It is two years to go until the Paris 2024 Olympics begin! To celebrate, we're talking with George Hirthler, author of The Idealist, a historical novel about this founder of the modern Olympic Movement. We talk with George about the baron's life and his thoughts on physical education within the French school system, along with his struggles to have it implemented. We also discuss his attitude toward amateurism and whether women should participate in the Games (Pierre's philosophy might surprise you).
Olympic Host Cities usually get a reputation for spending a ton of money building venues that become white elephants, but that's not necessarily the case. We delve into the International Olympic Committee's new report on venue legacy. Which cities have done it right, and which haven't?
We love a good telenovela-esque Olympic situation, and this week's episode is chock full of them. Bribery! Guilty verdicts! Stifling voices! Boring kits! Transgender guidelines! And someone makes Alison mad - who could it be this week?
3x3 basketball is one of the new sports on the Olympic program, and NY Harlem/Team USA player Dominique Jones joins us to tell us how it works. Mark your calendars now to watch this during Tokyo 2020 -- we predict it'll be one of the most exciting additions to the Olympics.
Jill also reports back from her Tokyo test event - i.e., the International Olympic Committee's recent marathon Session meeting. What's in store for the new Agenda 2020+5 plan, and did TBach get reelected?
Could the Olympics return to Australia in 2032? The International Olympic Committee's Future Host Commission has big news about the city of Brisbane's desire to bid.
We report back on what went down in the International Olympic Committee's 136th Session, which is the big gathering of all IOC members. We've got an announcement from TBach, news from Tokyo 2020, plus reports from all of the other Games on the docket.
The Olympics used to be a showcase for amateurism, but over time they've grown more and more commercialized. Authors Stephen R. Wenn and Robert K. Barney join us to talk about their new book The Gold in the Rings: The People and Events that Transformed the Gamesand the key people throughout Olympic history who made an impact on its trajectory. Yep, that includes some Avery Brundage talk!
Olympic athletes rely on sponsors to help them earn a living--but during the Olympics, the most important time a sponsor can benefit from this partnership, they often can't market it. Why? The International Olympic Committee's Rule 40. We talk with Associated Press sports correspondent Karolos Grohmann to learn more about this controversial rule.
It's that time of year when the International Olympic Committee members get together for their semiannual IOC Session, and this one was a big one, with the announcement of the 2026 Winter Olympics host city and the proposed additional sports for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Who will win the right to host the 2026 Winter Olympics? We look at the bids from Milan-Cortina and Stockholm-Åre.
The International Olympic Committee's Executive Board met for a couple of days this week. We give you the lowdown on their agenda (warning: there is breakdancing talk).
Alison is back, so we're doing a deeper dive on the new sports proposed for Paris 2024. Last October, we talked with The Sports Examiner's editor Rich Perelman about the proliferation of sports in the Olympics, so we're bringing you that conversation.
It's going to be Milano-Cortina vs. Stockholm-Åre for the right to host the 2026 Winter Olympics. This week we talk about the two bids and start pondering which will win the IOC's vote come June 24-26.
Jill and Alison spend this episode--and only this episode--talking about why the Youth Olympic Games exists and if it's worth the trouble. Olympic and multi-sport/multi-day event expert Rich Perelman talks them through the YOG and if it's a good thing for the Olympic movement.
In a nice display of transparency, the International Olympic Committee released its host city contract documentation. We read it so you don't have to--and we definitely understand why cities drop out of the Olympic bidding process. You won't believe what this contract calls for--or maybe you will.