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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 1h

Thanks Amanda, great to have you as a fan!

Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

It feels like the new IOC President, Kirsty Coventry, is making up the bid rules as she goes along, trying to retain control while promising members a greater voice. The latest *Free Friday* edition of the Zeus Files breaks it all down: duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/will-the-n...

duncanmackayveritas.substack.com

Will the new way to choose the 2036 Olympics host be a return to the old way? Or will the IOC leadership try to retain control?

Seven years after Thomas Bach stripped rank-and-file members of their voting power, new President Kirsty Coventry faces intense pressure to return democracy to how the Games are awarded

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

The IOC has published a "Host Selection Handbook" for the 2036 Olympic Games. It confirms Germany, Hungary, India, Qatar, South Africa, South Korea, and Türkiye are all in discussions to host. But it leaves questions unanswered - like how much voting choice IOC members will actually get in 2029.

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Kamila Valieva won’t compete internationally this season after the Russian skater failed to file an appeal against a ISU decision to withdraw her neutral status with the Court of Arbitration for Sport by the deadline. My piece at the Zeus Files duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/valieva-co...

duncanmackayveritas.substack.com

Valieva could have been the greatest skater in history, but has been sacrificed by Mother Russia

An extraordinary young talent has seen her life ruined after she became an instrument of state propaganda, trapped between international isolation and a fierce nationalistic embrace at home.

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Don’t worry, got plenty more planned where this came from!

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

“But frankly speaking, I do not really understand why he decided to do so,” Kremlev told the Zeus Files. “I mean, why can’t we be friends?”

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

BREAKING: The International Boxing Association President Umar Kremlev, a close ally of Vladimir Putin, has just told the Zeus Files during a press conference in Istanbul broadcast online that Donald Trump jnr has repaid him the money he gave him as a gift to help him organise his wedding.

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Italy's 4-1 Nations League win over Turkey hasn't calmed the storm at the Italian FA. President Giovanni Malagò is facing severe management clashes, intense scrutiny over reappointing Roberto Mancini as coach, and a legal election challenge from CONI duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/how-giovan...

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

The tragic case of #KamilaValieva, whose neutral status the International Skating Union has revoked, reveals the devastating impact of being trapped between international isolation and a fierce nationalistic embrace at home. More in this *Free Friday* edition of the Zeus Files surl.li/owhzjm

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

South Africa’s 2036 dream of being the first African nation to host the #OlympicGames is collapsing. A wave of fraud charges and suspensions has wiped out top sports leaders across football, swimming, and athletics, and now the NOC. Read the full story in the Zeus Files at shorturl.at/wLTYq

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

EXCLUSIVE: A significant change to the Olympic Charter proposed by the IOC will fast-track the reinstatement of Russia to the #Olympics and is set to cause huge controversy, the #ZeusFiles can reveal duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/exclusive-...

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

The decision to block the change of allegiance of 11 athletes from four countries, including five @Olympics medallists, to Turkey in time for @la28games.bsky.social has certainly sent a message that athletics does not want to see the introduction of a football-style big-money transfer system. ⬇️

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

When @sebcoe.bsky.social became @worldathletics.org President, among the things he promised to sort out was "nation hopping", claiming that athletes needed to have a strong connection to the country they are representing, rather than looking around for nations to run for. ⬇️

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

* All change at top of the World Olympic Association as chief executive step downs after Pernilla Wiberg elected President * Russian groups claim responsibility for huge increase in cyberattacks during Milan Cortina 2026 duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/la28-set-r...

duncanmackayveritas.substack.com

LA28 set record pace as ticket sales open to inevitable complaints over prices and computer glitches

LA28 backs pricing policy after complaints. Plus, Giovanni Malagò is set for a new role after Milan Cortina 2026, more change at World Olympians Association and Olympic cyberattacks

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

Also, in this bumper issue of the #ZeusFiles: * After Milan Cortina 2026, Giovanni Malagò’s next task: save Italian football * Middle East war latest global blow to SportAccord as convention in Baku “postponed”

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

The ticket launch for every Olympics is accompanied by controversy over prices, availability and computer glitches - @la28games.bsky.social has been no different. But they've sold more tickets in first week than any Games before so no wonder CEO Reynold Hoover admits they're "thrilled". ⬇️

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

A personal tribute to Sir Craig, including a revelation about Putin's unhealthy interest in Scotland's future and the lengths we once had to go to have a drink with him when head of the IOC Evaluation Commission for the 2020 Olympics. *FREE TO ALL* duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/olympic-mo...

duncanmackayveritas.substack.com

Olympic Movement mourns loss of towering figures

The deaths of Britain’s Sir Craig Reedie and North Korea’s Chang Ung means the IOC has lost two of its most important figures of recent times

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

This included spearheading the campaign that saw badminton added to the Olympic programme, helping revitalise GB's fortunes after their worst performance in the history of the Games and, as President of @wada-ama.bsky.social, overseeing the Russian doping crisis that threatened to split sport apart.

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

Sir Craig, former chair of @teamgbofficial.bsky.social , will be primarily remembered for the leading role he played in helping secure London the 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games, but he achieved much more.

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

Britain's Sir Craig Reedie and North Korea's Chang Ung, who have died at the ages of 84 and 87, respectively, were major figures within the IOC at the centre of some of the biggest decisions the organisation took in recent years.

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

The #ZeusFiles explains why Russia is so pleased to see the back of Tardif and who they might support in the election in October. One person it will not be, though, is Alexander Ovechkin... duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/unexpected...

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

The decision by Luc Tardif not to seek a second term as @iihfhockey.bsky.social President gives Russia the opportunity to try to regain the influence they had under his pro-Putin predecessor, Rene Fasel. ⬇️

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

This is a big week for @la28games.bsky.social with the first tickets for the #Olympics going on sale, with chair Casey Wasserman desperately hoping it will avert attention from him after the controversy about his links to Jeffrey Epstein.

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 29/03/2026

Lin was cleared to compete by World Boxing earlier this month after submitting evidence she claimed proved she was female having failed the SRY test. Her long-term future remains in doubt following IOC decision that only biological females can compete in women’s events at @la28games.bsky.social.

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 29/03/2026

Chinese Tapei's Lin Yu-ting, one of boxers involved in gender row at Paris 2024, will compete for the first time since winning Olympic gold when Asian Boxing Champs start in Mongolia tomorrow. She's due to face Thailand’s World silver medallist Thananya Somnuek in the 1st round of 60kg category. .

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

The decision comes 30 years after universal screening was dropped following Atlanta 1996 when even the IOC's own Medical Commission chair called it “flagrant abuse”. My take on Olympic-sized flip-flop by IOC in latest edition of the #ZeusFiles at duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/back-to-th...

duncanmackayveritas.substack.com

Back to the future: Gender testing to be reintroduced to the Olympics

Screening for athletes in female events is to be mandatory from Los Angeles 2028, more than 30 years after it was dropped, when the IOC’s own Medical Commission chair called it “flagrant abuse”

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

Of course, it is Donald Trump who's taking credit for IOC decision to reintroduce gender testing for Olympics at @la28games.bsky.social. But it was Jane Thornton replacing Richard Budgett as the IOC's medical and scientific director following boxing gender row at Paris2024 that's led to change.

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Plus, a peek inside the new Olympic Stadium, a top role for an Aussie legend, World Bowls takes an important step in its quest for inclusion at @brisbane2032.bsky.social and how a small Scottish town is hoping to play a role in the Games. Plus, the latest in our "Talk like a local" series.

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Australia's top rowers are leading the opposition but Queensland's Deputy Prime Minister Jarrod Bleijie warns, "If they don’t want it in Rocky - it ain’t happening." @worldrowing.bsky.social and the ICF are so far behind Rockhampton, but have yet to carry out their own feasibility assessment.

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Queensland's determination to spread the benefits of the #Olympics beyond Brisbane means 2032 will be another "dispersed” Games, just like #MilanCortina2026. But the choice of Rockhampton, 600km from Brisbane, to host rowing and canoe sprint in the crocodile-infested Fitzroy River is controversial.

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

It means Russian boxers will be able to compete in the #Olympics at @la28games.bsky.social, where they seem set to be joined by #ImaneKhelif and Lin Yu-ting, the two boxers at the centre of the gender row at Paris 2024. .

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

Russia has been allowed to join World Boxing, despite evidence that IBA President Umar Kremlev continues to exert control over the Russian Boxing Federation through Alexey Rubezhnoy, chairman of the organisation's Supervisory Board and the man in charge of Vladimir Putin's personal security.

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

Iran's FA terrorises its players and threatens their families, its NOC follows anti-discriminatory policies against women and regularly flouts #Olympic Charter. Both are under control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps but the IOC and FIFA seem terrified of taking any action to stop them. ⬇️

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

The @paralympics.org President Andrew Parsons claimed he was “super empathetic” about situation Ukraine faced at #MilanCortina2026 after the return of Russia, but the authoritarian tone struck and the lecturing it faced did not sound like it to a country bombed throughout the Games. More details ⬇️

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

Situation with the Iranian women's football seeking asylum in Australia brings back memories of similar incident when more than 40 Hungarian athletes defected after 1956 #Olympics in Melbourne to avoid having to return to country occupied by Soviet forces who had crushed the Hungarian Revolution ⬇️

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

There's lots of pressure on #CaseyWasserman to step down as chair of the #Olympics Organising Committee at @la28games.bsky.social due to links with #JeffreyEpstein and #GhislaineMaxwell but his position is secure while retains support of the top executives, #ZeusFiles can reveal ⬇️

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 07/03/2026

Russia's return under their own flag and the war in Middle East meant it was another politically charged Winter @paralympics.org Opening Ceremony at #MilanCortina2026. Philip Barker reports for the #ZeusFiles at (no paywall) duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/spectacula...

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

The build-up to the #MilanCortina2026 #Paralympics has been dominated by Russia, but IPC President Andrew Parsons wants to concentrate on the 50th anniversary of the 1st Winter Games, looking forward to the possibilities offered by @la28games.bsky.social and working more closely with the Olympics ⬇️

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Duncan Mackay @duncanmackay.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

It’s #WorldBookDay2026 today so why not celebrate by snapping up my latest book, They Came From A Land Down Under, the story of how the @socceroos.bsky.social qualified for their first #WorldCup at West Germany 1974. There’s a great deal available at amzn.eu/d/0iufNcU7

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