It’s official: L.A. to host Olympics
LIMA, Peru — The tears welling in the Paris mayor’s eyes told the story one way. The words the Los Angeles mayor spoke told it another. This was one of those rare Olympic moments when everyone walked away a winner. Paris for 2024. Los Angeles for 2028. And the International Olympic Committee for transforming its unruly, tension-filled and sometimes corrupt bidding process into a history-making, two-city victory that secures the future of the Summer Games for the next 11 years. “This is a pretty radical revolution today,” L.A. mayor Eric Garcetti said. “Usually, we have two or three cities crying in a corner, and one glorious victory. In this world, there are enough losers today, enough people who go after dreams to have them crushed. Today, we model something that can be different.” Different, as in the first time the IOC has granted two Summer Olympics at once. And different, in that there was no need for a secret ballot or any last-minute, back-room deal making. This result came after a year’s worth of scrambling by IOC president Thomas Bach, who had only the two bidders left for the original prize, 2024, and couldn’t afford to see either lose. There was no drama — the decision had been locked in for more than a month. But to say there was no emotion would not be true. After Bach called for a show of hands to approve the dual award, dozens of arms shot skyward from the audience; moments later, Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo stood next to the IOC president dabbing tears from her eyes. Both cities will host their third Olympics.
BASEBALL
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TOKYO — Shohei Otani is likely to leave Japan and sign with a Major League Baseball team after this season, multiple reports in Japanese media said Wednesday, a move that would cost the 23-year-old pitcher and outfielder more than $100 million. In his fifth season with the Nippon Ham Fighters, the reigning Pacific League MVP is prized as both a pitcher and hitter. But under restrictions in MLB’s new collective bargaining agreement, his signing bonus would be limited to about $3 million to $4 million, a fraction of the $155 million, seven-year deal that pitcher Masahiro Tanaka received from the New York Yankees before the 2014 season. Otani would have to wait until after the 2019 season to receive a comparable deal in MLB.
GOLF
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LAKE FOREST, Ill. —
Jason Day’s longtime coach is no longer his caddie. In a surprising move, Day said Wednesday he has parted ways with Colin Swatton for at least the rest of the year, though he will keep him as the only coach he has ever had. It was the third split this year involving top players and their longtime caddies. Phil
Mickelson and Jim “Bones” Mackay split after 25 years, while Rory McIlroy parted with J.P. Fitzgerald after nearly a decade. “I never wanted it to turn into a toxic relationship,” Day said. “I was worried if I kept it going, it was going to head that way, and I love him too much to have him not in my life.” Swatton was as much a life coach as his golf instructor and caddie. Day was a 12-year-old in Australia who got caught up in drinking and fighting after his father died. His mother depleted the family savings and borrowed money to send him to Koralbyn International School in Queensland, where Swatton ran the golf program. Swatton encountered a head-strong kid and helped him become a major champion and No. 1 in the world. Day, however, has fallen from No. 1 to No. 9 in the world ranking, and his FedEx Cup playoffs position of No. 28 means he is in jeopardy of not advancing to the Tour Championship for the first time in five years.