Sim Sim Wissgott

Journalist/sports writer, formerly AFP and CGTN, roaming the globe from Switzerland to China via Singapore, LA, London and Vienna. Views my own etc...

[Sim Sim Wissgott @SimSimWissgott]

These are the changes to the Olympic programme for Alpes 2030 in France. Freeride has been added 👍, and several team events.
#winterolympics #ioc #freeride #nordiccombined

[Sim Sim Wissgott @SimSimWissgott]

The IOC has spoken. Alpine snowboard stays, Nordic combined is out. Yikes.
#ioc #olympics #nordiccombined #snowboard

[Sim Sim Wissgott @SimSimWissgott]

The #IOC's statement is all about #genderequality. Then why not add women's #Nordiccombined to the programme as the athletes have been pushing for for years? Instead, they're completely removing a discipline that has featured at #WinterOlympics from the very start. Mind-boggling.

[Sim Sim Wissgott @SimSimWissgott]

Interesting images already while the ballots were being tallied: Alexander Ospelt surrounded by delegates and athletes' representatives, chatting away happily, while Johan Eliasch stood next to his seat, looking very isolated. #FIS #Belgrade

[Sim Sim Wissgott @SimSimWissgott]

Outgoing FIS President Johan Eliasch is not prepared to go quietly.
"I did hear from many that outside organisations - I'll be straight to the point, the #IOC - tried to influence the outcome of today's vote", he said right after the vote.
#FIS #Olympics #alpineskiing #Belgrade

[Sim Sim Wissgott @SimSimWissgott]

That was close!! The election for the new FIS president came down to the wire:
- 65 votes for Liechtenstein's Alexander Ospelt
- 64 votes for incumbent Johan Eliasch
#FIS #alpineskiing #snowsports

[Mohamad Bazzi @BazziNYU]

Meanwhile, some Western journalists and outlets reinforce the worst colonial traditions of legacy media, which view Western (often meaning White) journalists as the sole arbiters of truth who can provide full and impartial news coverage out of Gaza:

[Sim Sim Wissgott @SimSimWissgott]

Interesting point by @BazziNYU. Calls for foreign media to be allowed back in Gaza are important but also problematic, assuming local reporters can't report fairly or accurately, and only Western journalists can do so (while relying heavily on local fixers+ interpreters...)

[Sim Sim Wissgott @SimSimWissgott]

More journalists have been killed in Gaza than in the US civil war, both world wars, the Korean war, the Vietnam war, the wars in Yugoslavia and the US war in Afghanistan combined
#brown #cpj #Gaza #israel #JournalismIsNotACrime #MediaCoverage

https://t.co/T9Z7IKRHxf

[Sim Sim Wissgott @SimSimWissgott]

Despicable.

https://t.co/o7Z8yQuFzV

[Sim Sim Wissgott @SimSimWissgott]

Gaza 2025. Hiroshima 1945.
Humanity has learnt nothing.

Powerful images from @guardian
https://t.co/ESpvaV0wJq
#Hiroshima80 #Gaza

[Sim Sim Wissgott @SimSimWissgott]

Shocking, frankly.

https://t.co/x6YSewngPm

[Sim Sim Wissgott @SimSimWissgott]

#DRCongo is one of the 5 poorest nations in the world, acc. to @WorldBank. 73.5% of Congolese live on less than $2.15/day, millions displaced, violence, insecurity. But let's spend €40 million on sponsorship of @FCBarcelona. And also @AS_Monaco + @acmilan.
#sportswashing

[Sim Sim Wissgott @SimSimWissgott]

Also, gun registration only via authorised vendors, and bans on possession in case of suspicious activity and in cases of domestic abuse.
Just goes to show, it *is* possible to do something. Might be a small step, but it's a step.
#Graz #schoolshooting #gunlaws #Austria

[Sim Sim Wissgott @SimSimWissgott]

One week after the school shooting in #Graz, the Austrian govt passed new restrictions on accessing firearms. Among others:
- age raised for certain weapons
- longer waiting times
- time limit for permits
- better checks + data exchange with authorities
(1/2)

[Sim Sim Wissgott @SimSimWissgott]

Also a rare case of political unity (or at least lack of bickering): chancellor + interior minister (conservative People's Party), education minister (liberal NEOS), Styria governor (far-right FPÖ) and Graz mayor (Communist party). Probably won't last, but fascinating. #graz1006

[Sim Sim Wissgott @SimSimWissgott]

Press conference in #Graz didn't tell us much but you know what, that's ok. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner made clear: facts, not speculation. Investigation is still ongoing. Happens so rarely nowadays.

[Alexander Van der Bellen @vanderbellen]

Heute Nachmittag beginnt eine dreit��gige Staatstrauer.

Die Präsidentschaftskanzlei hat die Flagge der Republik auf halbmast gesetzt.

[Sim Sim Wissgott @SimSimWissgott]

Austria's national football team will be wearing black armbands when they play #SanMarino tonight. There will also be a minute of silence.

https://t.co/VsjyjdESAw

@oefb1904 @FSGC_official
#graz #worldcup2026 #qualifier #smraut

[Sim Sim Wissgott @SimSimWissgott]

Pleased to see a lot of restraint in Austrian coverage of the #Graz school shooting so far. ORF has had rolling coverage for the past couple of hours, but experts have over and over made clear that too little is still known and refused to speculate. Refreshing.

[Sim Sim Wissgott @SimSimWissgott]

Austrian interior ministry has also asked that pics and videos not be posted on social media but instead uploaded to a database. #graz

Infos here: https://t.co/KSFyZQuLUY

[Polizei Steiermark @PolizeiStmk]

#graz1006 Für Angehörige und Betroffene wurde ein Callcenter eingerichtet: [phone] 📞