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Welcome to (ITG), your premier source for sports news, with a particular focus on Olympic sports

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The World Karate Federation has completed its first eight-week “Guardian Girls Karate” empowerment programme in Australia, hosted at Griffith University on the Gold Coast near Brisbane.

The initiative brought together women for training focused on self-defence techniques, confidence building and responses to gender-based violence, reinforcing Australia’s growing role as a leading hub for the WKF’s global empowerment network.

📷: WKF
https://t.co/sSndURFYNi

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US Senator Chuck Schumer has urged IOC President Kirsty Coventry to include women’s Nordic combined in future Winter Olympic Games, describing its absence as a “historical mistake.”

In a formal letter, Schumer highlighted the success of female athletes on the World Cup and World Championship circuits and argued that the only Winter Olympic discipline without a women’s event should finally achieve full gender inclusion ahead of French Alps 2030 and beyond.

📷: Getty Images
https://t.co/E96yUowk5Q

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TNT Sports has expanded its plans for Glasgow 2026 by partnering with Channel 5 to increase Commonwealth Games coverage across the United Kingdom.

While TNT Sports and HBO Max will provide live coverage of every medal event, Channel 5 will serve as the free-to-air English-language partner, offering daily highlights to help bring the Games to a wider audience.

📷: Getty Images
https://t.co/u5MoNoo9v5

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International hockey is building momentum ahead of the World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands this August, with June set to feature crucial competitions across the global calendar.

FIH Nations Cup tournaments in South Africa and New Zealand, alongside a key block of Pro League matches in Europe, will offer teams valuable preparation, ranking opportunities and qualification stakes as they fine-tune their form for the sport’s biggest stage.

📷: Getty Images
https://t.co/1eTFfZpbjy

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Russian Sports Minister and Russian Olympic Committee president Mikhail Degtyarev has called on the IOC to complete the reintegration of Russian athletes into international sport.

Speaking at the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, Degtyarev said he expects Russian competitors to return fully under their national flag and anthem within the next two years, and praised IOC President Kirsty Coventry while urging an end to restrictions imposed in 2022.

https://t.co/3spQ0LCSFH

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LA28 has entered a new operational phase following a three-day visit from the IOC Coordination Commission, which reviewed progress and key delivery plans for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Organisers highlighted advances in ticketing, volunteer recruitment, procurement, legacy programmes and community initiatives, as preparations shift from planning and design toward full operational delivery.

📷: Getty Images
https://t.co/nROw2m9MJp

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Iran’s World Cup preparations remain in logistical uncertainty despite confirmation of entry clearance into Mexico for its training base.

According to reports, the Iranian delegation has secured visas processed through the Mexican Embassy for all squad members, but travel plans remain on hold amid unresolved diplomatic tensions affecting final arrangements ahead of the tournament.

The situation leaves preparations in limbo despite initial assurances that entry procedures had been fully completed.

📷: Getty Images
https://t.co/whhyZqPicT

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The Qatar Olympic Committee has appointed Fatima Sultan Al Kuwari as CEO to lead the country’s bid for the 2036 Summer Olympics, as it steps up preparations for a potential first Games in the Middle East.

While Qatar highlights its sporting infrastructure and experience hosting major events, its Olympic ambitions are expected to face continued international scrutiny over human rights and labour conditions.

📷: QATAR OLYMPIC COMMITTEE
https://t.co/3HDfUNseTU

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LA28 organising committee chair Casey Wasserman has said he will not step down despite political pressure from Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and controversy surrounding his name appearing in the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Speaking after an IOC coordination commission visit to Los Angeles, Wasserman reaffirmed his position leading preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games, while also suggesting that Russia and Belarus could potentially return to Olympic competition.

📷: Getty Images
https://t.co/5z7uKI5xmV

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The International Fencing Federation and the IOC have teamed up to support athletes beyond their competitive careers through an Athlete365 Career+ workshop focused on personal development and career planning.

Held online, the programme brought together fencers from five continents to explore their strengths, values and future opportunities both within and outside sport.

https://t.co/2d2axyg3FI

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The Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) has unanimously approved its 2025 financial accounts and 2026 budget during its Ordinary General Assembly in Madrid.

Despite challenges linked to reduced revenue from global Olympic sponsorship agreements, the COE said it maintained all key programmes and activities, while also honouring María Pérez and Jordi Ribera with its highest distinction.

https://t.co/V3hZkhFKJ1

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Glasgow 2026 is now less than 50 days away, with organisers unveiling a fleet of specially branded shuttle buses ahead of the Commonwealth Games.

The event, running from 23 July to 2 August, will bring together around 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories, with transport provider First Travel Solutions helping move athletes, officials and stakeholders across the city.

📷: GLASGOW 2026/Craig Watson
https://t.co/aHb0Ue4Q8A

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The French Alps 2030 organisers are reportedly reworking plans for the closing ceremony after Nice’s withdrawal from hosting ice events forced a wider redesign of the Winter Games map.

Briançon, Serre-Ponçon and Marseille are now being considered as potential alternatives, following the shift of key ice disciplines to Lyon amid political and logistical disputes in the south of France.

📷: Getty Images
https://t.co/pMwjf45Brl

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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has advanced to the November runoff in the city’s mayoral race, keeping her in contention to oversee preparations for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Bass, who received the Olympic flag during the Paris 2024 handover ceremony, has worked closely with Games organisers, while challengers continue to question the city’s readiness and capacity to manage the event alongside ongoing social and environmental challenges.

📷: Getty Images
https://t.co/xZDU8hxcFa

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Hamburg’s rejection of an Olympic bid has reshaped Germany’s internal race to host the 2036, 2040 or 2044 Games, leaving Munich, Berlin and the Rhine-Ruhr region in contention for national backing.

A referendum saw 54.9% of voters oppose the plan, with city officials confirming the bid’s withdrawal and acknowledging strong public concerns over costs, security and long-term legacy.

📷: Getty Images
https://t.co/U35n67S05O

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Khalidov-Yallyev adds intrigue to IBA PRO 19.

The two Russian cruiserweight rivals will further boost the International Boxing Association's professional boxing event in Moscow on 11 July, headlined by the World heavyweight Championship clash between Murat Gassiev and Tony Yoka.

https://t.co/rn3I8Purk6

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UK Athletics has been fined £350,000 following the death of Paralympian Abdullah Hayayei, who was killed in a training accident in London in 2017 when a throwing cage collapsed.

A judge described the incident as “tragic, untimely and wholly avoidable”, while former UKA head of sport Keith Davies received a 175-hour community service order for his role in overseeing the equipment.

📷: Getty Images
https://t.co/8XskwiSm2E

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Nice mayor Éric Ciotti has defended the likely transfer of Alps 2030 ice events to Lyon, arguing the move saves the city €150 million in public spending rather than costing it an Olympic opportunity.

The comments deepen a growing political dispute with regional president Renaud Muselier, who blames Ciotti for jeopardising years of planning and contributing to the relocation of key Winter Games competitions.

📷: Getty Images
https://t.co/TbXavjlfDv

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The International Fencing Federation (FIE) has lifted sanctions on Russian and Belarusian athletes, allowing them to compete under their national flags, anthems, uniforms and country acronyms.

The decision will take effect from the 2026 Senior World Championships in Hong Kong, with the FIE citing the Olympic Charter’s principles of non-discrimination, equal treatment and the universality of sport.

https://t.co/xurHZUWPZs

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Barcelona has honoured former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch 16 years after his death, with a ceremony attended by King Felipe VI, sporting leaders and political representatives.

Held on Montjuïc, the heart of the Barcelona 1992 Olympics, the tribute celebrated Samaranch’s pivotal role in bringing the Games to the city and shaping the modern Olympic Movement.

https://t.co/D2zseamqhQ