Tag: sports

Trump admin refers Minnesota case to DOJ over transgender athletes in girls’ sports

The Trump administration on Monday moved toward stripping federal funding from Minnesota by referring its investigation into alleged Title IX violations involving transgender athletes competing in girls’ and women’s sports to the Department of Justice for enforcement.

The civil rights offices at the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services said the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota State High School League have refused to comply with Title IX requirements by “allowing men to compete in women’s sports and occupy women’s intimate facilities.”

“Despite repeated opportunities to comply with Title IX, Minnesota has chosen defiance — continuing to jeopardize the safety of women and girls, deny them fair competition, and erode their right to equal access in educational programs and activities,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement.

McMahon also linked the referral to broader criticism of state leadership. “As Minnesota reels from a massive fraud scandal exposing Gov. Tim Walz’s dereliction of duty, today’s referral to DOJ underscores the state’s ongoing failure to safeguard its citizens and uphold the rule of law,” she said.

A joint federal investigation concluded in September that both the state education department and the high school sports league violated Title IX’s ban on sex discrimination by permitting males to compete in multiple female sports programs and use female-only locker rooms and facilities. Investigators offered Minnesota a proposed resolution agreement that would have allowed the state to voluntarily resolve the findings.

The Education Department said Minnesota indicated in December that it would neither accept the agreement nor negotiate its terms. Since then, federal officials say the state has taken no action to address the violations.

“Minnesota is violating Title IX, and we will not look the other way,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said. “When states allow males to compete in girls’ sports, they deny young women and girls the protections the law guarantees.”

The referral follows a February executive order signed by President Donald Trump directing federal agencies to enforce Title IX protections based on biological sex. The order authorizes agencies to review and, if necessary, withhold federal funding from schools and programs found to be out of compliance.

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Billionaire Sports Mogul Has Quietly Become America’s Largest Private Landowner

Stan Kroenke, the billionaire sports magnate who owns the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and England’s Arsenal FC, has quietly ascended to the top of America’s private landownership rankings, controlling more than 2.7 million acres following a blockbuster off-market acquisition in December, according to The Land Report.

The deal saw Kroenke purchase over 937,000 acres of ranchland in New Mexico from the heirs of Teledyne founder Henry Singleton, marking the largest single private land transaction in the U.S. in more than a decade, according to The Land Report’s 2026 ranking of the nation’s 100 largest landowners.

The noncontiguous parcels, focused on cattle and horse operations, vaulted Kroenke from fourth place into the No. 1 spot, surpassing the Emmerson family’s 2.44 million acres of timberland through Sierra Pacific Industries, Liberty Media’s John Malone at 2.2 million acres, and former CNN owner Ted Turner’s 2 million acres, Fox Business reports.

Kroenke, who built his fortune in real estate development before expanding into professional sports, has assembled his sprawling portfolio – primarily ranching and grazing land – across the American West and into Canada over decades.

Key holdings include the 560,000-acre Q Creek Ranch in Wyoming, the historic 535,000-acre Waggoner Ranch in Texas, Montana’s Broken O Ranch, Nevada’s Winecup Gamble Ranch, and British Columbia’s Douglas Lake Ranch, according to The Land Report.

How staggering is Kroenke’s total land holdings?

Well, it now exceeds the size of Yellowstone National Park and equates to roughly 2 million football fields, according to Fox Business.

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ACLU And Celebs Release Cringe Appeal To Allow Men In Women’s Sports

The American Civil Liberties Union has rolled out a new campaign pushing for biological males to compete in women’s sports, just as the Supreme Court takes up cases that could finally protect female athletes from unfair competition.

Featuring ‘stars’ including Megan Rapinoe and Naomi Watts, the ad frames this as a fight for “freedom,” when in reality it’s just another leftist assault on women’s rights and fair play.

The ACLU’s “More Than A Game” ad, launched during women’s basketball games on January 12, features celebrities and young people delivering lines like: “When you’re young, you believe that you can do anything. And then the world tries to set limits for you. Tell you what’s allowed, what is normal, who you’re supposed to be.”

It continues: “But on the field, the track, the court, here you get to be exactly who you want. Because at our core, we still are kids that just want to play. The go big game changers. The living, breathing fabric of this country.”

The ad closes with: “Supporting trans youth isn’t just about sports. It’s about freedom on and off the field. It’s more than a game.”

The campaign ties directly to Supreme Court cases challenging bans on transgender girls in school sports in West Virginia and Idaho.

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Federal prosecutors unseal sweeping NCAA basketball illegal game-fixing scheme tied to China

Federal prosecutors in Philadelphia have unsealed criminal charges in what they say was a years-long, international scheme to rig NCAA Division I men’s basketball games, and even some pro games in China, all to make money through illegal sports betting.

Speaking at a news conference, David Metcalf, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, said the case involves “the criminal corruption of collegiate athletics” and charged that 26 defendants were behind game-fixing operations in the U.S. and overseas. Stressing the broader significance of the allegations, Metcalf said: “When criminals pollute the purity of sports by manipulating competition, it doesn’t just imperil the integrity of sports betting markets. It imperils the integrity of sport itself and everything that sports represent to us.”

According to the indictment filed in federal court and reviewed by ReadWrite, the defendants are charged with violations including bribery in sporting contests, wire fraud, conspiracy, and aiding and abetting. Prosecutors stress that the charges are only allegations, and that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they’re proven guilty. The case, officially titled United States v. Smith et al., was filed on January 14, 2026.

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Justice Jackson Outdoes Herself With Complete Nonsense Of An Opinion

Leave it to the woman who doesn’t know what a woman is to decide if men belong in women’s sports. 

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson stumbled through oral argument Tuesday in the case of West Virginia v. B.P.J. The case concerns “[w]hether Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prevents a state from consistently designating girls’ and boys’ sports teams based on biological sex determined at birth,” and “whether the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment prevents a state from offering separate boys’ and girls’ sports teams based on biological sex determined at birth,” according to SCOTUSblog. 

Biological sex is indeed “determined,” as in, “ascertained,” not “assigned.” 

Jackson described her understanding of the issue at hand to West Virginia Solicitor General Michael Williams. 

“You have the overarching classification, you know, everybody has to be, um, uh, play on the team that is the same as their sex at birth, um, but then you have a gender identity definition that is operating within that, meaning, a distinction, meaning that um, for, uh, cisgender girls they can play consistent with their gender identity, for transgender girls, they can’t,” said Jackson. 

Jackson distinguishes between “sex” and “gender identity” as though the latter is a category deserving of equal consideration. “Gender identity” only means “a particular feeling I have about myself.” If that feeling leads one to make unreasonable demands, it is perfectly reasonable to toss those demands in the trash. 

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ANOTHER state is embroiled in fraud scandal with ‘$77MILLION of taxpayers’ money going missing’… and WWE stars are at the center

Mississippi has joined the list of states embroiled in major fraud scandals, as a welfare scheme trial centered around WWE stars is set to kick off this week. 

The embezzlement scheme saw at least $77 million of taxpayers’ hard-earned money go toward frivolous things instead of helping those in need in America’s poorest state, according to authorities.

Instead of helping the less fortunate, cash was splurged on a lavish home in Jackson, cars, paying off a non-profit leader’s speeding ticket, and funding a new $5 million volleyball stadium at Mississippi University, among other items, authorities said. 

A total of seven people have pleaded guilty to state or federal charges related to the fraud case, but one person, former pro wrestler Ted DiBiase Jr., has decided to plead not guilty and stand trial. 

His brother, Brett DiBiase, 37, was also charged in the welfare-fraud scandal. Brett, who also wrestled professionally, pleaded guilty to state and federal charges. 

Meanwhile, his older brother, who received the Million Dollar Championship title in 2010 from their wrestler father, Ted DiBiase Sr., is the only person indicted after he chose to fight money laundering, wire fraud, theft, and conspiracy charges. 

The trial, which is set to begin Tuesday, will detail how DiBiase, 43, allegedly pocketed around $4 million in welfare dollars that he used for himself. 

The fraud in Mississippi comes as similar allegations continue to sweep across Minnesota that suggest alleged scammers, most of Somali descent, are said to have spent millions meant to feed hungry children on flashy cars and swanky travels, according to court evidence obtained by CBS. 

According to prosecutors, DiBiase allegedly concealed money through phony contracts with non-profit organizations, including the Mississippi Community Education Center, in a conspiracy to steal funds from welfare programs, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

Prosecutors said DiBiase embezzled around $1.1 million and used the cash to buy luxurious items, including a boat and a vehicle. 

Per the contracts, two companies owned by DiBiase were allegedly supposed to look into the need for emergency food aid, provide leadership outreach to the community, and help inner-city children.

But, according to the indictment reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, the married father-of-two ‘did not provide and did not intend to provide’ those assistance programs to Mississippians. 

Meanwhile, DiBiase said he has brought forward ‘significant evidence that he did perform work under the relevant contracts,’ according to a November court filing obtained by the outlet. 

The only person involved in the scandal who has been sentenced for his crimes is former Department of Human Services Head John Davis. 

A judge decided Davis, the highest-ranking official embroiled in the conspiracy, will spend 32 years in prison for state charges. He has not yet been sentenced for his federal crimes, WLBT reported. 

He was found guilty of having tens of millions of dollars go toward specific non-profits before he took the money for his own personal use.

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FEMA Grants $250 Million to Track Drones During World Cup

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is awarding $250 million for anti-drone efforts in 11 states that will host the FIFA World Cup 2026 soccer matches, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a Dec. 30 statement.

“Recipients can use this money to strengthen their ability to detect, identify, track, or mitigate unmanned aircraft systems,” DHS said. “In recent years, criminals, terrorists, and hostile foreign actors have intensified their use of this technology.”

The money is being awarded under the Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) Grant Program set up under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law by President Donald Trump in July.

“With today’s C-UAS Grant Program award—along with the new authorities granted in the SAFER SKIES Act—state and local law enforcement agencies now have the tools they need to keep their communities safe,” DHS said.

“This is especially critical as officials across the country prepare for the United States to host the FIFA World Cup, which is expected to be the largest sporting event in world history.”

The C-UAS Grant Program allows DHS to provide $500 million in federal funding over two years to boost local and state capabilities to combat drone threats, according to DHS.

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EU state denies entry to Russian athletes

Latvia has denied entry to Russian athletes ahead of a crucial Luge World Cup stage hosted by the EU country, its foreign minister, Baiba Braze, has announced.

Like its Baltic neighbors Lithuania and Estonia, Latvia has been one of the staunchest opponents of Moscow since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, calling for more military aid to Kiev and increasingly harsh sanctions on Russia. Riga has provided almost $1 billion in assistance to the government of Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky since February 2022.

On January 3 and 4, the Latvian town of Sigulda hosts the fourth stage of the Luge World Cup. The points scored in the event are essential for athletes to qualify for the Winter Olympics in Italy’s Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in February 2026.

Braze wrote in a post on X on Wednesday that Russian lugers “are not welcome in Latvia.”

“I have decided to include 14 Russian Federation citizens on the persona non grata list,” she said.

According to the foreign minister, the entry ban, introduced in line with the country’s immigration legislation, is indefinite.

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FBI Issues Warning as Sports Gambling Surges Around the US

The FBI sounded the alarm on Dec. 17 regarding the risks associated with sports gambling as its popularity continues to gain steam across the United States.

The law enforcement bureau noted that 39 states and the District of Columbia have legalized some variant of sports betting, but it said that “illegal sportsbooks and illegal online gaming sites” are still widespread.

Some $673.6 billion is wagered each year by Americans via illegal or unregulated gambling markets, the FBI said, citing data from the American Gambling Association.

“Individuals engaged in illegal gambling risk funding organized crime activity and becoming vulnerable to violence, extortion, and fraud,” the FBI said in its bulletin released on Wednesday, adding that it is working to target “organized crime and illegal gambling operations.”

Some gambling sites operated in other countries have advertisements that target Americans and seek to obscure their respective countries of origin, the agency said. These offshore sites do not follow the same legal regulations as licensed sports books in the United States, it added.

Furthermore, the bureau said that the gambling profits gained by these organized crime groups can fund human trafficking, drug smuggling, and weapon smuggling activities.

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CBD Provides Pain Relief, Improves Sleep And Aids Relaxation, Study Involving Olympic Athletes Shows

Elite athletes find cannabidiol, or CBD, useful for soreness and recovery, a new study shows.

Researchers found that top competitors use CBD to manage pain, improve sleep and ease the stress of training at the highest level. But the results suggest that even as many athletes believe the cannabis compound helps them recover, they also worry that using it could jeopardize their careers under international anti-doping rules.

The study, conducted between late 2021 and mid-2023 and published this month in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, surveyed 80 elite Canadian athletes across 27 national sport organizations. To be included, athletes needed to have experience as part of the country’s Olympic or Paralympic team program.

About 38 percent reported using CBD at some point, and nearly a third of those said they were still using it at the time of the survey.

The participants’ motivations reflect a broader societal trend of relying on CBD for therapeutic benefit. The study found that 96 percent of CBD users said they believed the substance was safe, 93 percent said it improved their sleep, 90 percent said it helped them relax and 77 percent credited it with reducing pain from training.

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