Category: Sports

World Cup Moment #2: Lumumba Lives!

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At the World Cup on Tuesday [June 23, 2026] — a man in a red suit stood completely still for 90 minutes in the stands. Then he covered his mouth and used two fingers to simulate pointing a gun to his head….His name is Michel Kuka Mboladinga — known as “Lumumba Vea,” which means “Lumumba Lives.” For more than a decade he has stood motionless at every DR [Democratic Republic] Congo match — suit and tie, arm raised — as a living tribute to Patrice Lumumba, the first Prime Minister of an independent Congo. This story provides historical background on who killed Lumumba and why.

World Cup Moment #1: Norway Donates Proceeds from Israel Match to Gaza

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On October 11, 2025, Norway’s national football (soccer in U.S. parlance) team defeated Israel 5-0 in a World Cup qualifying match in Oslo, the Norwegian capital. Norway’s football federation then donated the proceeds from that game to humanitarian aid in Gaza.This action got wide publicity and praise on social media in the United States and internationally during Norway’s appearance in this year’s World Cup. During the tournament, Norway’s team made history by reaching the competition’s quarter finals for the first time ever.

Cuban Athletes: An ‘Unusual and Extraordinary Threat’?

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PHOENIX, Arizona — As baseball fans around the world geared up for the Sixth World Baseball Classic, eight members of the Cuban team, along with their pitching coach and other support personnel, were denied visas to come to the United States. As a result, just 11 players were left to face a roster of 37 from the Kansas City Royals on March 3, 2026, and 33 from the Cincinnati Reds the following day. The Los Angeles Hands Off Cuba Committee (LAHOC), together with 5 affiliated Cuba solidarity committees in other cities, has been spearheading a campaign to put pressure on the International Olympic Committee to demand that all athletes be allowed to compete. The Trump administration’s policy is a direct violation of the IOC charter and is especially egregious as Washington prepares to host the games.