Duncan Mackay

Middle East war overshadows Winter Paralympics as Ukrainian rage grows over uniform ban Donald Trump’s order to attack Iran has left the International Paralympic Committee in a familiar position, but it is still the war in Ukraine that is set to have biggest impact on Milan Cortina 2026

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While IOC has kept silent following US attack on Iran, @paralympics.org again organise a Games under shadow of war. But it's war in Ukraine that remains set to have main impact on #MilanCortina2026 with latest row over uniforms designed by the President's favourite designer. More in Zeus Files ⬇️

The 12-year term of @sebcoe.bsky.social as the President of @worldathletics.org is not due to end until September 2027 but candidates to replace him can start campaigning from tomorrow. The #ZeusFiles looks at the potential contenders to replace him duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/on-your-ma...

Lighting of Paralympic Flame for Milan Cortina 2026 fans Ukrainian anger over Russian return IPC President Andrew Parsons urges Ukraine to “show to the world their strength” as defends decision to allow back country that invaded them to compete while they are still attacking their neighbours

Read more in this *free* edition of the #ZeusFiles at duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/lighting-o...

I travelled to Stoke Mandeville to attend the #Paralympics lighting ceremony for #MilanCortina2026 and to try to investigate what Ludwig Guttmann, founder of the Paralympics, would think about Russia being allowed to compete at the Games. The answer might surprise you. Read more in #ZeusFiles ⬇️

For the French Alps 2030, the clock is ticking faster than they think There are only 205 Mondays left until the Opening Ceremony of the next Winter Olympics, but the list of things French organisers still need to sort out is worryingly long

My analysis in the latest issue of the #ZeusFiles at duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/for-the-fr...

Little time, little money, still searching for its first sponsor. No hope? It's not looking good for French Alps 2030 at the moment, but don't write them off yet. After all, few people expected #MilanCortina2026 to be the massive success it was. Read more in latest issue of the #ZeusFiles ⬇️

The cappuccino edition #17: Well done Italy, you kept your promises - arrivederci Milan Cortina 2026, bonjour French Alps 2030 The Winter Olympics has exceeded expectations and concluded in Verona with a Closing Ceremony that lived up to its slogan of “beauty in action”, as Philip Barker reports from the Arena di Verona

Read more in the Zeus Files (no paywall) at duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/the-cappuc...

The Winter #Olympics in #MilanCortina2026 are over. Controversy continued right until the end with the White House posting a politically charged social media message after @usahockey.bsky.social beat neighbours @hockeycanada.bsky.social to claim the final gold medal of the Games. All the details ⬇️

The cappuccino edition #16: Bobsleigh out, volleyball in? Coventry plotting Olympic revolution that will leave Winter Games looking VERY different The IOC President has warned difficult conversations must take place to ensure the Olympics continue to inspire future generations, but her plans go far beyond those reported so far

The #ZeusFiles has all the details in this *exclusive* report at duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/the-cappuc...

There's growing acceptance that #MilanCortina2026 will be the last Winter #Olympics where sports have to be held exclusively on snow or ice, but plans to change the sports programme by the IOC are far more radical than revealed so far, with summer sports like volleyball moving to the Winter Games ⬇️

The cappuccino edition #15: Former NBA star elected to lead IOC Athletes Commission until LA28 Two-time NBA championship winner Pau Gasol will join the IOC Executive Board after taking over from Emma Terho

Read more in the latest edition of the #ZeusFiles (no paywall) at duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/the-cappuc...

New chair of the IOC Athletes Commission is @paugasol.bsky.social, a genuine basketball legend having won three #Olympics medals and two @nba.com championships with the Lakers. His election means that he will sit on the IOC Executive Board until @la28games.bsky.social. More in latest #ZeusFiles ⬇️

There are 2 new IOC members after South Korean bobsledder Won Yun-jong & Estonian biathleteJohanna Talihärm were elected to join the IOC Athletes Commission during the #Olympics at #MilanCortina2026. More in this Free Friday edition of the #ZeusFiles duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/the-cappuc...

The cappuccino edition #13: IPC accused of “legalising war crimes” after letting Russia back for Paralympics at Milan Cortina 2026 - could Olympics be next to lift ban? Ukraine is trying to organise a boycott of the Winter Paralympics Opening Ceremony in protest at the decision to allow the return of the Russian flag, as President Zelenskyy condemns "dirty" move

Read the full story at at duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/the-cappuc...

The #Paralympics is facing a global backlash after announcing it was allowing Russian and Belarus athletes to compete at #MilanoCortina2026. But Russia is growing increasingly confident that the IOC will lift its ban in time for the Olympics at @la28games.bsky.social . Read more in the #ZeusFiles ⬇️

The cappuccino edition #12: Is Trump’s support Wasserman’s best hope of hanging on at LA28? Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has called on the LA28 chair to resign, but the US President is backing him, putting the Olympics in the middle of a row between two political enemies

The full story is at duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/the-cappuc...

The Epstein Files has left @la28games.bsky.social chair #CaseyWasserman battling to save his position. But with LA Mayor Karen Bass calling for him to step down that could ensure Donald Trump rallies behind him, leaving the #Olympics in the middle of a row between two enemies. Latest #ZeusFiles ⬇️

Great news that the Zeus Files has cracked the top 10 of "Rising in Sports" on Substack. Thanks to everyone who has subscribed during the #Olympics at #MilanCortina2026. If you have not signed up yet, you can join at tinyurl.com/334ehh8v

The cappuccino edition #11: Berlin 1936 T-shirt sold out? Don’t worry, you can still buy one celebrating Hitler’s other Olympic Games A tee-shirt commemorating Berlin 1936 has sold out, but you can still buy one celebrating the Winter Olympics held in that year in Garmisch-Partenkirch, a Games also held in the shadow of Nazism

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There's been controversy around the IOC selling a tee-shirt commemorating the Nazi #Olympics at Berlin 1936. But the tee-shirt for the 1936 Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen is even more controversial, appearing to show an athlete giving a Nazi salute. More in the #ZeusFiles (no pay wall) ⬇️

The cappuccino edition #10: Campaign for election to IOC Athletes Commission coming to conclusion Thomas Bach and Kirsty Coventry both started their careers at the IOC by joining the Athletes Commission, so it is worth keeping an eye on who is elected to Milan Cortina 2026

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Thomas Bach and Kirsty Coventry, both future Presidents, first became involved with the IOC after joining the Athletes Commission. So, the election to choose 2 IOC members taking place during the #Olympics at #MilanCortina2026 could be an important moment. Find out who's standing in the #ZeusFiles ⬇️

The cappuccino edition #9:Wasserman plans to concentrate on LA28 preparations after Epstein links force him to put agency up for sale Focus on Casey Wasserman’s Olympic role is set to intensify after his relationship with the convicted sex offender means he has to leave the company he founded

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Now that Casey Wasserman has agreed to sell his music and sports talent agency after being named in the #Epsteinfiles, will his position as chair of @la28games.bsky.social and role in the olympics come under more intense scrutiny, I ask in the latest edition of the #ZeusFiles (no paywall) ⬇️

The cappuccino edition #8: Why are Ukraine’s IOC members not supporting their own athlete more after helmet row? Sergey Bubka has remained silent and Valeriy Borzov offered only limited backing to Vladyslav Heraskevych as he loses CAS appeal after the IOC accused him of making political statements

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They are 2 of Ukraine's greatest athletes, but Sergey Bubka and Valeriy Borzov, both IOC members, have offered little or no support to #VladyslavHeraskevych after he was DQ'd from #Olympics at #MilanCortina2026 in a row over his helmet, as I report in free to read edition of the #ZeusFiles ⬇️

The cappuccino edition #6: Ukrainian athlete stripped of Olympic accreditation by IOC in row over wearing helmet tribute to war dead Vladyslav Heraskevych has been disqualified from Milan Cortina 2026 after refusing to back down in the row over a helmet containing images of Ukrainian athletes killed since the Russian despite

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There's a developing story in the Winter #Olympics at #MilanCortina 2026 where the IOC has stripped #VladyslavHeraskevych of his accreditation in row over helmet he planned to wear in the skeleton commemorating Ukrainian athletes killed by Russia. Full details in *free to read* edition #ZeusFiles ⬇️

The cappuccino edition #4: There was a time when the IOC was not scared to stand up to the White House When Los Angeles was preparing to host the Olympic Games the last time, in 1984, the IOC were faced with a threat from the US administration they could not ignore. Philip Barker tells the story

duncanmackayveritas.substack.com/p/the-cappuc...