Anna Posbergh

US President Donald Trump says he doesn’t care if Iran participates in the World Cup or not. “I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes,” Trump told the American news site Politico on Tuesday. The US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Saturday that have killed at least 1,045 people, including its Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and sparked a regional conflict that has spread to 12 countries. Tehran responded by launching waves of missiles and drones at Israel and towards several military bases in the Middle East where US forces operate. Following the escalations, Iran’s spot at the World Cup has come under question, and officials from the Iranian football federation and FIFA have been noncommittal on the world’s 20th-ranked football nation’s participation. “After this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” Mehdi Taj, president of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI), told local sports portal Varzesh3 on Sunday.

So Trump says he doesn't care if Iran participates in the World Cup and the head of the Iranian FA said, "After this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope."

Everything about this absolutely stinks. The *aggressor* should be banned, not the victim.

I have a case study today for my lecture on governance & the Olympics, where “Acirema” launched military strikes on/started a war with “Persiya,” six days after an Olympics ended. I’m asking students what sanctions the IOC should issue (on Acirema).

This episode was key in developing this activity.

uld you support or oppose abolishing ICE? (%) Somewhat or strongly supportNot sureSomewhat or strongly oppose U.S. adult citizens 39 Party ID Democrats 14 Independents 35 Republicans 68

Per The Economist/YouGov, half of Americans support ABOLISHING ICE.

Literally, "abolishing."

yougov.com/en-us/articl...

Florida bill to arm college professors, staff faces opposition Florida students and faculty oppose a bill allowing college professors to carry concealed weapons on campus, citing safety concerns.

Happy (almost) one-year anniversary of the FSU school shooting, and yet lawmakers and politicians seem to have conveniently forgotten (or still don’t care???) about actually making schools safer.

www.tallahassee.com/story/news/s...

The Athleticide continues

The number is now 40. Imagine the response to a mass shooting that killed 40 kids at school.

But this is an act of self-defence.

I don’t know what discursive equivalent equivalent there is for “trans” though, so the only kind of resistance I can think of is to reject their money, walk away, and publicly talk about it. But I’m always open to suggestions and ideas!!

I can see your point here, I’ll add context. An early version of our university’s banned words list included “women.” Part of my pushback/pointing out this insanity was using “non-men,” which is, as several comments point out, wild. It’s not a banned word anymore (at the university level).

Solidarity with Dr. Anna Posbergh! Florida State University, where she works, is cracking down on her for having the temerity to research & talk about transgender athletes & global sports policy, which is one of her academic specialties.

On “academic freedom” in the fascist state of Florida.

The problem, Anna explains, is that the presentation had the word "trans" in its title

Solidarity with Dr. Posbergh here.

I admire her moral clarity & her stance, which is not always easy for faculty. Being an academic is precarious, but we all need to follow her lead and stand up for what’s right

Nathan's no-look shot

This is disgusting. Academics in Florida are being compelled to censor their work on political grounds if they want to receive basic professional development funding.

But this is not one of those times. I will not change a presentation title, and quite literally erase the word “trans” from my entire presentation, to comply with a regulation that undermines academic innovation, independence, and integrity, solely to receive funding.

Absolutely not.

As a policy scholar who researches (literally) banned topics, I recognize that there are times when it’s necessary to adapt. I’ve changed lecture titles. I’ve used “non-men” instead of “women” in lectures. I’ve adjusted my language to keep the heart of the lesson but is “compliant” in its delivery.

Specifically, the “issue” is/was my (non-)compliance with Regulation 9.016. A similar presentation I gave in Finland in October was also flagged for violating this same regulation because I had “transgender” in the title there too. www.flbog.edu/wp-content/u...

The meeting was about the university talk, specifically the title, which is literally the conference title/presentation I gave in November. The “problem”? It has the word “trans” in it.

I applied for this university funding back in October 2025, and my application was accepted shortly after. I gave the conference presentation in November and have already been reimbursed. I’m meant to give the university-wide presentation (to uphold my end of this agreement) in a month.

Today I had a meeting about funding I received for a November 2025 (!) presentation. Part of the agreement requires me to present the talk at a university-wide event in March 2026. I was told today I could either censor/change my talk’s title and receive the funding, or withdraw.

I withdrew.

A Hot Dog is Not a Sandwich | Maximum Fun Judge John Hodgman listeners know it’s SETTLED LAW that a hot dog is NOT a sandwich. Judge Hodgman delivers his final argument on the matter.

maximumfun.org/episodes/jud...

My other favorite podcast already tackled this hard hitting question!

@endofsportpod.bsky.social @nkalamb.bsky.social @derekcrim.bsky.social @annaposbergh.bsky.social @johannamellis.bsky.social @privaricate.bsky.social

Me learning that tacos are sandwiches after all

Vice President JD Vance gets roundly booed at the opening ceremony of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympics. "Those are a lot of boos for him, whistling jeering," says the presenter. US athletes receive a warm welcome from fans, though.

The opening ceremony for the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics kicks off momentarily. Hope you'll take a sec to read this critical overview @edgeofsports.bsky.social & I wrote @thenation.com. You likely won't see anything we wrote on the screens of NBC, CBC etc! www.thenation.com/article/soci...

photo of Gus Kenworthy’s message in the snow. two skis pointing forward. it says in yellow urine "fuck ice" between the skis Photograph: @guskenworthy

& here's a Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics preview I did w/ the good people @endofsportpod.bsky.social. We covered a lot of ground quickly! Hosts of the show: @annaposbergh.bsky.social @privaricate.bsky.social @derekcrim.bsky.social + @nkalamb.bsky.social open.spotify.com/episode/2vhK...

Was fantastic to chat with Anna, Jo, and Kristi on the end of sport podcast - as a massive fan of the podcast AND heated rivalry - this was awesome. Would be useful for any sport sociology classes discussing sexuality + sport too 🙌

Get Ready for This Year’s Undemocratic, Debt-Ridden, and Mobster-Infused Winter Olympics ICE thugs in the streets, Mafia meddling, and billions in waste—seems like the Games are off to a great start.

Check out @julesboykoff.bsky.social and @edgeofsports.bsky.social in @thenation.com on the Milano-Cortina Games.

www.thenation.com/article/soci...

One of the first episodes I ever listened to on @endofsportpod.bsky.social (episode 4!) featured @julesboykoff.bsky.social, and it forever changed how I viewed the Olympics.
~6 years later: an incredible full circle moment to co-host this episode 🥹

A MUST listen before tomorrow’s opening ceremony!

Heated Rivalry: Hockey Culture, Nationalism, and Queer Representation

@drryanstorr.bsky.social and @kristiallain.bsky.social join @johannamellis.bsky.social and @annaposbergh.bsky.social to discuss the cultural significance of the show *Heated Rivalry.*

open.spotify.com/episode/3Hd4...

Professional athletes are being advised not to leave the hotel or go anywhere without their passports while visiting Minnesota.

This is not a country that can safely host international events like the World Cup.

Boycotting is not even a political question anymore. It is a basic issue of safety.