Coventry recalled that the IOC is not meant to take positions on matters of sovereignty or on government decisions, but it is responsible for ensuring that the Games preserve their universal character. Within that framework, she argued that sport has the ability to “bring together people from very different cultures and visions”, an idea that directly connects with the ongoing debate about the real scope of Olympic neutrality and the room for manoeuvre the institution has when facing external pressure.

In that context, Coventry also spoke about building a “fit for the future” Olympic movement, a concept that goes hand in hand with the need to correct and repair a significant part of the decisions taken in previous years, which still condition the organisation’s present and future.

The uncertainty over the lack of dialogue with Donald Trump

One of the points that drew the most attention was the confirmation that, so far, there has been no formal communication between the IOC and Donald Trump in relation to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Coventry acknowledged that the organisation has been aware of some institutional moves in the United States, but admitted that no direct contact has taken place at the highest level.

That silence raises an inevitable question: is it reasonable that, at this stage, there is still no clear channel of dialogue with the president of the host country of Games involving more than 200 delegations? The lack of direct communication adds an element of uncertainty in an international context that is increasingly sensitive to political decisions that may ultimately affect organisation, the mobility of delegations and the public perception of the event.

The mistake of excluding countries and athletes

At the same time, the reaction of the always proactive president of the European Weightlifting Federation –EWF– and founder of Sport Above Politics, Astrit Hasani, reinforces a critical reading of some decisions taken in the past by the Olympic movement. In an open letter published on Sport Above Politics, Hasani directly appealed to the responsibility of the IOC to prevent athletes from paying the consequences of political conflicts they do not control and that lie outside their sphere of decision.

“Sport must be a neutral, inclusive and fair space for all athletes, regardless of their origin”, Hasani stressed, insisting that collective exclusions generate more division than solutions and undermine the credibility of sporting institutions.

An IOC constrained by previous decisions

The debate is not new. The exclusion of countries or the imposition of intermediate formulas allowing athletes to compete under neutral flags has left internal scars and opened a complex precedent to manage. Many leaders believe that those decisions, taken in contexts of political urgency, continue to condition today the IOC’s ability to act with coherence and firmness in defence of its own principles.

In this scenario, Coventry’s message about the unifying power of sport and Hasani’s call not to repeat past mistakes converge on the same idea: Olympism needs to recover room for manoeuvre and credibility if it is to remain a real meeting point among nations. There was previously a different geopolitical context from the current one, and it is the IOC that must demonstrate its evolution and its chameleon-like capacity to win this race with its philosophy and Olympic spirit… not only for the IOC itself, but also to lead, through sport, a global platform for peace under the flag of the Olympic rings.

The question that remains in the air is whether the IOC will be able to unlock that legacy of restrictive decisions with today’s world leaders and, at the same time, establish the necessary channels of dialogue with key political actors before tensions once again spill over into the sporting arena.

The post The ballast the IOC carries with geopolitics and past decisions appeared first on sportsin.biz.

Looking back and analysing 2025 is, in Jeremic’s words, the best way to understand why this transformation was inevitable. “2025 was a year of extraordinary growth and consolidation for AIDA. With record figures for athlete participation and unprecedented country representation at the World Championships in Japan and Cyprus, AIDA once again confirmed its position as the leading global organization for freediving and apnea”.

A global sport in full expansion

The figures support that message. Freediving, for years perceived as a niche discipline, is now a sport with worldwide reach. “In 2025 alone, more than 350 AIDA competitions were held in over 50 countries, involving more than 6,000 athletes across all continents”, Jeremic explains. For the federation, this expansion is not just a matter of volume. “This global growth was accompanied by exceptional performance levels, with athletes from very diverse regions achieving top international results under AIDA regulations”.

At the centre of all this growth lies a non-negotiable principle: safety. Jeremic insists on this repeatedly, not as a slogan, but as a structural pillar. “One of the key focuses throughout the year was athlete safety”, she underlines. “Through sponsored and organised safety training programmes in the main freediving centres around the world, AIDA ensured the highest safety standards, allowing athletes to perform at their best”. The outcome of this approach is tangible: “This resulted in 10 new official AIDA World Records in 2025 and the registration of national records in 127 countries, over 33 years of existence”.

Regulations, science and integrity

That long-term vision was also reflected in regulatory evolution. In January 2025, AIDA introduced updated competition rules and new criteria for World Record-status events. According to Jeremic, the logic was clear: “These changes reflect a proactive philosophy, anticipating the evolving needs of the sport rather than merely reacting to incidents”. Behind these decisions lies constant scientific work that is rarely visible. “This progress was made possible thanks to continuous investment in medical and scientific research led by the AIDA Medical Committee and its associated researchers”.

Sporting integrity is another key pillar. “The fight for clean sport and fair play was another priority”, states the AIDA president. Collaboration with the World Anti-Doping Agency went beyond formalities. “In cooperation with WADA, AIDA participated in studies analysing substances not officially banned, but with potential performance-enhancing effects in apnea”. At the same time, the sport’s visibility took a significant step forward. “Sustained investment in promotion and close cooperation with athletes significantly increased the sport’s visibility. In 2025, apnea achieved greater exposure across major media outlets and online sports platforms worldwide”.

An ambitious calendar for 2026

All of this provides the foundation for approaching 2026, a year that AIDA faces with “great ambition and a clear vision”. The calendar is already defined, with two major events marked in red. “The AIDA Pool World Championships will take place in Budapest, Hungary, in early June 2026, and the AIDA Depth World Championships will be held in Limassol, Cyprus, in late September 2026”, Jeremic reveals.

But the roadmap goes beyond those events. “Under the World Apnea brand, we will focus on developing continental-level competitions with World Record status”, she explains. The objective is to maintain a common standard. “These competitions will follow organisational and safety criteria equivalent to those of the World Championships, responding to the growing needs of regional freediving communities while maintaining global consistency”.

Athlete support and a new identity

Support for athletes remains a central axis. “AIDA will continue supporting athletes through prize funds and development grants”, Jeremic assures. And there is room for growth. “Together with our sponsors and partners, we want to continue increasing these resources and provide stronger support for athletes at all levels”.

All these elements converge in the concept that now defines the federation’s future: World Apnea. The change, Jeremic insists, does not represent a break with the past, but rather its natural evolution. “AIDA has been setting global standards for freediving and apnea since 1992. Founded as a non-profit organisation in Nice, France, AIDA was born from the vision of passionate freedivers who wanted to formalise and structure breath-hold diving as a sport”.

From AIDA to World Apnea

More than three decades later, that vision has grown exponentially. “Over the past 33 years, the work of several generations has shaped AIDA into what it is today: a global federation made up of 61 national member organisations, representing freediving and apnea worldwide”. The evolution towards World Apnea follows a path already taken by other sports. “Following the example of other international federations with similar scale and global presence, AIDA is evolving its public identity towards World Apnea. This step reflects the natural progression from sport development to full global representation”.

What truly matters, however, remains unchanged. “AIDA / World Apnea remains exclusively dedicated to freediving and apnea, maintaining its independence, expertise and long-standing commitment to athlete safety and sporting integrity”, she emphasises.

A responsible outlook and thanks to the community

When asked about more sensitive issues within the sport, including incidents that occurred outside the AIDA framework, Jeremic adopts a cautious tone. “Rather than focusing on specific incidents or organisations, I believe this matter has already been addressed through AIDA’s consistent emphasis on safety, athlete welfare and proactive governance. A global sports federation must always communicate with responsibility, balance and respect”.

She prefers to close with a message of collective recognition and an invitation to the future. “I would like to sincerely thank the entire freediving community –athletes, instructors, coaches, safety divers, doctors, scientists, photographers, videographers, journalists, media partners, sponsors, national representatives, volunteers, the AIDA team and all freediving fans– for their dedication and support throughout 2025”.

And the final message is clear. “I invite everyone to continue this journey with us in 2026, moving forward under the World Apnea vision and entering together the next chapter of freediving’s global development”.

The post World Apnea is born, the transformation of AIDA appeared first on sportsin.biz.

The vast geographical spread of Milano Cortina 2026 is not driven by a desire to grow, but by the opposite logic: to reduce impact. The project aligns with Olympic Agenda reforms, opting to adapt the Games to the territory rather than the other way around, reusing existing venues and avoiding unnecessary large-scale construction.

This approach was already seen in Paris 2024, where sport was integrated into the urban core through temporary venues. In Italy, the idea takes a different form: competitions are scattered across Alpine valleys, drawing on a deeply rooted winter tradition, with venues long accustomed to hosting World Cups and international championships.

Alpine tradition and organisational experience

Italy is often associated with the Mediterranean, art and historic cities, but its mountain identity is just as strong. “Mountain culture and winter sports are part of our DNA”, explains Andrea Varnier, CEO of the Organising Committee, recalling that the country has one of the largest Alpine areas in Europe.

That sporting heritage is matched by Milan’s experience as a major host of global events, from UEFA Champions League finals to Expo 2015, as well as the expertise built after Turin 2006. Part of the organising team returns to the Olympic stage and more than half of the 120,000 registered volunteers have already taken part in major international sporting events.

Returning to iconic venues

If the model is lighter, the symbolic impact of the venues will be anything but. Many events return to places considered true sanctuaries of their disciplines. “Many athletes will have the chance to win the ‘Wimbledon’ of their sport”, notes Pierre Ducrey, IOC Sports Director.

Anterselva, with more than half a century of biathlon history, Bormio and its demanding Stelvio slope, or the Olympia delle Tofane, the legendary “Queen of Speed” in Cortina, will once again act as unforgiving judges. Even the new Cortina Sliding Centre connects with the past, rising on the layout of a former track that once defined the town’s winter identity.

Competing where the public understands the sport

For athletes, these settings are far more than a backdrop. “There is nothing like competing in a venue full of spectators who understand your sport”, stresses Kaveh Mehrabi, Olympian and Director of the IOC Athletes’ Department, an experience he himself lived at Beijing 2008.

That connection between audience and discipline turns the Games into a kind of sporting pilgrimage. Even ski mountaineering, making its Olympic debut, will take place in the natural environment that shaped the sport, reinforcing the bond between sport, landscape and identity.

Milan, an urban laboratory for ice sports

Not all winter sports have deep roots in Italy, and that is where Milan comes into play. Ice disciplines will find their stage in a city accustomed to reinvention, blending industrial heritage, design and contemporary culture.

Speed skating will be held for the first time in a temporary venue inside the pavilions of Fiera Milano Rho, transformed into an Olympic oval. Ice hockey will occupy a new arena set to become one of the city’s major concert and entertainment venues after the Games.

A legacy designed for the day after

The urban vision extends to the Olympic Village, conceived from the outset to be transformed into student housing. The project will revitalise a former rail yard and give momentum to a neighbourhood aiming to establish itself as Milan’s next cultural hub.

“Milano Cortina 2026 tells a very beautiful story, with some sports returning to their natural homes in the mountains and others building new urban identities”, summarises Ducrey, underlining the balance between heritage and future that defines the project.

A logistical challenge with a shared spirit

Organising Games spread between snowy mountains and major cities involves clear logistical challenges. Each cluster will have its own Olympic Village and facilities, grouping sports and audiences, while still functioning as part of a single ecosystem.

“Even operating across such vast territories, everything will be under one spirit, one roof: that of the Olympic Games”, says Dubi, convinced that technology, shared ceremonies and cultural life in public squares will help Milan, Cortina, Livigno or Predazzo feel connected throughout the event.

This model also opens up new legacy opportunities. The Olympic footprint extends to small Alpine towns rarely seen on the global stage, showcasing landscapes such as the enrosadira of the Dolomites, high-altitude gastronomy in South Tyrol or the Roman baths of Bormio overlooking snow-covered peaks.

The post What makes Milano-Cortina 2026 unique appeared first on sportsin.biz.

This is one of the sporting stories that opens 2026, a year in which there is a clear need to reinforce morale, ethics and trust in established laws — in all areas — in order to continue growing as a global society. Scheduled to be held in Las Vegas (United States) between May 21 and 24, the Enhanced Games are backed by a group of private investors led by Australian entrepreneur Aron D’Souza, as well as the Apeiron investment group of Peter Thiel. They are presented as a parallel competition in which the use of performance-enhancing substances is permitted under medical supervision, including those approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration, the US federal agency responsible for regulating medicines and health products).

A project with well-known names

Prescod therefore joins a list that is already beginning to take shape. Earlier, British swimmer Ben Proud announced his participation. An Olympic silver medallist and one of the world’s leading sprint specialists, he was followed by other athletes mainly from swimming — such as Australian James Magnussen, a two-time world champion in the 100 metres freestyle, as well as an Olympic silver medallist and two-time bronze medallist — and from athletics, who have been confirming their involvement individually, according to the organisers.

These are not frustrated prospects, nor anonymous athletes seeking attention. They are athletes with strong résumés, Olympic finals, international medals and recognition within their disciplines. And with money already earned during their careers. The implicit message is as simple as it is dangerous: if the system no longer offers you more, the shortcut is always there.

Regulated doping, diluted values

The Enhanced Games are presented as a supposedly modern, “controlled”, almost sanitised alternative. Under the argument of medical supervision and pharmacological regulation, the core issue is dressed up: the normalisation of doping as a route to spectacle. This is not an evolution of sport. It is an explicit renunciation of its basic principles. Victory no longer goes to the most talented or the most dedicated, but to those willing to cross a line that for decades has been protected.

The response from traditional athletics comes as no surprise. Jack Buckner, chief executive of UK Athletics and a former Olympic athlete, described Prescod’s decision as “especially repugnant”. This is neither an outburst nor a corporatist reaction. It is the voice of someone who knows what it takes to train for years, to accept defeat, and to understand that success does not always come, even when things are done properly.

The message society receives

The problem is not only competitive, nor exclusively related to health, although the risks are evident and widely documented. The problem is cultural. What is society — and especially younger generations — being taught when doping is presented as a valid, regulated and even exciting option? What value do effort, patience and respect for shared rules then hold? Everything seems to be a faithful reflection of the moral climate currently visible in the streets at the very start of 2026.

Sport has always been an imperfect but necessary space. It has served to show that behind success there is invisible work, daily sacrifice and limits that should not be crossed. The Enhanced Games blow up that idea. They turn the athlete’s body into a laboratory and victory into a simple consequence of how far one is willing to push the machine, even if the cost comes later. And perhaps the most dangerous thing is that this is being sold as progress when, in reality, it looks far more like a collective surrender. The glare of the spotlight seems to blind some.

The post Enhanced Games, or the harsh reality of society to kick off 2026 appeared first on sportsin.biz.

During 2025, artificial intelligence stopped being a novelty and became a tool. There was no single foundational moment or headline that explained everything, but rather a series of small yet decisive advances. More accurate algorithms in performance analysis, increasingly refined predictive systems to prevent injuries, near-total automation in the generation of data, statistics and content. AI did not change sport, but it did change methodologies, how it is observed, measured and explained.

In many cases, the leap was not technological but cultural. Coaches, physical trainers, federations and media stopped asking whether they should use it and began to discuss how to do so without losing human judgement. Artificial intelligence began to coexist with intuition, not replace it (in the best of cases).

The limit is not technical, it is ethical

If anything has become clear after 2025, it is that the main brake on artificial intelligence in sport is not its capacity, but its legitimacy. To what extent is it acceptable for an algorithm to influence sporting decisions? Where does assistance end and unfair competitive advantage begin? What data can be used and which cannot?

The debate is no longer about whether AI can predict a performance peak or a possible injury, but about who controls that information, because there will always be clubs with more resources and federations with greater access to technology, leading to leagues that are more unequal at their starting point. Artificial intelligence threatens to amplify gaps that sport has spent decades trying to close thanks to the human component.

2026, the year of decisions

If 2025 was the year of adoption, 2026 is shaping up to be the year of structural decisions. Regulation, protocols, clear limits. Not so much to curb innovation, but to prevent it from overflowing. Sport, by definition, needs common rules to be recognisable as such and must never lose that human factor that connects it with society and with emotion (and if not, ask Formula 1, when in the past decade it became a predictable engineers’ sport with the human factor pushed aside).

In 2026 we will see to what extent artificial intelligence enters areas that have until now been protected: real-time refereeing beyond VAR, talent identification based almost exclusively on predictive models, calendar planning optimised for audiences rather than athletes. This is not science fiction. It is the next step given how this issue is progressing.

Revolution or dependence?

The big unknown is not what artificial intelligence can do, but what we want it to do for sport. It can improve athletes’ health, extend careers, reduce refereeing errors and enrich the fan experience. But it can also homogenise styles, turn the game into an excessively calculated product and reduce the margin for the unexpected (as happened to Formula 1… and which it is now trying to correct with new regulations).

The risk is not that AI gets it wrong, but that it is too right. That sport stops being a space of uncertainty and becomes a succession of well-executed probabilities.

In the end, artificial intelligence acts as a mirror of contemporary sport. It reflects its obsession with performance, its dependence on data, its ambition to grow and control every possible variable. The question is not whether artificial intelligence will go further, because it will. The question is whether sport will know how to decide how far to let it in without losing what makes it unpredictable, human and, precisely because of that, unrepeatable and passionate

The post What changes will artificial intelligence bring to sport in 2026? appeared first on sportsin.biz.

In traditional disciplines such as alpine skiing, athletes like Mikaela Shiffrin arrive as clear favourites after strong World Cup seasons, while in snow sports such as snowboard, riders with a proven medal record add both spectacle and international appeal. On the ice, ice hockey and figure skating feature world-class names, and in technical events such as short track or combined disciplines like biathlon, competition is expected to be particularly intense.

This article brings together a selection of leading stars and medal contenders by sport who could play a decisive role at Milano-Cortina 2026.

List of athletes to watch at Milano-Cortina 2026

Alpine skiing

• Mikaela Shiffrin — United States

• Lindsey Vonn — United States

• Sofia Goggia — Italy

• Federica Brignone — Italy

Snowboard and freestyle snow sports

• Chloe Kim — Snowboard halfpipe, United States

• Queralt Castellet — Snowboard, Spain

• Lucas Eguibar — Snowboard cross, Spain

• Nora Cornell — Snowboard slopestyle and big air, Spain

• Eileen Gu — Freestyle skiing, China

Ice sports: ice hockey and figure skating

• Sidney Crosby — Ice hockey, Canada

• Connor McDavid — Ice hockey, Canada

• Madison Chock and Evan Bates — Ice dance, United States

• Ilia Malinin — Figure skating, United States

• Tomás Guarino — Figure skating, Spain

Short track and speed skating

• William Dandjinou — Short track, Canada

• Arianna Fontana — Short track, Italy

• Nil Llop — Speed skating, Spain

• Daniel Milagros — Speed skating, Spain

• Jenning de Boo — Speed skating, Netherlands

Biathlon and combined events

• Quentin Fillon Maillet — Biathlon, France

Bobsleigh and sliding sports

• Kaillie Humphries — Bobsleigh, United States

Ski mountaineering

• Ana Alonso — Spain

• Oriol Cardona — Spain

• Ot Ferrer — Spain

Curling

• Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosaner — Italy

The post Some stars to watch at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games appeared first on sportsin.biz.

There are competitions that choose to stop and accept that rest is also part of high performance In this case, the engines of Formula 1 and MotoGP, among others, are switched off. So too are major competitions such as LaLiga, the Diamond League, major pool events, gymnastics, combat sports in the rings… It is not only a physical issue, but a cultural one: athletes, coaches and sports workers share the same work-life balance needs as the rest of society. In that gesture, there is a form of respect for shared time.

Other sports, on the other hand, find in these dates a unique opportunity: more free time, concentrated audiences, shared consumption. The best examples are the NFL, NBA or the Premier League. Sport then becomes part of the Christmas ritual, a natural extension of long lunches and the television left on. It does not compete against other events, but against silence itself.

From a Christmas Formula 1 GP to the Finalissima

And that is where the inevitable question arises: what would happen if a major sport decided to break that silence consciously? Not with an exhibition, but with real competition, titles at stake and intact hierarchies. A hypothetical Christmas Grand Prix, a speed final, a global match designed specifically for these days… Because, seeing how professional sport is evolving, it would not be far-fetched to see it happen in a few years.

Imagination offers almost impossible scenarios: Formula 1 in a Christmas time slot, MotoGP in frozen landscapes, a Christmas 100 metres sprint, a 50m freestyle swimming final decided on one of the last afternoons of the year, a football Finalissima (in this case Spain-Argentina) between continents when the world seems to stand still… Not as an empty spectacle, but as a central event.

The idea comes close to a kind of Christmas Olympic Games, compressed and selective. Few events, the most recognisable ones, only finals and only stars. A format designed to capture attention without diluting sporting value or turning competition into a caricature.

Do not confuse celebration with show

The risk is clear: trivialising effort, confusing celebration with show (as in the recent Battle of the Sexes) and a call to ‘anything goes’. But there is also the opposite opportunity: giving new prestige to competing on these dates, making winning at Christmas carry a different, almost symbolic meaning, without losing rigour.

In the end, Christmas works as a mirror of modern sport. It reflects its relationship with rest, with audiences and with its own ambition to grow. Perhaps it is not about choosing between stopping or competing, but about understanding when silence protects and when, precisely, it needs to be broken.

The post ‘Christmas Olympics’: when silence protects sport and when it asks to be broken appeared first on sportsin.biz.

European football clubs are a minority in this list: only four teams make the top 50, with Real Madrid as the highest valued at $6.75 billion, followed by others from Spain and England. While these clubs hold significant value within global football, their figures lag behind the top U.S. franchises.

The list also includes teams from other sports such as MLB and Formula 1, demonstrating how different sporting business models can create brand value and international reach. However, the overall ranking shows that U.S. franchises dominate the global sports valuation landscape.

This Forbes ranking not only quantifies franchise value but also reflects broader trends in sports economics worldwide, with broadcast rights, sponsorships, and brand expansion as key drivers.

The 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams in the World in 2025 according to Forbes

1. Dallas Cowboys — 13,000 million dollars

2. Golden State Warriors — 11,000 million dollars

3. Los Angeles Rams — 10,500 million dollars

4. New York Giants — 10,100 million dollars

5. Los Angeles Lakers — 10,000 million dollars

6. New York Knicks — 9,750 million dollars

7. New England Patriots — 9,000 million dollars

8. San Francisco 49ers — 8,600 million dollars

9. Philadelphia Eagles — 8,300 million dollars

10. Chicago Bears — 8,200 million dollars

11. New York Yankees — 8,200 million dollars

12. New York Jets — 8,100 million dollars

13. Las Vegas Raiders — 7,700 million dollars

14. Washington Commanders — 7,600 million dollars

15. Los Angeles Clippers — 7,500 million dollars

16. Miami Dolphins — 7,500 million dollars

17. Houston Texans — 7,400 million dollars

18. Denver Broncos — 6,800 million dollars

19. Los Angeles Dodgers — 6,800 million dollars

20. Real Madrid — 6,750 million dollars

21. Boston Celtics — 6,700 million dollars

22. Seattle Seahawks — 6,700 million dollars

23. Green Bay Packers — 6,650 million dollars

24. Manchester United — 6,600 million dollars

25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 6,600 million dollars

26. Ferrari — 6,500 million dollars

27. Pittsburgh Steelers — 6,500 million dollars

28. Cleveland Browns — 6,400 million dollars

29. Atlanta Falcons — 6,350 million dollars

30. Tennessee Titans — 6,300 million dollars

31. Minnesota Vikings — 6,250 million dollars

32. Kansas City Chiefs — 6,200 million dollars

33. Baltimore Ravens — 6,100 million dollars

34. Chicago Bulls — 6,000 million dollars

35. Los Angeles Chargers — 6,000 million dollars

36. Mercedes — 6,000 million dollars

37. Buffalo Bills — 5,950 million dollars

38. Houston Rockets — 5,900 million dollars

39. Indianapolis Colts — 5,900 million dollars

40. Carolina Panthers — 5,700 million dollars

41. Miami Heat — 5,700 million dollars

42. Barcelona — 5,650 million dollars

43. Jacksonville Jaguars — 5,600 million dollars

44. Brooklyn Nets — 5,600 million dollars

45. Arizona Cardinals — 5,500 million dollars

46. Philadelphia 76ers — 5,450 million dollars

47. Phoenix Suns — 5,425 million dollars

48. Detroit Lions — 5,400 million dollars

49. Liverpool — 5,400 million dollars

50. Toronto Raptors — 5,400 million dollars

The post The list of the most powerful sports clubs at the end of 2025 appeared first on sportsin.biz.

It is worth starting there. It was not a tournament, there were no points at stake, no ranking implications, nothing of the sort. It was an event designed with a purely commercial and entertainment-driven purpose, an exhibition conceived to sell tickets and television rights, generate conversation and occupy media space. Theatre, not sport. Or, if preferred, sport understood as show, not as competition.

From that point on, everything that followed —and especially what was written about it— began to go astray. Part of the press, and many fans, fell into the trap of comparing the incomparable. There was talk of levels, superiority and implicit messages about men’s and women’s tennis, as if the result or the development of the match had any real analytical value. It did not. It never did.

Theatre versus a documentary…

Differences in muscle mass, genetics, ball speed or explosiveness are not opinions or ideological positions: they are biology. And mixing those factors into serious sporting debates is not only a mistake, it is a lack of rigour. No one analyses a play as if it were a scientific experiment, nor judges an actor for not behaving as in real life. Something similar happened here.

From a technical or tactical point of view, the match barely offered a couple of anecdotes: pre-arranged rallies, gestures for the gallery, smiles, a rhythm designed more for the audience than for competitive demand. Nothing that invites deep conclusions, and certainly nothing that justifies sporting verdicts. If the WTA or the ATP have anything to improve or feel proud of, it has nothing to do with what came out of this duel.

Humiliation of women’s tennis?

On social media, as expected, there were those who took the opportunity to humiliate women’s tennis, using a spectacle as if it were definitive proof of something that was never at stake. Not through analysis, but through bad faith, interested simplification or a twisted outlook that needs winners and losers even when there are none.

The underlying question is inevitable: has this done more harm than good? As a spectacle, it probably fulfilled its purpose. And, of course, avoiding the clash altogether for fear of what people might say would have been worse. That said, given the state of the world today, the match unfortunately raises doubts as a social message. When entertainment is presented as if it were competitive reality, the result is usually confusion for the masses. And confusion is fertile ground for the poorest discourses.

This match has once again served as an uncomfortable mirror. Not so much of tennis, but of ourselves. Of a society that consumes cardboard entertainment, with tricks attached, without stopping to think about what it is watching or why. Thinking requires effort, nuance and time. And that, today, seems to be a toll many prefer not to pay.

Without a doubt, it is not the best choice to explain gender equality to those who do not believe in it.

The post The uncomfortable mirror after the tennis match between Nick Kyrgios and Aryna Sabalenka appeared first on sportsin.biz.

What a year ago seemed like a one-off decision is now a statement of intent. The NFL has identified a territory unoccupied by other sports on a global scale: Christmas Day (in competitions such as LaLiga, the league even stops its matchday before Christmas and does not resume until the first days of the following year). And it has transformed it into a premium product distributed by Netflix, a platform with 300 million subscribers and cultural reach across all continents.

And, speaking of culture, the announcement that also supports the expectation of matching or even surpassing last year’s audience is the following: “Everybody put your hands up because Snoop Dogg will perform at the NFL #ChristmasGameday! The legendary Doggfather will perform live during halftime of Lions vs. Vikings on December 25, joined by very special guests.” Netflix thus presented its intention to turn Christmas into a global spectacle where sport and music share the stage. Last year, the halftime performance was led by the also world-renowned Beyoncé.

The power of uniting sport and pop culture

“The NFL, Netflix and your uncle Snoop on Christmas? We bring music, love and good vibes so everyone can enjoy. That’s the Christmas magic that not even Santa can fit in a bag.” explained Snoop Dogg. His appearance is not a mere addition to the game but a global conversation driver that places the event at the center of pop culture. In addition to the previously mentioned Lions–Vikings matchup, there will also be a Christmas Cowboys–Commanders game from Maryland and the Lions–Vikings on December 25.

In this way, the NFL strengthens its identity as a truly international competition, supported by an economic muscle exceeding 23 billion euros, double that of the NBA and equivalent to the combined income of Europe’s major football leagues.

What other major sports can learn

The question inevitably arises. Can the NBA, the Premier League, LaLiga or even Formula 1 replicate a move like this? The inspiration is evident, but the outcome is not guaranteed. The NFL’s strategy works due to three factors that not all competitions can replicate:

• An adaptable calendar that allows a tradition to be created without altering its historical structure.
• A total entertainment approach in which the game is part of the show, not the sole attraction.
• A global narrative amplified by a platform with immediate planet-wide reach

The uncertainty for the future is whether this type of agreement will influence the negotiation of broadcast contracts for other competitions. The NFL’s move suggests a new scenario: global platforms that not only distribute sport but also shape how it is consumed on key dates.

The consolidation of a new tradition

The NFL has understood something essential: in the entertainment industry, owning a date means owning a habit. And no habit is more valuable than the one repeated every Christmas. They know it well, since on Thanksgiving Day in the US, everyone knows it’s about family, food, drinks… and the NFL on television.

The post The NFL’s Christmas bet: how a sport can claim a global entertainment date appeared first on sportsin.biz.