hopes his “crazy idea” to host the Games in five cities at once can spark debate. The 65-year-old International Gymnastics Federation chief is one of seven candidates vying to succeed Thomas Bach as head of the IOC, with members set to decide in March. The son of a Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor, Watanabe would be the first Asian in the high-profile post. Watanabe is proposing to host the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3294529/olympics-5-cities-once-japans-ioc-presidential-candidate-pushes-crazy-idea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3294529/olympics-5-cities-once-japans-ioc-presidential-candidate-pushes-crazy-idea?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Jan 2025 09:00:08 +0000 Sebastian Coe has vowed to shake up the International Olympic Committee if he wins the race to be its new president and believes “too much power is in the hands of too few people”. Coe, a double Olympic champion and the current president of World Athletics, sees himself unashamedly as the reform candidate in the contest to replace Thomas Bach. The manifestos of the seven candidates were published by the IOC on Thursday morning and, at a media briefing to launch his blueprint, Coe was clear about... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3291596/sebastian-coe-vows-shake-international-olympic-committee-if-he-wins-presidency-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3291596/sebastian-coe-vows-shake-international-olympic-committee-if-he-wins-presidency-race?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Dec 2024 15:00:10 +0000 The International Olympic Committee (IOC) must overhaul its Olympic marketing strategy to deliver higher value for sponsors, presidential candidate Morinari Watanabe said on Wednesday. Watanabe, a long-time businessman who has headed the international gymnastics federation (FIG) since 2017 and is one of seven candidates running for the top Olympics job, also said the IOC should review its decision-making process. Watanabe is up against World Athletics chief and former Olympic champion Sebastian... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3290502/olympics-need-marketing-changes-says-candidate-international-olympic-committee-top-job?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3290502/olympics-need-marketing-changes-says-candidate-international-olympic-committee-top-job?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Dec 2024 14:00:09 +0000 Taiwan’s Olympic boxing gold medallist Lin Yu-ting has pulled out of an international competition in Britain after the organiser questioned her gender eligibility, Taiwanese sports officials said on Wednesday. Lin, who along with Algerian boxer Imane Khelif was embroiled in a gender row at the Paris Olympics, was due to compete in the World Boxing Cup Finals in Sheffield that started on Wednesday. The new competition was organised by World Boxing, which was founded in 2023 and boasts around 55... https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3288413/taiwan-olympic-boxing-champion-lin-yu-ting-quits-event-after-gender-eligibility-questions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3288413/taiwan-olympic-boxing-champion-lin-yu-ting-quits-event-after-gender-eligibility-questions?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Nov 2024 15:48:53 +0000 World Boxing on Tuesday backed a newly formed Asian boxing confederation to represent and promote the sport in the region, an organisation not associated with the Russian-led International Boxing Association (IBA). The announcement came days after 25 out of 36 member federations of the existing Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) voted to remain affiliated with the IBA in an Extraordinary Congress. Immediately after the vote was concluded, ASBC president Pichai Chunhavajira resigned and called for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3288226/world-boxing-announces-new-asian-body-not-linked-international-boxing-association?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3288226/world-boxing-announces-new-asian-body-not-linked-international-boxing-association?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Nov 2024 11:00:29 +0000 World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has vowed to protect women’s sport following the gender eligibility row at this year’s Paris Games if he becomes head of the International Olympic Committee. Coe said in an interview that ensuring a clear set of policies around women’s participation would be at the top of his in-tray if he is elected next March to succeed Thomas Bach. The 68-year-old Briton also vowed to widen the decision-making process surrounding Russia’s readmission to the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3287999/ioc-presidential-hopeful-sebastian-coe-says-we-run-risk-losing-womens-sport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3287999/ioc-presidential-hopeful-sebastian-coe-says-we-run-risk-losing-womens-sport?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Nov 2024 08:00:12 +0000 India wants the 2036 Olympics in what is seen as an attempt by Narendra Modi to cement his legacy, but the country faces numerous challenges to host the biggest show on earth. The prime minister said staging the Games in a nation where cricket is the only sport that really matters was the “dream and aspiration” of 1.4 billion people. Experts say it is more about Modi’s personal ambitions and leaving his mark on the world stage, while also sending a message about India’s political and economic... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3287903/narendra-modis-olympics-dream-india-facing-several-hurdles-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3287903/narendra-modis-olympics-dream-india-facing-several-hurdles-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Nov 2024 07:30:17 +0000 Three of Japan’s largest companies have announced they will not renew their sponsorship deals with the Olympic Games and Paralympics, a shift analysts say is driven by evolving advertising trends and the reputational risks of being associated with the Games’ recent scandals. The decisions by Toyota Motor Corp, Panasonic and, most recently, Bridgestone will inevitably be a financial blow to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), although it does open up new promotional opportunities to other... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3282040/sayonara-olympics-why-did-top-japanese-firms-end-pricey-games-sponsorships?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3282040/sayonara-olympics-why-did-top-japanese-firms-end-pricey-games-sponsorships?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Oct 2024 09:30:08 +0000