Russia's Year of Sporting Ignominy Continues
The Court of Arbitration for Sport has upheld the International Paralympic Committee's ban on all Russian competitors at the games.
Rio 2016: Photos From the Final Weekend
Today’s final entry encompasses rhythmic gymnastics, wrestling, triathlon, mountain biking, canoe, modern pentathlon, soccer, the Closing Ceremony, and much more.
Ryan Lochte's Sponsorship Woes
The Olympic swimmer lost his deals with four companies in a single day because of his “over-exaggerated” Rio story.
The Largest Country Without Medals in Rio
Pakistan just had its worst Olympics ever. Why?
The Rio Olympics: A Crib Sheet
From Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky to Simone Biles and Usain Bolt, follow the 2016 games with our handy cheat sheet.
Why Hyper-Masculine Women Are Scary, but Fish-Like Men Aren't
Most elite athletes are unusual in some way. So why does Caster Semenya alarm spectators more than Michael Phelps?
Immigrant Runners Are Winning More Than Olympic Medals
The successes of foreign-born athletes like Mo Farah and Bernard Lagat offer a rejoinder to nationalistic sentiment in the U.S. and Britain.
A Brief History of Cheating at the Olympics
Deception at the games is as old as the competition itself.
Why Isn’t There a U.S. Synchronized Swimming Team in Rio?
Americans once completely dominated the sport—but that hasn’t been the case since last century.
What Happened to the U.S. Olympic Swimmers in Rio?
The last of the four swimmers involved in a bizarre tale of robbery at gunpoint has paid $10,800 to resolve the case, for which Ryan Lochte and the U.S. Olympic Committee have apologized.
Rio 2016: Photos From Days 11 through 13
Over the two weeks of the games, I’ll be featuring some amazing images from recent Olympic events. Today’s entry encompasses gymnastics, BMX racing, water polo, beach volleyball, taekwondo, kayaking, women’s wrestling, and much more.
The Continuing Saga of the U.S. Swimmers in Rio
Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz were taken off a U.S.-bound flight over what Brazilian authorities say are inconsistencies in their accounts of being robbed at gunpoint.
The Dark Side of Going for Gold
After the Olympics, both winners and losers are prone to emotional crashes.
Why a Brazilian Judge Wants Ryan Lochte's Passport Seized
She says his account, and that of his teammates, of being robbed in Rio has inconsistencies.
The Saddest Olympic Celebration
What do you do when you’re competing for a country that might disappear? You dance.
The Olympic Guide to Ladybragging
The women athletes of Rio have been crushing it—not just in the arena, but on social media.
Rio 2016: Photos From the Second Weekend
Over the two weeks of the games, I’ll be featuring some amazing images from recent Olympic events. Today’s entry encompasses marathon swimming, weightlifting, steeple-chase, tennis, synchronized swimming, a marriage proposal, and more.
Rio 2016: The Taste of Victory
A collection of some of this year’s Olympic athletes in Rio making their medals appear simply delicious.
How China’s ‘Century of Humiliation’ Haunts Its Quest for Olympic Glory
China’s painful history with imperialism and the West highlights a powerful, enduring aspect of its national psychology at the Olympic Games.
The Unsporting Spirit
Judoka Islam El Shahaby may face punishment for refusing to shake the hand of his Israeli opponent after a match the Egyptian lost.
The Olympic Quote (That Should Be) Heard ‘Round the World
Simone Biles is not the next Michael Phelps. She is not the next Usain Bolt. She is ‘the first Simone Biles.’
Who Is Leonidas of Rhodes?
Michael Phelps beat a more than 2,000-year-old Olympic record set by the champion athlete of the ancient games.
The Emotional Range of Olympic Hugs
Embraces—in victory, defeat, and everything in between—are the best part of the Olympics, and they come in many varieties.
The Second Kenyan Coach Banned From Rio
Running coach John Anzrah allegedly posed as an athlete to help cheat a doping test.
Rio 2016: Photos From Days 4 through 6
Over the next two weeks I’ll be featuring some amazing images from recent Olympic events. Today’s entry encompasses cycling, archery, volleyball, weightlifting, diving, sailing, judo, a passing capybara, and much more.
And the Gold Medal in Olympic Music Marketing Goes to …
Chance the Rapper, Sia, and others bring their inspirational A-Games.
The Real Olympic Challenge for American Basketball
For both the men and women’s teams, the USA’s expected dominance in Rio means their goal isn’t so much to win: It’s to prove they can’t lose.
The Glorious Drama of the U.S. Swim Team
At the 2016 Rio Olympics, the antics outside the pool have rivaled the events themselves.
Rio 2016: Where Refugees Are Finally Being Recognized
Organizers have signaled that the Games aren’t solely a competition among nations.
Women’s Softball Needs the Olympics
It’s not a “female version” of baseball, but the sport’s inclusion in the 2020 Tokyo Games is a victory for gender equality in athletics.
Please, Michael Phelps, Stop Cupping
The bruises on the swimmer’s body come from a “therapy" intended to improve blood flow. It actually causes blood to clot.
Fencing While Black
In 2015, Nzingha Prescod became the first African American woman to win an individual medal at the Senior World Championships. Now, she's competing for the United States in Rio.
Their Bodies, Ourselves
What to make of the combination of bedazzled femininity and ferocious athleticism that defines women’s gymnastics?
Rio 2016: Photos From the First Weekend
Over the next two weeks I’ll be featuring some amazing images from recent Olympic events. Today’s entry encompasses fencing, basketball, handball, swimming, diving, eventing, table tennis, archery, and much more.
Photos of the Rio 2016 Olympics Opening Ceremony
The games of the 31st Olympiad are now under way in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Why Some Olympians Compete Against Their Home Country
Is switching nationalities just to compete in the games in the Olympic spirit?
How to Watch the 2016 Rio Olympics
All the ways to enjoy the next two weeks of events, from rowing to rhythmic gymnastics
The Olympics Haven't Always Been an Economic Disaster
The success of Los Angeles and Barcelona’s lavish ceremonies and prudent planning set precedents that many cities have tried, and failed, to replicate.
The Olympics Have Always Been Political
Russian President Vladimir Putin says Russia's critics are mixing sports and politics, but the combination is as old as the games themselves.
Doping at the Olympics
The IOC says 45 additional athletes, including 23 who won medals, were caught doping when samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympics were retested.
The Russian 'Traitors' Competing in the Olympics
Russians are criticizing two sportswomen cleared to compete in Rio as neutral athletes after their compatriots were banned over the widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs.
Why One Russian Runner Can Compete in the Olympics
Global track and field’s governing body will allow whistle-blower Yuliya Stepanova to compete in Rio as a neutral athlete.