Latest news with #SebastianCoe
The Independent
11-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
IOC leaders praise Los Angeles amid unrest in 2028 Olympics host city
Olympic officials meeting Wednesday in Switzerland took a calm, longer view of the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles after days of images of deployed military and burning cars on the host city's streets. IOC president Thomas Bach praised the strength of the city's community and the umbrella group of 36 sports that Los Angeles will host in just over three years' time also expressed faith in a shared wish of all levels of government to unite for the Olympic project. 'With regard to LA, we have the full support of the president of the United States and the governor of California and the mayor of Los Angeles for the success of these Olympic Games,' Bach told The Associated Press on Wednesday. That despite President Donald Trump suggesting this week he would support the arrest of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has pushed back hard on federal government officials in the wake of an immigration crackdown that ignited tensions in the city. The U.S. government has deployed National Guard and Marines in the city where police have used rubber bullets and tear gas — a repeat of June 2013 scenes that flared in Rio de Janeiro three years before the Brazilian city hosted the Olympics. London also saw turmoil on the streets exactly one year before it hosted the 2012 Summer Games, provoked by a police shooting in a neighborhood close to some Olympic venues. 'These are the ups and downs' for Olympics organizers, said Sebastian Coe who led the London organizing team from its bid through to hosting successful Summer Games and Paralympics. 'You just have to roll with it' 'I spend a lot of time there," Coe, who owns a home in Los Angeles, told the AP on Wednesday. 'The problem is with 24-hour circulating news you see the same car burning every 20 minutes. It tends to make people think your whole city is up (in flames). And it's not.' Bach and Coe, the president of track and field's World Athletics, spoke on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the Summer Games sports bodies group, known by the acronym ASOIF. It got an update from a two-person delegation from Los Angeles. The 'ultimate priority right now' for the LA organizing team is finalizing the daily schedule of competition events in 2028, Nico Campriani, its vice president of sports told delegates. Leaders of the 36 Olympic sports had no follow-up questions on current events in the city. 'The IOC cannot comment on domestic political controversies,' Bach told the AP, citing the Olympic body's policy of neutrality. 'It's a strong city,' said the IOC leader whose presidency ends in 12 days' time. 'You saw this in the reaction after the wildfires where then the Olympic Games were also considered by the community as a catalyst for the rebuilding.' Bach will be formally succeeded June 23 in Lausanne by Kirsty Coventry, the Olympic gold medalist swimmer and now-former sports minister of Zimbabwe, who won an election in March to be president through 2033. A priority for the first female and African president in the IOC's 131-year history will be planning a meeting with President Trump. Federal government guarantees on funding security and processing visas for the July 14-July 30 games in 2028, and subsequent Paralympics, were needed to be awarded the Olympics in 2017 during the first Trump administration. Putting faith in LA 2028 and IOC leaders, ASOIF president Ingmar de Vos insisted they would 'do the necessary' work in ongoing relationships with all levels of government. 'I am also believing very strongly in the state and the city and the people of Los Angeles,' De Vos said. 'They want these games.'
Dubai Eye
23-05-2025
- Business
- Dubai Eye
Two-time Olympic champion steps in as sports advisor at Dubai's new flagship school
Two-time Olympic gold medallist and President of World Athletics, Sebastian Coe, will step in as special advisor for sports at the flagship GEMS School of Research and Innovation that will open in August. Coe will bring his vast experience in elite sport and youth development to support the school's vision, said Gems in a statement. In his advisory role, Coe will work with the school's senior leadership team to ensure that excellence in physical education and wellbeing is fully integrated into the learning experience, supporting students to build confidence, resilience, and lifelong health and physical habits. 'The facilities and ambition at SRI are world-class. But more importantly, the vision to develop well-rounded global citizens who understand teamwork, perseverance, and personal bests is one I wholeheartedly share," he said. The school, pegged as the "most expensive", features state-of-the -art facilities, including a 400m track, 50m Olympic-standard swimming pool, FIFA-standard elevated football pitch, and a world-class gymnasium. Coe's "experience will be invaluable in shaping a truly integrated and future-ready education at the GEMS School of Research and Innovation," highlighted Sunny Varkey, Chairman and Founder of GEMS Education. The school earlier announced the appointment of former UK foreign secretary William Hague, former Chief Inspector of Ofsted Amanda Spielman, and former UK Minister of State for Schools Nick Gibb in advisory roles.
Qatar Tribune
07-05-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
beIN secures exclusive rights to World Athletics Championships until 2027
World Athletics has signed a three-year agreement with beIN MEDIA GROUP ('beIN') for the global sports, entertainment, and media group to have exclusive rights to broadcast the World Athletics Championships in 24 countries across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The agreement will run until 2027 and see beIN SPORTS, the group's flagship sports channels, broadcast 12 events. Under the agreement, beIN will broadcast an exciting line-up of competitions, which started with the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25 last month. It is followed by the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 from 10 to 11 May 2025. Fans can also look forward to the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, from 13 to 21 September 2025 and the World Athletics Road Running Championships. In 2026, beIN will continue to deliver a packed calendar of world-class competitions, including premier athletics events such as the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, USA, the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland, the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, USA, and the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark. beIN will also broadcast the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships and the World Athletics Relays in 2026, before returning to China in 2027 with the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Yangzhou and the World Athletics Championships in Beijing. Mohammad Al Subaie, CEO of beIN MENA, said: 'Securing the rights for the World Athletics Championships across 24 countries in MENA is another significant strategic achievement for beIN and one that reinforces our commitment to providing world-class coverage of diverse sports to our extensive regional audience. We now look forward to working with World Athletics to bringing the excitement of athletics directly to new and current athletics fans throughout the region.' World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: 'We are delighted to have beIN SPORTS as our exclusive broadcaster for World Athletics Series Events in the Middle East and North Africa. beIN is renowned worldwide for the quality of its sports coverage and can help athletics reach new and existing fans in key markets for us in Africa and the Middle East. We look forward to working with them to bring our World Athletics Series events to the MENA region for the next few years.'Agreement grants beIN SPORTS broadcast rights to 12 showpiece events across 24 MENA countries
Broadcast Pro
06-05-2025
- Business
- Broadcast Pro
World Athletics strikes exclusive broadcast deal with BeIN Media Group
BeIN Sports secures three-year deal to broadcast 12 major athletics events across 24 MENA nations. World Athletics has entered into a three-year exclusive broadcast agreement with beIN Media Group, granting the network rights to air the World Athletics Championships and other major competitions across 24 countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The deal, which runs through 2027, ensures that fans in the region can follow 12 top-tier athletics events via beIN Sports, the group's sports network. The partnership kicked off with the broadcast of the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25 last month and continues with the upcoming World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China, set for 10–11 May 2025. The highlight of the calendar will be the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, scheduled for 13–21 September 2025. The agreement also includes coverage of the World Athletics Road Running Championships. In 2026, beIN Sports will continue its coverage of elite global athletics, including the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Torun and the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene. Viewers will also have access to the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen, as well as the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships and the World Athletics Relays. The partnership will culminate in 2027 with two major events in China—the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Yangzhou and the World Athletics Championships in Beijing. Mohammad Al-Subaie, CEO of beIN MENA, said: 'Securing the rights for the World Athletics Championships across 24 countries in MENA is another significant strategic achievement for beIN and one that reinforces our commitment to providing world-class coverage of diverse sports to our extensive regional audience. We now look forward to working with World Athletics to bringing the excitement of athletics directly to new and current athletics fans throughout the region.' World Athletics President Sebastian Coe added: 'We are delighted to have beIN Sports as our exclusive broadcaster for World Athletics Series Events in the Middle East and North Africa. BeIN is renowned worldwide for the quality of its sports coverage and can help athletics reach new and existing fans in key markets for us in Africa and the Middle East. We look forward to working with them to bring our World Athletics Series events to the MENA region for the next few years.'
News.com.au
01-05-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Trans women barred from women's football by English, Scottish FAs
Transgender women will no longer be able to play in women's football from June 1, England's governing Football Association announced Thursday. The FA said it had updated its policy following last month's UK Supreme Court ruling regarding the Equality Act. The Scottish Football Association said Thursday it would also implement a similar ban from the start of its 2025/26 season. These new rule changes will apply to all women's football at amateur and professional levels in both countries. The English FA's transgender inclusion policy had been updated just before the Supreme Court ruling, and continued to allow transgender women to play in women's football provided they reduced testosterone levels. Those rule changes gave the FA discretion on whether to allow a trans woman to play, with consideration given to issues of safety and fairness. Now though, the FA has redrawn its policy and barred trans women from the women's game after the Supreme Court, the UK's highest court, ruled the legal definition of a "woman" is based on a person's sex at birth and does not include transgender women who hold a gender recognition certificate. "We understand that this will be difficult for people who simply want to play the game they love in the gender by which they identify, and we are contacting the registered transgender women currently playing to explain the changes and how they can continue to stay involved in the game," the FA said in a statement. In a separate announcement, the SFA said: "As a gender-affected sport, the Scottish FA board has determined that from the start of season 2025/26 only biological females will be permitted to play in competitive girls' and women's football which is governed by the Scottish FA." - 'Fairness and safety' - Fiona McAnena, director of campaigns at the charity Sex Matters, welcomed the ruling at the time, saying it was crucial for fairness and safety. "The judges mentioned fairness in sport," she told Britain's Press Association. "The law was always clear that everyone male can be excluded to provide fair, safe sport for women and girls, but some people claimed it was unkind or complicated to do so. "It's neither of those -- it's essential for fairness and safety for everyone female." Transgender participation has become a hot issue as different sports try to balance inclusivity with ensuring fair competition. International governing bodies in a number of sports including cycling, swimming and athletics have tightened policies to effectively ban transgender competitors, in some cases amid fears of possible legal action should a biological woman be injured by a trans competitor. Sebastian Coe, the president of World Athletics, has been outspoken about "protecting" the female category. The British track great, a double Olympic 1500 metres champion, made defending women's sport a key plank of his unsuccessful bid to succeed Thomas Bach as president of the International Olympic Committee. In March, World Athletics said it had introduced a cheek swab test to determine if an athlete is biologically female. "It's important to do it because it maintains... not just talking about the integrity of female women's sport, but actually guaranteeing it," said Coe. Meanwhile, Donald Trump's administration has said it will only recognise two sexes, male and female, and the US president signed an executive order seeking to ban transgender athletes from participating in women's sports.
