Olympics

If the U.S. Women's Water Polo team wins gold at the 2024 Olympics, the medal won't be the only bling they'll bring home ... 'cause Flavor Flav tells us he's ready to hook Team USA up with custom-made clock pendants!

If you missed it, Flav is sponsoring the Women's Water Polo squad ... so when TMZ Sports ran into the rap legend at LAX this week -- rockin' a "Team USA" clock -- we asked if he planned on gifting the women their very own.

"If that's their wish," Flavor Flav said. "If that's their wish, listen, I got 'em!"

The United States Women's National Team got a Prime Time surprise as they prep for the 2024 Summer Olympics ... a personal visit from NFL legend Deion Sanders!

The meet-up happened on Wednesday at the University of Colorado ... as America's best soccer players prep for the Games in Paris.

Sanders -- entering his 2nd year as head football coach of the Buffaloes -- wanted to show the ladies some love while they were on campus ... so he showed up to surprise them and they were stoked!

The comeback for three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas has come to an end for now -- the star gymnast suffered an injury that has forced her to back out of the U.S. championships -- making her ineligible for the 2024 Games in Paris.

The 28-year-old hurt her ankle during training for this weekend's event in Fort Worth, Texas ... and the ailment was severe enough to keep her sidelined.

The injury will cost her a spot on the five-person team for the Olympics this summer ... which would have been her first since the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.

Simone Biles is tired of hearing the trolls chirp about her husband ... telling Jonathan Owens' critics this weekend to "f*** off."

The gymnastics star took to Instagram to send the message to the haters on Sunday night ... after they had crawled out yet again following the NFL player's appearance at her competition on Saturday in Hartford, Connecticut.

You'll recall, the NFL safety has received heat from fans ever since he referred to himself as "the catch" in the couple's relationship while doing an interview on the "The Pivot" back in December ... and when he was shown on TV as "Simone Biles' Husband" at the event over the weekend, the negative comments cropped up again all over social media.

The summer Olympics are right around the corner, and Snoop D.O. Double G is hoping for a perfect 10.0 from you! Show this rap icon what a star he is by scoring the minor chang-izzles in these pict-izzles.

The rapper was in NYC earlier this week and zipped through the crowd while heading to the NBC Upfront at Radio City Music Hall. Of course, he was reppin' team USA but also had some personalized merch in tow.

"Drop It Like It's Hot" and find the changes!

Flavor Flav's revving up the hype train for the U.S. women's water polo team, and one of its star players, Maggie Steffens, is still floored by how they landed the celeb endorsement.

Maggie, the team captain, and Flav joined us for a chat Monday on "TMZ Live" ... and she admitted she definitely didn't expect the rapper to answer her IG call for more support for her team.

Fact is, the team's won gold at the last 3 Olympic games -- but still needed something, or someone, to juice TV ratings this summer in Paris.

Simone Biles dice que bebió demasiado en una fiesta pre-boda en Cabo el año pasado antes de casarse con Jonathan Owens.

La atleta olímpica publicó un montón de fotos nunca antes vistas antes de su primer aniversario de boda con la estrella de la NFL, la cual celebraron en México en 2023. Simone dice que estos son algunos de sus momentos favoritos de ese fin de semana, incluyendo un montón de fotos de la fiesta.

Como dijimos, estas fueron tomadas antes de la ceremonia real, y parece que se divirtió en serio, tal vez demasiado, porque confiesa haberse desmayado de tanto beber.

Simone Biles says she had one too many at a pre-wedding party down in Cabo last year before she tied the knot with Jonathan Owens ... and she's got the proof on camera.

The Olympian posted a bunch of never-before-seen photos ahead of her 1-year wedding anniversary with the NFL star -- which they first celebrated in Mexico in 2023. Simone says these are some of her favorite moments from that weekend ... including lots of party pics.

Like we said, these were taken prior to the actual ceremony -- and it looks like SB enjoyed herself ... maybe a bit too much, 'cause she actually confesses to blacking out from boozing.

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.