Davide Tizzano, the President of the Mediterranean Games and a two-time Olympic gold medalist in rowing, has died. Tizzano dedicated the latter years of his life to strengthening the Mediterranean Games, holding the presidency since 2021. He was a celebrated athlete, winning gold in the men’s quadruple sculls at Seoul 1988 and the men’s double sculls at Atlanta 1996, and also achieved world titles in rowing and sailing. His passing marks a significant loss for the Mediterranean sporting community.

Former Chinese Winter Olympic gold medalist and current WADA Vice President Yang Yang shared her excitement for the upcoming Milano Cortina Winter Games. She emphasized WADA's role in ensuring clean sports through independent observation and athlete education, and expressed optimism about record-breaking participation and viewership driven by social media and technology. Yang also highlighted the importance of athlete role models in inspiring younger generations to participate in winter sports, referencing the legacy of facilities from the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Portuguese judoka Patricia Sampaio has achieved a historic milestone by finishing the 2025 season as the world number one in the -78kg category. This marks the first time a Portuguese judoka has topped the senior world rankings at year-end. Sampaio's success follows significant technical improvements and a transformative experience at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where she secured a bronze medal. She attributes her rise to mental fortitude, a stable coaching environment, and constant adaptation to challenging rivals.

Kirsty Coventry's first year as IOC president has been marked by a 'Pause and Reflection' period, leading to structural reforms like the 'Ready for the Future' initiative and dedicated working groups focused on youth games, the Olympic program, commercial partnerships, and athlete welfare. She has prioritized listening to members, reassessing processes like host city selection, and strengthening ties with key partners like China. Key decisions include ending collaboration with Saudi Arabia for the Olympic Esports Games and allowing Individual Neutral Athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete at Milano Cortina 2026. The upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar represent significant tests for her administration.

Noah Lyles, the reigning Olympic 100m champion, argues that athletics needs to cultivate more authentic rivalries with compelling narratives to better engage audiences. He believes simply competing repeatedly against the same athlete isn't enough, emphasizing the importance of history, purpose, and intention in creating memorable matchups, drawing comparisons to iconic rivalries in other sports like Ali vs. Frazier and Messi vs. Ronaldo. Lyles advocates for storytelling and emotional engagement to elevate the sport and create a unique experience for fans, particularly looking ahead to Los Angeles 2028.