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Donald Trump’s views concerning the involvement of transgender athletes in organised sport – specifically, the participation by trans-male athletes in women’s sport – are nothing if not simplistic and clear. “Men” must be kept out of women’s sport. Full stop, new paragraph. According to the incoming US president, the “problem” of transgender athlete participation in women’s sport is easy to solve. The fundamental flaw in Trump’s invective is that policy born as a by-product of fear and loathing is invariably bad policy. Trump draws no distinction between transgender athletes competing in the Olympics and transgender athletes competing in a game of under-10s pee-wee football. However, the imperatives that are relevant to protecting the integrity of Olympic competition aren’t determining factors when it comes to participation sport. The rules governing transgender participation in Saturday morning sport have no correlation to how, for example, US Swimming should handle transgender women swimming against cisgender women in national championships. The next Olympic Games will be staged in Los Angeles in 2028 during the final year of Trump’s presidency. Just as America’s culture wars could implode a whole nation before the opening ceremony, the Olympic movement itself may be in for a reckoning before the end of the next Games cycle. Credit: Simon Letch Designing, implementing and enforcing transgender policy in sport at any level, from the grassroots to Olympic competition, isn’t about fear and isn’t about division for the sake of dividing. Instead, it’s the complicated process of balancing the interests of transgender athletes with all other competitors and the paramount importance of the core integrity of sport. This is all relevant not only because Trump will be back in the White House but also because by this time next year the International Olympic Committee will be under new leadership (an election for the IOC’s presidency will take place in less than four months’ time). Of the seven nominated candidates to replace the outgoing Thomas Bach, the candidate of greatest prominence, or at least the loudest public advocate for change within the Olympic Movement, is Sebastian Coe, twice an Olympic champion and current president of World Athletics. Loading As with Trump, Coe presents as an agent for change . He is opposed to transgender participation in Olympic competition on the grounds that if you don’t protect the female category of competition in Olympic-level sport, then female sport itself will be lost. When you think about it, that position is not remotely similar to Trump’s. Not at all. As Lord Coe correctly identifies, it’s a core failing of the IOC that it has not enacted any detailed or overarching guidance to world sport and the myriad international federations that sit within its structures as to how Olympic sports should set transgender policy. It is the IOC’s policy failures that permitted the boxing competition in Paris 2024 to become so mired in conjecture due to the participation of Algeria’s Imane Khelif, when the IOC (and not World Boxing) ran that competition. Likewise, the IOC’s transgender policy is weak. In late 2021, the IOC published its Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sex Variations. Unfortunately, however, that framework comprised six pages of high-level statements of principle without much in the way of adequate detail. International federations were left to set their own policies, as required. In one section of its framework, the IOC states its position that athletes should be allowed passage to compete in the available category that aligns with their self-determined gender identity. In the next section, the IOC forces responsibility onto the international federations to ensure no athletes are afforded disproportionate and unfair competitive advantages if permitted to compete in a gender category not aligned with their biological gender. Imane Khelif celebrates her gold medal with her team and fans in Paris. Credit: Eddie Jim All of which is as clear as mud. For political reasons or otherwise by reason of weakness, the IOC under its current leadership plainly doesn’t want the responsibility of setting transgender policy across all sports. Yet to pass that complex responsibility onto the international federations is inconsistent with the IOC’s functions. Lord Coe is irrefutably correct that in terms of Olympic competition and international-standard elite sport the sanctity of the integrity of sport itself must be protected and preserved, no matter the cost. Otherwise, elite sport may as well not exist in the first place. He’s also correct that the IOC must set clear and unequivocal policy to protect the integrity of female sport and female athletic competition. It is extremely difficult to design policy to integrate transgender athlete participation in elite sport, especially when the integrity of competition is already under constant attack. If gender is kaleidoscopic, sport is black and white. Besides horse racing, some forms of motorsport and mixed doubles tennis, men and women typically don’t compete against each other. If gender is kaleidoscopic, sport is black and white. It’s in Olympic and international-level athletic competition where records are set and legacies forged. The playing field must not only be balanced, it must be known to be balanced. Rules must demand that a competing transgender athlete derives no unfair and disproportionate competitive advantage by competing in their chosen gender, if that’s different to their biological gender. The IOC’s absolute imperative must be that transgender athletes be prohibited from competing in Olympic competition if to allow those athletes to compete would mean they enjoyed any material competitive advantage. Whatever leadership position the IOC must take to set such rules within that philosophy, it must do so. Some international federations have braved the frontier, given the IOC’s contrasting tepidness. World Aquatics was the first international federation to set policy to stipulate that a female transgender athlete is ineligible for international competitions in the female category, unless either they never experienced male puberty or where they had their male puberty pharmacologically surpassed before their 12th birthday and before any physical signs of male puberty were physically detectable. Loading Straightforward? Yes. Harsh? Yes. Necessary? Also yes. Those rules are simple, not open to interpretation or manipulation, and lacking subjectiveness. No element of the application of the rules requires measurement, or monitoring. In contrast, the IOC’s rules are all over the shop. Some researchers who know way more than me will tell you that the medical and scientific evidence isn’t absolute in demonstrating that transgender athletes – and male-to-female athletes in particular – benefit by everlasting physical and physiological advantages over their cisgender fellow competitors. Perhaps that’s the correct analysis that will prevail three decades on. But that alone can’t be a reason for the IOC and governing bodies to sit on their hands in the meantime. To do that would be to fail the current generation of Olympians, and the next. Sebastian Coe at least stands for something. Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Women in sport Analysis Donald Trump Darren Kane is a sports columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald. Connect via Twitter or email . Most Viewed in Sport Loading
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Duke's Diaz: QB Murphy faces internal discipline for raising middle fingers in Virginia Tech winMP Sokratis Famellos has been elected the new leader of the left-wing SYRIZA party; official final results are still pending. At 11.25 pm, about an hour after they had said they would post final results, SYRIZA posted that, with 99% of precincts reporting, Famellos was leading with 49.41% of the votes, followed by MP Pavlos Polakis (43.51%), MEP Nikolas Farantouris (5.09%) and regional councilor, ex-mayor of Stylida and actor Apostolos Gletsos (1.99%). It appears that, with Famellos so close to the 50% plus one vote threshold, it has been decided to acknowledge him as leader by acclamation in order to avoid a runoff. “I want to congratulate Sokratis Famellos. A runoff is not needed. We must stay united to organize the fight against Mitsotakis’ deep state,” Polakis said a few minutes later from party headquarters. Earlier, he had been quoted as saying that “I will not make the SYRIZA people suffer through a second vote.” “We don’t any more division and toxicity,” Polakis added in his concession speech. Farantouris, had already congratulated Famellos about half an hour earlier, declaring that he will be by his side. Even as he congratulated his main rival, Polakis took a dig at Famellos’ frequent appearances on TV saying that “I will go down in history as the only person to gain this share of the vote, having been in only one (major) TV channel.” He also attacked former leader Stefanos Kasselakis, who has now left the party and on Saturday founded his own, Movement For Democracy. Famellos, who followed Polakis, said that “we are going back to ‘together’,” also a dig at Kasselakis’ tendency to go his own way, ignoring the party’s elected organs in favor of what he called a direct dialogue with the people. “It is a good day for SYRIZA, a good day for the Left,” Famellos said, before shaking hands with Polakis. All four candidates expressed a wish to see the once ruling party resurrected as the main progressive alternative to the conservative New Democracy. A tall order, given a string of recent opinion polls showing SYRIZA retreating deep into single-digit territory percentage-wise. The number of voters, 70,152, is a sure sign of the party’s diminished status. In the previous leadership contest, just over a year ago, 148,821 had shown up to vote in the first round and 134,420 in the runoff which elected political neophyte Kasselakis. Kasselakis’ main rival, Effi Achtsioglou, and like-minded party members defected to form the New Left party, in December 2023, followed by Kasselakis himself earlier this month. SYRIZA did its best to lower the bar, letting it be known that 50,000 voters would be a good number.
‘World of Warcraft’ still going strong as it celebrates 20 yearsCLEVELAND (AP) — Shane Bieber’s first venture into free agency turned into a return trip. The 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner agreed Friday to rejoin the Cleveland Guardians after making just two starts last season before undergoing Tommy John surgery, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. Bieber had been expected to leave the AL Central champions. But he’s coming back after agreeing to a one-year, $14 million contract that includes a $16 million player option for 2026, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. Bieber’s deal will pay him $10 million in salary and includes a $4 million buyout. The 29-year-old only pitched twice in 2024 before having the surgery on his elbow that bothered him during the previous campaign. Bieber felt discomfort in his start on opening day against the Oakland Athletics and again when he faced the Seattle Mariners his next outing. Bieber didn’t allow a run in either start, and the club had been encouraged by his velocity and dominance (20 strikeouts). But the elbow became too painful and Bieber elected to have the ligament-replacement surgery. RELATED COVERAGE Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman has surgery on right ankle, should be ready for spring training St. Petersburg backs a new $1.3B ballpark for the Rays. Now it’s up to Pinellas County The A’s clear the last major hurdle for a $1.75 billion Las Vegas stadium If his recovery follows a normal timeline, Bieber should be back in Cleveland’s rotation within the first three months of next season. The Guardians feared his loss would hurt them last season, but the club got off to a fast start under first-year manager Stephen Vogt and ran away with the division title. Cleveland eliminated Detroit in the AL Division Series before losing the ALCS to the New York Yankees in five games. Bieber spent chunks of last season with the team and he received a huge ovation at Progressive Field when he was introduced before the postseason series. The two-time All-Star has spent all seven of his big league seasons with Cleveland, which had contemplated trading him before his elbow issues in 2023 limited him to 21 starts. During the shortened COVID-19 season in 2020, Bieber went 8-1 with a 1.63 ERA over 12 starts and 77 1/3 innings with 122 strikeouts. He led the majors in wins, ERA and strikeouts and finished fourth in AL MVP voting. He was selected by Cleveland in the fourth round of the 2016 amateur draft out of UC Santa Barbara and made his major league debut two years later on his 23rd birthday. Bieber has a career record of 62-32 with a 3.22 ERA over 136 outings spanning 134 starts and 843 innings. He has twice reached 200 innings, throwing a career-high 214 1/3 in 2019. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
None‘Wheel of Fortune’ Player Misses $40,000 Win After Disney DisasterPeppers missed seven games since being placed on the list on Oct. 9 after he was arrested and charged with shoving his girlfriend’s head into a wall and choking her. The league said its review is ongoing and is not affected by the change in Peppers’ roster status. Braintree, Massachusetts, police said they were called to a home for an altercation between two people on Oct. 7, and a woman told them Peppers choked her. Police said they found at the home a clear plastic bag containing a white powder, which later tested positive for cocaine. Peppers, 29, pleaded not guilty in Quincy District Court to charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a Class “B” substance believed to be cocaine. At a court appearance last week a trial date was set for Jan. 22. “Any act of domestic violence is unacceptable for us,” Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said after the arrest. “With that being said, I do think that Jabrill has to go through the system, has to continue to go through due process. We’ll see how that works out.” A 2017 first-round draft choice by Cleveland, Peppers spent two seasons with the Browns and three with the New York Giants before coming to New England in 2022. He was signed to an extension this summer. He played in the first four games of the season and missed one with a shoulder injury before going on the exempt list, which allows NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to place a player on paid leave while reviewing his case. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Donald Trump’s election interference and classified documents cases dismissedNearly 100 former senior U.S. diplomats and intelligence and national security officials have urged Senate leaders to schedule closed-door hearings to allow for a full review of the government's files on former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard , Donald Trump's pick to be national intelligence director. The former officials, who served in both Democratic and Republican administrations, said they were "alarmed" by the choice of Gabbard to oversee all 18 U.S. intelligence agencies. They said her past actions "call into question her ability to deliver unbiased intelligence briefings to the President, Congress, and to the entire national security apparatus." A spokesperson for Gabbard on the Trump transition team on Thursday denounced the appeal as an "unfounded" and "partisan" attack. Among those who signed the letter were former Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, former NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller, former national security adviser Anthony Lake, and numerous retired ambassadors and high-ranking military officers. They wrote to current Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and incoming Republican Majority Leader John Thune on Wednesday to urge the closed briefings as part of the Senate's review of Trump's top appointments. They urged that Senate committees "consider in closed sessions all information available to the U.S. government when considering Ms. Gabbard's qualifications to manage our country's intelligence agencies, and more importantly, the protection of our intelligence sources and methods." The letter singles out Gabbard's 2017 meetings in Syria with President Bashar Assad, who is supported by Russian, Iranian and Iranian-allied forces in a now 13-year war against Syrian opposition forces seeking his overthrow. The U.S., which cut relations with Assad's government and imposed sanctions over his conduct of the war, maintains about 900 troops in opposition-controlled northeast Syria, saying they are needed to block a resurgence of extremist groups. Gabbard, a Democratic member of Congress from Hawaii at the time of her Syria trip, drew heavy criticism for her meetings with a U.S. adversary and brutal leader. As the letter notes, her statements on the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine have aligned with Russian talking points, diverging from U.S. positions and policy. Gabbard, throughout her political career, has urged the U.S. to limit military engagement abroad other than combatting Islamic extremist groups. She has defended the Syria trip by saying it is necessary to engage with U.S. enemies. In postings on social media earlier this year, she confirmed that the U.S. had for a time placed her "on a secret terror watch list" as a "potential domestic terror threat." She blamed political retaliation. Neither she nor U.S. authorities have publicly detailed the circumstances involved. Alexa Henning, a spokesperson for Gabbard with the Trump team, called the letter sent to the Senate leaders "a perfect example" of why Trump chose Gabbard for this position. "These unfounded attacks are from the same geniuses who have blood on their hands from decades of faulty 'intelligence,'" and use classified government information as a "partisan weapon to smear and imply things about their political enemy," Henning said. A spokesperson for Thune did not immediately respond to questions about the request.
Pelosi’s Jan. 6 narrative collapsing, Democrats deaf to voters and other commentary
Labour plans to make spiking a specific offence and has laid out plans for venue staff to be trained in relation to spiking, with a pilot to begin within weeks before a wider rollout next year. Ms Davies-Jones, asked about why it was worthwhile to make spiking a new offence when it is already illegal, said: “Spiking is a crime already. “A lot of people don’t realise that it is a crime already, which is part of the problem.” She said there were around 6,000 reports of spiking last year but that because it is an underreported crime, it is not clear how big of a problem it is. “Part of the problem we’ve got is around the data collection, so you don’t know if you’ve been spiked with a drink, a needle, a vape, for example,” she told Politics Hub on Sky News. Modernising the offence and giving police the tools to get accurate data allows a clearer picture of where, how and how often spiking is happening, she said. It is about “clarifying it, modernising it, making sure that people know exactly what this is...the law isn’t quite, it isn’t up to date. “It isn’t modern enough.” Sir Keir Starmer earlier said he hopes the change will give people “the confidence to come forward”, in a meeting of police bosses, transport figures and hospitality executives in Downing Street. Ms Davies-Jones and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper were among the attendees at the round-table discussion on Monday morning. Labour pledged in its manifesto to introduce a new offence for spiking, but there was no detail in the King’s Speech this year about a specific crime, though it promised to ensure an improved police response to cases. According to information published by the Metropolitan Police, spiking offences are currently covered by more than one law, but most come under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. Sir Keir told the meeting: “There are a number of measures that we are setting out this morning – we want to talk it through with you. “The first is to make spiking a specific offence so that it counts, it’s reported.” He said that such a measure would mean that it “enables everybody to have the confidence to come forward” and also “it allows perpetrators to know that it’s a specific offence”. Detailing the training scheme, he went on: “We’re beginning the piloting of training for staff in venues.” He said the scheme would be “partly to spot what’s happening, but also to know what to do in the event that there is an incident in a venue”. “That will start in December with a pilot then it will be rolled out from March of next year,” Sir Keir added. He also said that the “final” point of discussion for the morning was “police indexing – (the) way that we count it across different police forces”. Sir Keir added: “At the moment it’s quite hard to get your arms around the pure numbers.” Plain clothes officers are being deployed in areas around bars and clubs to spot predatory behaviour. The text-to-report number, 61016, that allows women to contact British Transport Police to report harassment on the train, is due to be relaunched. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Spiking is a disturbing and serious crime which can have a damaging and long-lasting impact on victims. “That’s why today we are taking decisive action to prevent this devastating crime and to crack down on perpetrators, by introducing a new criminal offence for spiking and launching specialist training for thousands of bar staff nationwide. “People shouldn’t have to worry about the safety of their drinks on a night out. “These changes are about giving victims greater confidence to come forward, and ensuring that there is a robust response from the police whenever these appalling crimes take place.”What's the best Thanksgiving movie -- Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (streaming for free on Pluto TV or with a Hulu subscription )? That's fair. But what's next -- Addams Family Values ? If you're looking for holiday movies on Netflix and aren't satisfied with the service's recommendations for you, we've got a hack that could seriously improve your streaming experience this Thanksgiving and Christmas season. Thousands of secret numeric codes on the service let you browse and select movies and shows from tons of genres and subcategories. Instead of letting the Netflix algorithm decide, take streaming into your own hands. It's time to cut short the endless scrolling and discover a new show or movie you'll love this season. For more, check out our favorite sci-fi movies on Netflix and learn how to share your favorite Netflix clips via text message or social media . What are Netflix category codes? Netflix codes are a set of unique numerical identifiers that can help you find specific genres or sub-genres in the Netflix library on the streamer's website (not the app). Typically, you're constrained to the genres available to you via the main Netflix menu. There's no way to choose by specific category other than what's been chosen for you when you log on. Using these codes opens up an entire library of options for you to choose from that can help you better settle on what to watch for the night. It can even help you discover new shows and movies you've never heard of. Adding these codes to the ends of Netflix URLs lets you directly access collections of movies and TV shows that fall under your chosen category. For example, if you're short on time and want to queue up a shorter movie, you could check the 90-Minute Movies category with the code 81466194. Looking for something for your entire brood to enjoy? The "Family Movie Night" collection, accessed with code 2013975, is chock-full of favorites even Grandma can get into. There are well over 36,000 codes to choose from, so don't worry about memorizing them or trying random sequences. Resources like Netflix-Codes.com have an entire directory to sift through, so you can search for what you'd like to watch there and find corresponding codes in no time. The Netflix-Codes site has a full directory of all the available categories on Netflix. How do I get Netflix's secret menus of movies and shows? There isn't an all-encompassing Netflix secret menu per se. Instead, you will use URLs with special codes to display certain curated collections of movies and shows. Netflix-Codes.com has a comprehensive list of the streaming platform's hidden genre categories and subcategories. In total, there are around 20 top-level categories covering genres like animation, foreign films and classic movies. Within those main genres are many more hyper-specific subgenres denoted by numeric codes. All you need to do is find the category you want, copy the related code, and append it to the end of a Netflix URL. What kinds of categories does Netflix have? There's much more to Netflix than what you've been scrolling through. At last count, there were over 36,000 unique categories to explore. The entirety of the categories available on Netflix starts with broad main genres like Action, Comedy and Drama, but they get more specific as you dive even deeper. There are straight-to-the-point collections like Movies Directed by Women (code 2974953), or more specifically targeted curated lists, like Supernatural Soaps (code 81238162), just in case you like your werewolves with a side of angst and romance. Feeling " Very Demure, Very Mindful ?" The very queen of that TikTok trend, Jools Lebron , has a collection just for you. Likewise, if you're feeling the fall football season, check out Touchdowns, Triumphs & Trials . Rather than relying solely on the standard homepage categories or Netflix's algorithm, you can use these secret codes to pinpoint and explore different nooks and crannies of the catalog to find hidden gems. How do I use Netflix codes to find movies and shows to watch? If you're not comfortable with editing Netflix URLs, you can use a browser extension to access the secret menus. The Better Browse for Netflix extension for Chrome is a great choice. Here's how to use it: 1. Go to the Chrome Web Store and search for "Better Browse for Netflix." (Note that this extension is unavailable for Firefox users.) 2. Click Add to Chrome . 3. Click Add Extension . 4. Log into your Netflix account in a new tab. If the extension is installed, you'll see a Browse All option at the top of your Netflix home screen next to My List. Click it to scroll through the subgenres or to search through specific categories. Adding the Better Browse for Netflix extension to Chrome gives you a drop-down menu with Netflix categories. Alternatively, you can use the FindFlix: Netflix Secret Category Finder browser extension for Chrome or Firefox . This add-on will create a drop-down menu complete with Netflix categories for your browser that you can scroll through by clicking on the FF icon that will appear on the top right of your screen. There's no need to scroll Netflix natively with this add-on, and it features 7,500 categories alphabetized for your convenience. A third way is through the Netflix Codes website. Here's how: 1. Visit Netflix-codes.com in any PC or mobile browser. 2. Find the genre or subgenre you want to explore. 3. Tap the code next to the genre or subgenre you want. 4. If you're on a device that has the Netflix app installed, the app should open and take you directly to the genre or subgenre you chose. If you don't have the app installed, it'll open Netflix through the browser and you can view the specific movies and shows available. 5. Tap the title you want to watch, and it'll start playing. Finally, if you're comfortable with creating custom URLs, you can use Netflix codes manually in your browser. Here's how: 1. Visit Netflix-codes.com on any PC or mobile browser. 2. Find the genre or subgenre you want to explore. 3. In another tab, type in http://www.netflix.com/browse/genre/INSERTNUMBER, but replace INSERTNUMBER with the specific genre or subgenre code. For instance, http://www.netflix.com/browse/genre/81466194 will take you to "90-Minute Movies." 4. If done correctly, you'll be taken to Netflix to peruse the titles available in that section. Simply repeat this process the next time you find a code for a Netflix category you'd like to explore. You can do this as many times as you'd like. For more Netflix tips, learn how to get the most out of Netflix on your phone or mobile device and how to improve picture quality on streaming services .
Hamilton Re Expands Into Credit, Bond and Political Risk Reinsurance With Appointment of Sergio LottimoreLAS VEGAS — Formula 1 on Monday at last said it will expand its grid in 2026 to make room for an American team that is partnered with General Motors. "As the pinnacle of motorsports, F1 demands boundary-pushing innovation and excellence. It's an honor for General Motors and Cadillac to join the world's premier racing series, and we're committed to competing with passion and integrity to elevate the sport for race fans around the world," GM President Mark Reuss said. "This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM's engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level." The approval ends years of wrangling that launched a U.S. Justice Department investigation into why Colorado-based Liberty Media, the commercial rights holder of F1, would not approve the team initially started by Michael Andretti. Andretti in September stepped aside from leading his namesake organization, so the 11th team will be called Cadillac F1 and be run by new Andretti Global majority owners Dan Towriss and Mark Walter. The team will use Ferrari engines its first two years until GM has a Cadillac engine built for competition in time for the 2028 season. Towriss is the the CEO and president of Group 1001 and entered motorsports via Andretti's IndyCar team when he signed on financial savings platform Gainbridge as a sponsor. Towriss is now a major part of the motorsports scene with ownership stakes in both Spire Motorsports' NASCAR team and Wayne Taylor Racing's sports car team. Walter is the chief executive of financial services firm Guggenheim Partners and the controlling owner of both the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and Premier League club Chelsea. "We're excited to partner with General Motors in bringing a dynamic presence to Formula 1," Towriss said. "Together, we're assembling a world-class team that will embody American innovation and deliver unforgettable moments to race fans around the world." Mario Andretti, the 1978 F1 world champion, will have an ambassador role with Cadillac F1. But his son, Michael, will have no official position with the organization now that he has scaled back his involvement with Andretti Global. "The Cadillac F1 Team is made up of a strong group of people that have worked tirelessly to build an American works team," Michael Andretti posted on social media. "I'm very proud of the hard work they have put in and congratulate all involved on this momentous next step. I will be cheering for you!" The approval has been in works for weeks but was held until after last weekend's Las Vegas Grand Prix to not overshadow the showcase event of the Liberty Media portfolio. Max Verstappen won his fourth consecutive championship in Saturday night's race, the third and final stop in the United States for the top motorsports series in the world. Grid expansion in F1 is both infrequent and often unsuccessful. Four teams were granted entries in 2010 that should have pushed the grid to 13 teams and 26 cars for the first time since 1995. One team never made it to the grid and the other three had vanished by 2017. There is only one American team on the current F1 grid — owned by California businessman Gene Haas — but it is not particularly competitive and does not field American drivers. Andretti's dream was to field a truly American team with American drivers. The fight to add this team has been going on for three-plus years, and F1 initially denied the application despite approval from F1 sanctioning body FIA. The existing 10 teams, who have no voice in the matter, also largely opposed expansion because of the dilution in prize money and the billions of dollars they've already invested in the series. Andretti in 2020 tried and failed to buy the existing Sauber team. From there, he applied for grid expansion and partnered with GM, the top-selling manufacturer in the United States. The inclusion of GM was championed by the FIA and president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who said Michael Andretti's application was the only one of seven applicants to meet all required criteria to expand F1's current grid. "General Motors is a huge global brand and powerhouse in the OEM world and is working with impressive partners," Ben Sulayem said Monday. "I am fully supportive of the efforts made by the FIA, Formula 1, GM and the team to maintain dialogue and work towards this outcome of an agreement in principle to progress this application." Despite the FIA's acceptance of Andretti and General Motors from the start, F1 wasn't interested in Andretti — but did want GM. At one point, F1 asked GM to find another team to partner with besides Andretti. GM refused and F1 said it would revisit the Andretti application if and when Cadillac had an engine ready to compete. "Formula 1 has maintained a dialogue with General Motors, and its partners at TWG Global, regarding the viability of an entry following the commercial assessment and decision made by Formula 1 in January 2024," F1 said in a statement. "Over the course of this year, they have achieved operational milestones and made clear their commitment to brand the 11th team GM/Cadillac, and that GM will enter as an engine supplier at a later time. Formula 1 is therefore pleased to move forward with this application process." Yet another major shift in the debate over grid expansion occurred earlier this month with the announced resignation of Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei, who was largely believed to be one of the biggest opponents of the Andretti entry. "With Formula 1's continued growth plans in the US, we have always believed that welcoming an impressive US brand like GM/Cadillac to the grid and GM as a future power unit supplier could bring additional value and interest to the sport," Maffei said. "We credit the leadership of General Motors and their partners with significant progress in their readiness to enter Formula 1."None
MP Sokratis Famellos has been elected the new leader of the left-wing SYRIZA party; official final results are still pending. At 11.25 pm, about an hour after they had said they would post final results, SYRIZA posted that, with 99% of precincts reporting, Famellos was leading with 49.41% of the votes, followed by MP Pavlos Polakis (43.51%), MEP Nikolas Farantouris (5.09%) and regional councilor, ex-mayor of Stylida and actor Apostolos Gletsos (1.99%). It appears that, with Famellos so close to the 50% plus one vote threshold, it has been decided to acknowledge him as leader by acclamation in order to avoid a runoff. “I want to congratulate Sokratis Famellos. A runoff is not needed. We must stay united to organize the fight against Mitsotakis’ deep state,” Polakis said a few minutes later from party headquarters. Earlier, he had been quoted as saying that “I will not make the SYRIZA people suffer through a second vote.” “We don’t any more division and toxicity,” Polakis added in his concession speech. Farantouris, had already congratulated Famellos about half an hour earlier, declaring that he will be by his side. Even as he congratulated his main rival, Polakis took a dig at Famellos’ frequent appearances on TV saying that “I will go down in history as the only person to gain this share of the vote, having been in only one (major) TV channel.” He also attacked former leader Stefanos Kasselakis, who has now left the party and on Saturday founded his own, Movement For Democracy. Famellos, who followed Polakis, said that “we are going back to ‘together’,” also a dig at Kasselakis’ tendency to go his own way, ignoring the party’s elected organs in favor of what he called a direct dialogue with the people. “It is a good day for SYRIZA, a good day for the Left,” Famellos said, before shaking hands with Polakis. All four candidates expressed a wish to see the once ruling party resurrected as the main progressive alternative to the conservative New Democracy. A tall order, given a string of recent opinion polls showing SYRIZA retreating deep into single-digit territory percentage-wise. The number of voters, 70,152, is a sure sign of the party’s diminished status. In the previous leadership contest, just over a year ago, 148,821 had shown up to vote in the first round and 134,420 in the runoff which elected political neophyte Kasselakis. Kasselakis’ main rival, Effi Achtsioglou, and like-minded party members defected to form the New Left party, in December 2023, followed by Kasselakis himself earlier this month. SYRIZA did its best to lower the bar, letting it be known that 50,000 voters would be a good number.