Olympics

Oleksandr Pielieshenko -- a former weightlifting champion who competed in the 2016 Olympics -- tragically died while fighting in the Ukraine-Russia war, the Ukrainian Weightlifting Federation announced Monday.

He was just 30 years old.

UWF official Viktor Slobodianiuk said in a social media post the Olympian passed away while "defending Ukraine from foreigners."

Sanya Richards-Ross is returning to the Olympics, but not as an athlete -- her pajama/loungewear line will help keep Team USA nice and cozy in Paris ... and she tells TMZ Sports she's hoping to catch the country's biggest stars like LeBron James and Simone Biles wearing her gear!!

The four-time Olympic gold medalist and her two-time Super Bowl champion husband Aaron Ross partnered with Team USA to distribute their Coordinates collection to athletes for the 2024 and 2028 games ... and she tells us she's over the moon about being able to share their product with the Red, White and Blue.

'We want everybody in it," Richards-Ross said. "We get to gift it to Team USA. There's some incredible athletes that we're all excited to watch compete and we would love it if they wear it."

Of course, one of those athletes is the Lakers superstar ... who will be attempting to win his third Olympic gold medal with the Team USA basketball team.

SRR made sure to specifically shout him out -- and the James Gang.

"LeBron James and the fam. Savannah, the boys -- we wanna see you guys in it!" Richards-Ross said.

She hopes to catch gymnastic star Biles and track star Sha'Carri Richardson wearing their comfy clothes this July, too.

Sanya explained the idea for the Coordinates line came from when she used to match outfits with Aaron while at the University of Texas. Then they launched the brand last November -- and sold out in one month!

"This basically started all from her heart," Aaron said. "We got together in 2003 in college and she's been coordinating us from that day."

Marriage and running a business together can be a tough combination ... but the Ross duo -- who got married in 2010 -- said it works for them because of their great foundation and recognizing each other's strengths and weaknesses ... as well as their own.

"I think because we know each other so well, we're able to make it work," Sanya said.

"It ain't gon' be perfect, it's gonna be some tough conversations sometimes that come up but I think if you can give the person grace and really love on them, I think it could really work."

Victims of disgraced former Team USA doctor Larry Nassar will receive a massive $138.7 million payout from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday they'd be shelling out the huge payment to 139 victims ... all because the DOJ concluded the FBI failed to conduct a thorough investigation of Nassar once the bureau received critical information that could've put a stop to the doctor's horrific acts.

“For decades, Lawrence Nassar abused his position, betraying the trust of those under his care and medical supervision while skirting accountability,” Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer said in a news release.

Caitlyn Jenner is refusing to apologize for her blunt statement regarding O.J. Simpson's death, and she's calling out those who say she's just like him ... due to a deadly car wreck.

The Olympian faced a barrage of negative comments after she celebrated O.J.'s passing ... writing "Good Riddance" in a curt statement on X. In response, many slammed Caitlyn -- and compared her to Simpson by calling her a killer for her involvement in a 2015 fatal car accident.

Caitlyn responded to the criticism Friday, defending she is nothing like the controversial NFL star -- who was found liable in a 1996 civil trial for the killing of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.

Caitlyn Jenner se niega a disculparse por su contundente declaración sobre la muerte de O.J. Simpson, y está criticando a los que dicen que es igual a él, debido a un trágico accidente vehicular en el que estuvo involucrada hace algunos años.

La atleta olímpica se enfrentó a un aluvión de comentarios negativos después de que comentara el fallecimiento de O.J., con el mensaje: "Good Riddance" / "Buen viaje" en X. En respuesta a ello, muchos criticaron a Caitlyn y la compararon con Simpson llamándola asesina por su participación en un fatal accidente automovilístico en 2015.

Caitlyn respondió a las críticas el viernes, defendiendo que no se parece en nada a la controvertida estrella de la NFL, quien fue declarado responsable en un juicio civil de 1996 por el asesinato de Nicole Brown Simpson y Ron Goldman.

Jake Paul and Jutta Leerdam are madly in love with one another, and they want the world to know it -- sharing mushy notes about each other on their one-year anniversary Friday!

The two just threw up the posts on their social media pages minutes ago ... and, yeah, they're gooey.

Leerdam shared a video of the two dancing and getting close. Paul, meanwhile, put up a collage of romantic photos.

Wedding bells will soon be ringing for Mikaela Shiffrin and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde ... 'cause the Olympic ski star and World Cup alpine racer are engaged!

The 29-year-old shared the exciting news on Thursday, revealing her gorgeous diamond ring in an Instagram photo dump.

Fans and friends of both athletes were stoked over the engagement and left congratulatory comments, including star athletes Lolo Jones, Allyson Felix, and Livvy Dunne.

One fan even joked, "Their kids are going to be skiing freaking machines!"

Mikaela is a 2x Olympic Gold medalist and has the most World Cup wins of any alpine skier, man or woman. Kilde is a Norwegian World Cup alpine ski racer who has placed first on several podiums, including in 12 downhill competitions.

So, probably valid.

Shiffrin and Kilde started dating in 2021 after they met at a ski camp ... and have been by each other's side since.

In fact, Shiffrin was with Kidle, 31, at the hospital when he had to have emergency surgery after suffering torn ligaments and a dislocated shoulder during a crash in a January race.

He's currently in rehab but that didn't stop him from getting down on one knee to propose.

El ex luchador estadounidense Kurt Angle, conocido sobre todo por su dominio y habilidad en el cuadrilátero como luchador de estilo libre, tenía poco más de 20 años cuando empezó a conquistar el universo de la lucha libre en los años noventa.

Ganar la medalla de oro en los Juegos Olímpicos de Atlanta 1996 fue sin duda uno de los hitos de su carrera, pero también arrasó en WrestleMania a principios de la década de 2000.

Kurt es solo uno de los cuatro que han conseguido el título de "Grand Slam Amateur", ganando los Nacionales Junior, la NCAA, los Campeonatos del Mundo y los Juegos Olímpicos, pero su mayor triunfo es ver a sus hijos continuar su legado en la lucha libre.

Former American wrestler Kurt Angle -- most known for his domination and skillset in the ring as a freestyle wrestler -- was in his late 20s when he first started winning over the wrestling universe back in the '90s.

Taking home a gold medal at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics was definitely a career highlight for Angle, but he also took the WrestleMania stage by storm in the early 2000s.

Kurt is only one of four to hold the 'Amateur Grand Slam' title -- winning the Junior Nationals, NCAA, World Championships and the Olympics, but his biggest win is watching his kids carry on his wrestling legacy.

The Kardashians are on board with Caitlyn Jenner and Lamar Odom teaming up for their new sports podcast -- despite reports suggesting they were blindsided, the fam actually gave it a thumbs-up ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to Caitlyn tell TMZ ... the Olympian spoke with her former stepdaughter, Khloe Kardashian, after she was approached last year about a possible collab with Koko's ex-husband. We're told Khloe was very supportive of the endeavor, which pays tribute to the family's famous reality show with its title, "Keeping Up With Sports."

Khloe thought it was a great idea for Caitlyn and Lamar to cohost the show together, given they are both champions in their own right. Remember, Cait and LO were always close during the NBA star's marriage to the Good American founder, and afterward, they remained friendly.

Las Kardashians están de acuerdo con que Caitlyn Jenner y Lamar Odom hagan equipo en su nuevo pódcast deportivo -a pesar de los informes que sugerían que no era así- la familia le dio un pulgar hacia arriba, TMZ ha indagado.

Fuentes cercanas a Caitlyn le dicen a TMZ que habló con su ex hijastra, Khloe Kardashian, después de que el año pasado hubiese una posible colaboración con el ex marido de Koko. Nos dicen que Khloe apoyó mucho el proyecto que rinde homenaje al famoso reality show de la familia con su título, "Keeping Up With Sports".

Khloe pensó que era una gran idea que Caitlyn y Lamar copresentaran juntos el programa, dado que ambos son campeones por derecho propio. Recordemos que Cait y Lamar siempre fueron íntimos durante el matrimonio de la estrella de la NBA con el fundador de Good American, y después, siguieron siendo amigos.

Jake Paul's speed-skating superstar girlfriend, Jutta Leerdam, threw on a bikini and took a swim during a lavish getaway recently ... showing off her incredible, Olympic-worthy body while snorkeling through the water.

The Problem Child and Dutch athlete got some R&R in Costa Rica ... soaking in the sun, enjoying the wildlife and having plenty of time at sea.

The couple of about a year have been inseparable throughout the trip ... sharing plenty of PDA snaps as they celebrated their love.

Sex isn't prohibited at the Olympics this time around ... the intimacy ban has been lifted, and Olympic Village will be stocked with 300,000 condoms!!!

Remember, bangin' was banned at the Tokyo Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic where athletes had to practice social distancing -- and to enforce the rules, jimmy hats were provided, but they were told not to use them (and to keep them as souvenirs).

But, coronavirus regulations have largely been lifted, giving competitors the green light to get busy this summer.

"It is very important that the conviviality here is something big," village director Laurent Michaud said.

The village -- which will house 14,500 athletes and staff -- will give out 300k condoms ... enough for each person to have sex multiple times per day ... in addition to other amenities.

"Working with the athletes commission, we wanted to create some places where the athletes would feel very enthusiastic and comfortable," Michaud said.

With all the sex and competition, the village is making sure to provide beds that can support [550+ lbs.] and a lot of food.

Speaking of the grub, the Village director says they'll have near 400 yards of buffet, stocked with food from across the world.

"I'm sure that the athletes will be very happy to have some French specialties made over here," Laurent added.

"But the variety will first respond to the athletes' needs for their nutrition and their performance," the director said.

FYI, condoms have been given out at the Olympics since the 1988 Games in Seoul ... in an effort to raise awareness about HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Safety first!!!

Caitlyn Jenner and Lamar Odom are reuniting for a new project -- a sports podcast that pays homage to their "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" connection ... TMZ has learned.

The former in-laws -- Caitlyn was Lamar's stepfather-in-law when the ex-NBA star was married to Khloe Kardashian -- are launching "Keeping Up with Sports," a podcast meant to take a fresh look at what it really takes to be the best.

This venture sounds like a good fit for the pair ... as Caitlyn famously won an Olympic gold medal in 1976 and Lamar won two NBA championship rings with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Caitlyn and Lamar, along with cohost Zach Hirsch, will drop their first episode in the next few weeks ... with boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard as their kickoff guest.

Check out a sneak peek video ... where Sugar Ray opens up about being a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of one of his trainers. He says he had an emotional reaction after sharing his truth for the first time in decades, confessing, "I was hurting."

While the new podcast seems promising, we're curious to learn how Kris Jenner feels about it ... seeing how Kris and Caitlyn's relationship has been rocky over the years. Remember, in October, Caitlyn confirmed she doesn't speak to her ex-wife anymore ... for various reasons.

Still, since the podcast focuses on the sports world, it'll be interesting to see if the family comes up at all.

Upcoming guests include CBS basketball analyst Seth Davis, boxer Bryce Hall, model Amber Rose, world champion boxer Zab Judah, professional stuntman Steve-O, and UFC fighter Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett.

Caitlyn Jenner y Lamar Odom se reunirán para un nuevo proyecto... un pódcast deportivo que rinde homenaje a su "Keeping Up With the Kardashians"... TMZ ha indagado.

Los ex suegros -Caitlyn era el padrastro de Lamar cuando la ex estrella de la NBA estaba casada con Khloe Kardashian- están lanzando "Keeping Up with Sports", un pódcast destinado a mostrar una nueva mirada a lo que realmente se necesita para ser el mejor.

Esta empresa suena como un buen ajuste para la pareja, pensando en que Caitlyn ganó una medalla de oro olímpica en 1976 y Lamar ganó dos anillos de campeonato de la NBA con Los Angeles Lakers.

Caitlyn y Lamar, junto con el co-presentador Zach Hirsch, lanzarán su primer episodio en las próximas semanas, con la leyenda del boxeo Sugar Ray Leonard como invitado de lanzamiento.

Échale un vistazo a un video de adelanto donde Sugar Ray se abre sobre ser víctima de abuso sexual a manos de uno de sus entrenadores. Dice que tuvo una reacción emocional después de compartir su verdad por primera vez en décadas, confesando: "Estaba dolido".

Mientras que el nuevo pódcast parece prometedor, tenemos curiosidad por saber cómo Kris Jenner se siente al respecto, viendo cómo la relación de Kris y Caitlyn ha sido rocosa los últimos años. Recordemos que en octubre Caitlyn confirmó que ya no habla con su ex esposa... por diversas razones.

Sin embargo, dado que el pódcast se centra en el mundo del deporte, será interesante ver si la familia sale a relucir.

Kayla Harrison's opening up on all things UFC ... from her practice runs making 135 lbs. in the lead-up to her huge scrap with Holly Holm to whether she still has an interest in meeting Amanda Nunes in an Octagon!

33-year-old Harrison chopped it up with TMZ Sports ... weeks after she rocked the MMA world, moving from PFL to Dana White's promotion.

The 2x Olympic gold medalist and 2x PFL champion will fight 42-year-old Holm on the stacked UFC 300 card on April 13. We asked Kayla about signing with the UFC, and her thoughts on her legendary opponent.

"It's been amazing. Honestly, my life is so good. I really do feel like everything is happening at the right time and the right place with the right people," Harrison said.

"To be going to the Olympics of MMA on UFC 300 against Holly Holm, a legend in the sport. I'm so excited, I'm so amped. This is the s**t that gets me going, and yeah, I'm ready!"

When UFC 300 rolls around, it won't be happening at 145 or 155 lbs. ... no, Harrison is fighting at bantamweight. We asked her if she fears being able to make the weight.

"Listen there's this giant misconception about my weight, and I think people think I walk around at like 180 lbs. or something. The reality is I was fighting at 155 lbs. and I was walking into the cage at maybe 160 lbs. I don't get much bigger than 160."

Kayla continued ... "I was always the smaller fighter and usually the less experienced fighter. I don't believe in weight cutting, but now I'm going to do what everybody does and I'm gonna be in the cage and I'm gonna be the bigger, faster, stronger and more experienced fighter."

"Is it gonna suck? Yeah. I'm not gonna enjoy dieting, but it's a chosen sacrifice."

Harrison has long said she wants to be the G.O.A.T. ... a title Amanda Nunes currently lays claim to. We asked KH if she still has visions of fighting Nunes in the future.

"Listen, Amanda is the greatest of all time. That's a fact. So, of course, I would love for that to happen," Kayla told us.

"I've always said that, and not out of a place of disrespect. To me thats the highest compliment I could give her. you're the best, I want to find out what I'm made of with you.t a lot to prove. I've got a lot to do. I've got my work boots on. I'm in the gym, I'm hungry, I'm staying humble, but of course!"

"I've always said that, and not out of a place of disrespect. To me thats the highest compliment I could give her. you're the best, I want to find out what I'm made of with you."

The Lioness is still technically retired ... though it sounds like she could be gearing up for a comeback.

Retired or not, first things first ... Holly Holm, and Kayla has her hands full.