Latest news with #SummerOlympicandParalympicGames
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
US Olympic and Paralympic Committee bans trans athletes ahead of LA Games
The US Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) announced it has banned transgender athletes from competing in women's sports on Tuesday, July 22. The news, which is the latest result of the Trump administration's attacks on trans athletes, comes as Los Angeles is gearing up to host the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USOPC–the governing body that oversees US participation in any Olympic or Paralympic event, as well as athlete well-being–sent a letter to Team USA community members stating that its rules surrounding transgender athletes had changed. According to the organisation's website, the USOPC issued the current version of its Athlete Safety Policy, which includes a new section under 'jurisdiction' entitled 'additional requirements', on June 18. Although the new amendment never explicitly references trans athletes, it states that the USOPC will work with stakeholders such as the International Olympic Committee 'to ensure that women have a fair and safe competition environment consistent with Executive Order 14201.' Named 'Keeping Men out of Women's Sports' by the Trump administration, Executive Order 14201 was signed by the US president on February 5. The policy attempts to ban trans women from all levels of national athletics by cutting federal funds from educational institutions that allow athletes to compete according to their gender identity. While the executive order states that the Trump administration will convene with representatives from major athletic institutions and governing bodies to promote the current US government's stance on trans athletes, the policy has no legally binding effect on organisations like the USOPC. 'As a federally chartered organization, we have an obligation to comply with federal expectations,' the letter announcing the USOPC's rule change said, as reported by The New York Times. View this post on Instagram A post shared by LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games (@la28) Unlike most global national Olympic and Paralympic committees, the USOPC does not receive federal funding. Instead, the organisation receives most of its money from commercial and private donors. The USOPC recently received a record-breaking $100 million donation from Ross Stevens, who made headlines in 2023 for threatening to pull his $100 million donation from the University of Pennsylvania over allegations of antisemitism following Palestinian solidarity protests on campus. Two days after he called for a change in leadership at UPenn, university president Liz Magill resigned. How the new USOPC rules will be enforced regarding trans athletes remains unclear. The national governing bodies of specific sports that fall under the canopy of the USOPC have begun making rule changes. USA Fencing created a new policy on Friday, July 18, that prevents trans women from competing in women's categories. While the new rules will only impact Team USA, which has only had one openly trans athlete compete in the Olympics or Paralympics, changes at the international level could be coming. The IOC, which first allowed trans women to compete at the Olympics and Paralympics in 2004 and has since scaled back rules surrounding participation, recently elected a new president, Kirsty Coventry, who has previously supported barring trans athletes. And with the return of the Olympics and Paralympics to the US for the first time since 2002, trans rights in sports will likely remain a contested issue in the lead-up to the games. The post US Olympic and Paralympic Committee bans trans athletes ahead of LA Games appeared first on GCN.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Qatar officially enters dialogue with IOC to host 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games
QOC President has confirmed ongoing discussions with the IOC regarding Doha's potential bid for the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games/Image: File TL;DR: The QOC has formally confirmed ongoing discussions with the International Olympic Committee for a bid to host the 2036 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games . Qatar already possesses about 95% of the required sports infrastructure, built up over the past decade through events like the 2022 FIFA World Cup. If successful, Qatar would be the first country in the Middle East to host the Olympics. Other nations showing interest include Indonesia, India, Turkey, Chile, and Saudi Arabia, alongside others from Europe and Asia. Qatar has officially declared its interest in hosting the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games, marking a significant step in the Gulf state's strategic vision to position itself as a leading hub for global sports. The announcement was made by the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) through the Qatar News Agency (QNA), confirming that the country is in "continuous dialogue" with the International Olympic Committee under the IOC's revised bidding process. The potential bid is seen as a continuation of Qatar's ambition to leverage sports for economic diversification, global engagement, and national prestige following the successful hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Qatar's Readiness and Infrastructure Advantage Qatar has emphasized that it is well-prepared from an infrastructure standpoint, with nearly 95% of the venues and facilities required for hosting the Olympics already constructed. This readiness stems from over a decade of heavy investment in sports facilities and urban infrastructure tied to its successful hosting of international events. The stadiums and transport systems upgraded or built for the FIFA World Cup 2022, along with venues being prepared for the 2030 Asian Games, form a solid foundation for any future Olympic requirements. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Speaking on the announcement, Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the QOC, highlighted that the existing infrastructure not only meets current international standards but also aligns with the IOC's newer focus on sustainability and legacy use, ensuring that facilities would serve the community long after the Games. This focus reflects the IOC's Agenda 2020 reforms, which encourage cities to utilize pre-existing infrastructure to reduce environmental and financial burdens. A Historic First for the Middle East If Qatar is successful in its bid, it would become the first nation in the Middle East to host the Olympics. This would be a milestone not just for Qatar but for the entire region, symbolizing the Gulf's increasing role on the global sports stage. The 2022 World Cup, which was the first to be hosted in the Arab world, demonstrated Qatar's capacity to manage complex, large-scale international events. Qatar's bid is positioned as part of a broader strategy to present the region as open, capable, and ready to engage the world through sports. Hosting the Olympics would align with the nation's Qatar National Vision 2030, a framework that emphasizes human development, economic diversification, and cultural enrichment. International Competition for the 2036 Games Qatar will not be alone in pursuing the 2036 Olympics. Several other countries have either confirmed or expressed interest in bidding. According to the IOC, interested nations include: Indonesia India Turkey Chile Saudi Arabia South Korea Egypt Hungary Italy Germany Denmark Canada Each country is currently engaged in preliminary discussions or expressing early interest under the IOC's new bidding framework, which replaced the traditional competitive bid process with a more flexible dialogue phase. IOC's Revised Bidding Process The IOC has reformed its host city selection process to avoid the controversies and financial pitfalls that plagued past bidding cycles. Instead of cities spending millions on competitive bids, the IOC now conducts continuous dialogue with interested cities, ensuring alignment with the Olympic movement's sustainability and cost-effectiveness goals. This approach benefits Qatar, given its already completed investments. By engaging early in the dialogue phase, Qatar enhances its positioning without incurring significant new financial commitments. The final decision on the host for 2036 is not expected for several years, but this early dialogue allows Qatar to align its proposals with IOC expectations. Environmental and Social Legacy Qatar's bid is not solely focused on sports. The QOC has reiterated that the country aims to create a social, economic, and environmental legacy through the Olympics. This includes expanding community sports programs, promoting women's sports participation, and further developing green infrastructure. Qatar has been keen on integrating sustainable practices in all its projects post-World Cup, and an Olympic bid would likely follow similar guidelines highlighting renewable energy use, water conservation, and minimizing the carbon footprint of event hosting. Regional Sporting Aspirations Hosting the Olympics would further bolster the Middle East's burgeoning sports calendar. Qatar is already set to host the 2030 Asian Games, and Saudi Arabia is gaining momentum as a global sports hub, hosting high-profile boxing matches, Formula 1, and investing heavily in football via the Saudi Pro League. This growing competitive sports scene reflects the region's ambition to diversify economically through tourism, entertainment, and sports. Next Steps While Qatar has entered into formal dialogue with the IOC, no official bid submission has yet been made. The nation will continue developing its proposal, with a focus on complying with the IOC's evolving sustainability and legacy standards. The QOC has pledged transparency throughout the process, ensuring the public remains informed on developments. The final host city decision is expected to be made closer to the 2030s, but Qatar's readiness and regional prominence position it as a leading contender. Qatar's official talks with the IOC for the 2036 Olympics reaffirm the Gulf state's long-term strategy of using sports as a diplomatic and developmental tool. With nearly all necessary infrastructure already in place and a proven track record in hosting world-class events, Qatar is set to make a compelling case. Whether or not it secures the bid, the move signals the Middle East's continued ascent in the global sports hierarchy.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
As an Historic Olympic Games Milestone Nears, the Architect of its Triumphant PR Campaign Reflects on its Lessons
Rally International Public Affair's Mike Holtzman Was Named "PR Professional of the Year" for His Role in China's 2008 Games Bid NEW YORK, June 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- When Beijing won the hosting rights for the 2008 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games on July 13, 2001, it was a pivotal moment not only for the Olympic movement but in China's development, signaling the country's growing stature and readiness to be a major global player. Mike Holtzman, the architect behind the unlikely international public relations campaign that propelled China's historic win, was named "PR Professional of the Year" by PR Week Magazine in recognition of his sophisticated, globe-trotting strategy to build a new bridge between China and the world. Today, Holtzman reflects on his game plan, and the long term-impact the Games have had on China, sport, and the world. "At the time, there was a significant debate about whether the west should engage or isolate China, which was operating largely outside of global institutions and norms," said Holtzman. "I had just spent some time as an Advisor to the US Trade Ambassador helping anchor China to the west by joining the World Trade Organization, and the feeling was that hosting the Olympic Games would throw open a window on China, get them further bound to the rule of law, and on the track to modernization." Holtzman, who now leads Rally International Public Affair's roster of international clients across the developing world, was a young executive with PR powerhouse Weber Shandwick when the Chinese, facing serious diplomatic headwinds to its nascent 2008 Olympic Games bid, came knocking. Beijing had lost a previous bid for the 2000 Games due to geopolitical factors. "The Olympic Games are not about politics, but friendship. Still, a nation's bid does not exist in a vacuum," Holtzman said. "There needed to be this undertone that hosting the Olympics would somehow change China for the better. This would give IOC voters and critics a reason to champion the Chinese bid. Paris (another 2008 competitor) would always be Paris, but a vote for China could change history." A team of professionals was assembled —including the global sport marketing team of Terrence Burns and George Hirthler, who were among the creative forces behind Atlanta's successful bid for the 1996 Games, plus sports branding specialist Jon Tibbs in the United Kingdom, to deliver this message of change to a skeptical global community. "China was the second most populous country in the world and had never carried the torch of the Games. Tens of millions of young Chinese had never been imbued with the values of Olympism," Holtzman said. "This made a very compelling case to the International Olympic Committee." When framed as an opportunity to spread and achieve the ideals of the Games and to modernize China, support for the bid grew, even among critics. "When the Dalai Lama and Luciano Pavarotti both jumped on board, we knew we had a winning message," Holtzman laughs. But what of the end game, where today's modernized China is now a global economic power and seen by some as a geopolitical competitor? "The Olympic movement did its job. The Games helped open China and allow the world in. They served as a catalyst for lasting change in Beijing's physical infrastructure and environmental sustainability. The question today, as it was then, is, 'what will you do with this newfound goodwill and clout? How will you use it?' And that is a question for others to answer." Media Contact:Julia@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Rally International Public Affairs
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
As an Historic Olympic Games Milestone Nears, the Architect of its Triumphant PR Campaign Reflects on its Lessons
Rally International Public Affair's Mike Holtzman Was Named "PR Professional of the Year" for His Role in China's 2008 Games Bid NEW YORK, June 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- When Beijing won the hosting rights for the 2008 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games on July 13, 2001, it was a pivotal moment not only for the Olympic movement but in China's development, signaling the country's growing stature and readiness to be a major global player. Mike Holtzman, the architect behind the unlikely international public relations campaign that propelled China's historic win, was named "PR Professional of the Year" by PR Week Magazine in recognition of his sophisticated, globe-trotting strategy to build a new bridge between China and the world. Today, Holtzman reflects on his game plan, and the long term-impact the Games have had on China, sport, and the world. "At the time, there was a significant debate about whether the west should engage or isolate China, which was operating largely outside of global institutions and norms," said Holtzman. "I had just spent some time as an Advisor to the US Trade Ambassador helping anchor China to the west by joining the World Trade Organization, and the feeling was that hosting the Olympic Games would throw open a window on China, get them further bound to the rule of law, and on the track to modernization." Holtzman, who now leads Rally International Public Affair's roster of international clients across the developing world, was a young executive with PR powerhouse Weber Shandwick when the Chinese, facing serious diplomatic headwinds to its nascent 2008 Olympic Games bid, came knocking. Beijing had lost a previous bid for the 2000 Games due to geopolitical factors. "The Olympic Games are not about politics, but friendship. Still, a nation's bid does not exist in a vacuum," Holtzman said. "There needed to be this undertone that hosting the Olympics would somehow change China for the better. This would give IOC voters and critics a reason to champion the Chinese bid. Paris (another 2008 competitor) would always be Paris, but a vote for China could change history." A team of professionals was assembled —including the global sport marketing team of Terrence Burns and George Hirthler, who were among the creative forces behind Atlanta's successful bid for the 1996 Games, plus sports branding specialist Jon Tibbs in the United Kingdom, to deliver this message of change to a skeptical global community. "China was the second most populous country in the world and had never carried the torch of the Games. Tens of millions of young Chinese had never been imbued with the values of Olympism," Holtzman said. "This made a very compelling case to the International Olympic Committee." When framed as an opportunity to spread and achieve the ideals of the Games and to modernize China, support for the bid grew, even among critics. "When the Dalai Lama and Luciano Pavarotti both jumped on board, we knew we had a winning message," Holtzman laughs. But what of the end game, where today's modernized China is now a global economic power and seen by some as a geopolitical competitor? "The Olympic movement did its job. The Games helped open China and allow the world in. They served as a catalyst for lasting change in Beijing's physical infrastructure and environmental sustainability. The question today, as it was then, is, 'what will you do with this newfound goodwill and clout? How will you use it?' And that is a question for others to answer." Media Contact:Julia@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Rally International Public Affairs
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
As an Historic Olympic Games Milestone Nears, the Architect of its Triumphant PR Campaign Reflects on its Lessons
Rally International Public Affair's Mike Holtzman Was Named "PR Professional of the Year" for His Role in China's 2008 Games Bid NEW YORK, June 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- When Beijing won the hosting rights for the 2008 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games on July 13, 2001, it was a pivotal moment not only for the Olympic movement but in China's development, signaling the country's growing stature and readiness to be a major global player. Mike Holtzman, the architect behind the unlikely international public relations campaign that propelled China's historic win, was named "PR Professional of the Year" by PR Week Magazine in recognition of his sophisticated, globe-trotting strategy to build a new bridge between China and the world. Today, Holtzman reflects on his game plan, and the long term-impact the Games have had on China, sport, and the world. "At the time, there was a significant debate about whether the west should engage or isolate China, which was operating largely outside of global institutions and norms," said Holtzman. "I had just spent some time as an Advisor to the US Trade Ambassador helping anchor China to the west by joining the World Trade Organization, and the feeling was that hosting the Olympic Games would throw open a window on China, get them further bound to the rule of law, and on the track to modernization." Holtzman, who now leads Rally International Public Affair's roster of international clients across the developing world, was a young executive with PR powerhouse Weber Shandwick when the Chinese, facing serious diplomatic headwinds to its nascent 2008 Olympic Games bid, came knocking. Beijing had lost a previous bid for the 2000 Games due to geopolitical factors. "The Olympic Games are not about politics, but friendship. Still, a nation's bid does not exist in a vacuum," Holtzman said. "There needed to be this undertone that hosting the Olympics would somehow change China for the better. This would give IOC voters and critics a reason to champion the Chinese bid. Paris (another 2008 competitor) would always be Paris, but a vote for China could change history." A team of professionals was assembled —including the global sport marketing team of Terrence Burns and George Hirthler, who were among the creative forces behind Atlanta's successful bid for the 1996 Games, plus sports branding specialist Jon Tibbs in the United Kingdom, to deliver this message of change to a skeptical global community. "China was the second most populous country in the world and had never carried the torch of the Games. Tens of millions of young Chinese had never been imbued with the values of Olympism," Holtzman said. "This made a very compelling case to the International Olympic Committee." When framed as an opportunity to spread and achieve the ideals of the Games and to modernize China, support for the bid grew, even among critics. "When the Dalai Lama and Luciano Pavarotti both jumped on board, we knew we had a winning message," Holtzman laughs. But what of the end game, where today's modernized China is now a global economic power and seen by some as a geopolitical competitor? "The Olympic movement did its job. The Games helped open China and allow the world in. They served as a catalyst for lasting change in Beijing's physical infrastructure and environmental sustainability. The question today, as it was then, is, 'what will you do with this newfound goodwill and clout? How will you use it?' And that is a question for others to answer." Media Contact:Julia@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Rally International Public Affairs Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
