Sports

Jakob Ingebrigtsen has pulled out of the men's 1,500m final at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, one day after winning the 5,000m, stating he cannot compete in back-to-back races following an 11-month injury layoff and Achilles surgery. The final proceeds on 13 September with 12 remaining athletes, including Olympic champion Cole Hocker and world champion Isaac Nader, competing for a $150,000 first prize from a $10 million total purse. The withdrawal removes the anticipated Ingebrigtsen-Kerr matchup from the headline event of the new biennial competition.

WADA's Executive Committee unanimously approved amendments on September 10, 2026, that prohibit host National Anti-Doping Organizations from participating in test-distribution planning or athlete selection at Olympic and Paralympic Games, effective January 1, 2027. The United States, which lost its ExCo seat after leaving $3.625 million in dues unpaid, could not vote but opposed the measure through open letters, arguing it would raise costs and complicate logistics for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The rule applies mandatorily to Olympic and Paralympic events; application to International Federation World Championships remains at each federation's discretion.