America Is Still Worth Giving Thanks For
For the frustrated and disillusioned on the right, here are four foundational reasons to give thanks for this great country.For the frustrated and disillusioned on the right, here are four foundational reasons to give thanks for this great country.Olympic snowboarder turned cartel cocaine kingpin wanted by FBI for ordering execution
A former Olympic snowboarder is on the FBI Most Wanted List for allegedly spearheading a multicultural trafficking organization.
Ryan James Wedding is a 44-year-old former snowboarder from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, who competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. He took part in the men's Parallel Giant Slalom for Canada, finishing 24th.
However, that would seemingly be the last time Wedding dealt with literal snow before becoming an accused cocaine trafficker.
'Ryan Wedding controls one of the most prolific and violent drug trafficking organizations in this world.'
According to Sporting News, Wedding's first drug charges came six years after his Olympics appearance, when he was arrested in San Diego for cocaine trafficking and later convicted for conspiracy to possess and distribute.
Now, the FBI has placed Wedding on its top 10 most-wanted list and, working with the Department of Justice and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, has charged him with overseeing the operations of a criminal enterprise, engaging in witness intimidation, and profiting off of laundered drug money.
Wedding is believed to be in Mexico, where he is currently being sheltered by cartel associates.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said, "Ryan Wedding controls one of the most prolific and violent drug trafficking organizations in this world and works closely with the Sinaloa Cartel."
She added, "We will not rest until his name is taken off the FBI's Top 10 Most Wanted List, and his narco-trafficking organization lies dismantled."
Details of Wedding's witness intimidation came from the DOJ, which said he ordered a hit on a witness in a federal narcotics case.
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Wedding allegedly placed a bounty on the head of a witness for a 2024 indictment and enlisted others to locate and kill him. The witness was shot to death in a restaurant in Medellin, Colombia.
Not only is Wedding said to have ordered the assassinations of others as well, but perhaps shockingly, it was allegedly Wedding's lawyer who advised him to put out the hit on the 2024 witness.
Deepak Balwant Paradkar, a 62-year-old barrister residing in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada, allegedly advised Wedding to murder the victim in order to avoid extradition to the United States from Mexico. Paradkar also improperly provided Wedding with court documents and access to members of his enterprise who had been arrested.
Wedding is charged with a multitude of crimes stemming from the 2024 indictment, including continuing criminal enterprise, assorted drug trafficking charges, and directing the murder of two members of a family from Caledon, Ontario, Canada, in November 2023.
Those killings were reportedly in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment in California. A third family member was also shot but survived the injuries.
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"Ryan Wedding and his associates allegedly imported tons of cocaine each year from Colombia through Mexico and onto the streets of U.S. communities," FBI Director Kash Patel said. "His criminal activities and violent actions will not be tolerated, and this is a clear signal that the FBI will use our resources and expertise to find Ryan Wedding and bring him and his associates to justice."
The diverse cast of characters involved in the case included Edwin Basora-Hernandez, a reggaeton musician from the Dominican Republic, who provided the contact information for the aforementioned witness, which helped assassins locate him.
Gursewak Singh Bal, co-founder of the Dirty News website, allegedly took money in exchange for not posting about Wedding, and instead posting a photograph of the aforementioned witness.
A $15 million reward for information leading to Wedding's arrest or prosecution was issued by the U.S. government, with another $2 million in reward money offered for similar information on each of the assassins.
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Olympics committee expected to reverse course on men in women's sports
The International Olympic Committee is set to make some significant changes to its rules about men participating in women's sports categories.
According to the Times, the IOC will likely announce a ban on so-called "transgender women" competing in female sports.
'We have to do that to ensure fairness. And we have to do it with scientific approach.'
This policy change comes after a "science-based" study led by Dr. Jane Thornton showed that men have significant physical advantages over biological women.
“It was a very scientific, factual, and unemotional presentation which quite clearly laid out the evidence,” one source told the Times.
RELATED: Medical exam reveals Algerian Olympic boxer Imane Khelif has testicles, a penis, and XY chromosomes
Last year, the committee faced heated controversy after Algerian trans-identifying boxer Imane Khelif beat a woman to tears in the ring. A report later revealed a medical document showing that Khelif, who took home the gold medal after dominating the 66 kg women's competition, has XY chromosomes.
The IOC's shift in opinion on the issue of trans-identifying athletes follows a change in leadership in June of this year. The new president of the IOC, Kirsty Coventry, indicated that there was "overwhelming support" for changing the rules to "protect the female category."
“We have to do that to ensure fairness. And we have to do it with scientific approach and with the inclusion of the international federations who have done a lot of work in that area. So we have to bring in the experts — that will take a little bit of time — and the international federations so that we have full buy-in and cohesion on this specific topic,” Coventry said at a press conference shortly after becoming president.
Coventry said the rules will not have a retroactive effect, indicating an unwillingness to revisit the Khelif controversy: “We are not going to be doing anything retrospectively. We are going to be looking forward. And again, from the members that were here, it was: What are we learning from the past, and how are we going to leverage that and move that forward to the future, and how are we going to strengthen the movement as we move into the future?”
The policy change will likely be announced in early February before the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy, according to Fox News.
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Transgender boxer makes shocking return, brutally beats 19-year-old girl
An Olympic gold medalist who failed gender testing has returned to competition for the first time.
Not to be confused with Algerian Olympic champion Imane Khelif — whose gender is confirmed to be male — Taiwan's Lin Yu‑ting also brutalized women at the Paris 2024 Olympics under tough scrutiny.
'Pan Yan-fei's coach threw in the towel.'
The boxer dominated the women's 57kg division last summer, despite having been disqualified by the International Boxing Association in 2023. That March, Lin was denied a bronze medal after failing to meet gender eligibility requirements. The IBA also disqualified Khelif from the same event, and the Algerian was later exposed as a male in three other reports.
Lin had not been seen in competition for over a year until his recent appearance at the Taiwan National Games. Reduxx reported that the competition does not have any known sex testing protocols in place, so the 30-year-old was allowed to compete in the women's 60kg category.
It did not take long for Lin to overwhelm an opponent, defeating 19-year-old female Pan Yan-fei in just one minute and 34 seconds. After repeated punches to the head, Pan's coach threw in the towel.
Pan was, "a little breathless because of being hit on the head," Taiwanese outlet CNA reported. "Then Pan Yan-fei’s coach threw in the towel and gave up the game."
If Lin wins the tournament, that would make six consecutive national titles for the controversial boxer.
The Trump Olympic ban
The controversy around Lin's gender is parallel to Khelif's, as the latter was proven by a multitude of sources to be, in fact, a male. However, less is known about Lin specifically, although it was discussed internally at the Olympics that the boxer had failed gender testing.
RELATED: Trump wins: US Olympic Committee bans men from women's sports
The Guardian reported at the time that the International Olympic Committee had prior knowledge that Lin was "stripped of her bronze medal after failing to meet eligibility requirements based on the results of a biochemical test," and noted such in its internal system.
This came after IBA president Umar Krevlev told Russian outlet TASS that both Lin and Khelif had "XY chromosomes."
While the IBA has faced criticism over its credibility, it was proven to be right about Khelif.
Still, neither boxer is likely to see the ring at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. New IOC president Kirsty Coventry and President Donald Trump have made it clear that males will not be beating up females in the United States.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced a rules update in July that stated it would "ensure that women have a fair and safe competition environment consistent with Executive Order 14201."
Executive Order 14201, Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports, bans males from participating in "all-female athletic opportunities" or entering "all-female locker rooms."
After their Olympic performances, Lin and Khelif were not permitted to box in other competitions until Lin's latest appearance.
Khelif, though, has vowed to compete in the 2028 Olympics and even submitted an appeal to World Boxing after being booted from a Dutch event in June. The boxer asked to be declared "eligible to participate in the 2025 World Boxing Championships from 4 to 14 September," without having to submit to a genetic test.
The ban stood. Lin was also not permitted to compete at the world championships.
RELATED: New Olympic president strikes huge blow to transgender athletes ahead of 2028 games in LA
Lin's latest opponent
Lin's opponent, Pan, was a young boxer who was making her first appearance at the senior national games after winning a national high school title in 2023.
She previously competed in Taiwan's under-22 category at 54-57kg.
Despite the brutal loss, event officials reportedly examined her after the fight, and she did not suffer any serious injuries. She was able to walk unaided and was described as stable.
Lin reportedly declined to be interviewed after the fight.
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Imane Khelif appeals boxing ban with ridiculous request for gender testing
Disgraced Olympic boxer Imane Khelif has submitted an appeal to an arbitration court about being banned from women's boxing.
Khelif won gold in the women's 66kg competition at the Paris Olympics in 2024 despite complaints that he is, in fact, a man. Following a dominating performance at the games in which he did not lose a single round, three different reports surfaced that claimed Khelif is a man. A fourth report revealed a medical document that showed the Algerian has XY chromosomes, seemingly putting the story to rest.
'She doesn't box anymore. After what happened at the Olympics.'
Even Khelif's former coach said the boxer had left his gym and the sport and had not been seen training in months following the leak of the medical report.
Now, the Court of Arbitration for Sport says Khelif is requesting to compete again.
Khelif has filed an appeal against World Boxing regarding a decision that prohibits him from competing in upcoming events without a preliminary genetic test, the CAS said in press release.
In June, Khelif was set to defend a women's title at the Eindhoven Box Cup in the Netherlands, which is run by World Boxing. But Khelif did not compete in the event when the WBO announced it would begin implementing mandatory sex testing.
Khelif was seeking to overturn that decision, which stated that he is "not allowed to participate ... in any World Boxing event until she had undergone genetic sex testing."
At the same time, the appeals organization noted that Khelif made another brazen request.
RELATED: Transgender boxer disappears as mandatory gender testing introduced worldwide
Khelif's submission also reportedly requested that the CAS declare him "eligible to participate in the 2025 World Boxing Championships from 4 to 14 September," without having to submit to a genetic test.
Khelif hoped that the submission of the appeal would result in an injunction on the ban, which would allow him to compete against women in the interim before an official decision on the appeal was made. However, CAS shot that down.
"CAS dismissed a request to suspend the execution of the decision by World Boxing until the case is heard," the organization wrote.
Khelif's side and the CAS will move forward with an exchange of written submissions and subsequently schedule a formal hearing.
RELATED: Trump wins: US Olympic Committee bans men from women's sports
Khelif had been thought to be retiring from boxing after his former manager, Nasser Yesfah, claimed "she has stopped everything."
"She hasn't even started again. She doesn't box anymore. After what happened at the Olympics."
He added, "In any case, she will be subjected to the same type of test if she becomes a professional."
As reported by 3 Wire Sports, Khelif's alleged medical condition is formally described as 5-alpha reductase type-2 deficiency. He reportedly has XY chromosomes, internal testes, and a "micropenis."
U.S. government website Medline Plus explains that those with such a condition are genetically male but can be mistaken to have female genitalia at birth.
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Olympic legend auctions off gold medals and leaves USA for good: 'I needed the money'
A Team USA Olympic legend went against the advice of "experts" and sold his coveted gold medals at auction.
In a revealing Facebook post, the former athlete said he used the money to move abroad, selling a house in California, too. Apparently in financial strain, the Olympic hero explained that after the sales, he picked up his life and moved to Central America.
'I told the truth; I needed the money.'
A Wheaties box cover athlete and four-time gold medal winner, 65-year-old diver Greg Louganis said his career was mismanaged and he needed the money that auctioning off some of his medals would get him.
"I have auctioned three of my medals, which sold, I believe, because I went against what the 'experts' told me last time when I tried the first time," Louganis wrote in a surprising Facebook post.
Louganis sold two of his four gold medals, along with a silver medal, the New York Post reported. The high-diver won gold in the three-meter springboard and 10-meter platform dives at both the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.
His silver came in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada, for the 10-meter platform dive.
Louganis' medals took in a reported $437,000 combined, the Post reported.
"I told the truth; I needed the money. While many people may have built businesses and sold them for a profit, I had my medals, which I am grateful for," Louganis continued.
In the same post, the retired Olympian said goodbye to his home, while selling/giving away his belongings before moving abroad.
RELATED: Trump wins: US Olympic Committee bans men from women's sports
"I decided to donate, sell what can be sold, give gifts, and give where things might be needed or appreciated," Louganis explained, revealing that he had a lot to consider regarding shipping and import fees when moving.
Now calling Panama home, the former diver was forced to confront the idea that he would be lacking in possessions when he moved, but he kept friends in mind who had lost their homes in some of California's wildfires, such as the Pacific Palisades fire in 2025 and the Woolsey Fire in 2018.
While Louganis' remarks left questions unanswered, including why Panama was the destination of choice, he chalked up his future to needing a spiritual journey to redefine himself.
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"Now I get to discover who is Greg Louganis? Without the distraction and noise from outside. At least this is my goal, and hey, I may not find that," he wrote.
The Olympian added, "I think I may find it at times, in moments, my goal is to live it! Discover, allow, and nurture that human spirit through the experiences of life. To be joyful in the moments, embrace the grief, the anger, and the laughter, and embrace it all, feel it all in this experience we call our lives."
In addition to his Olympic medals, Louganis won 11 more gold medals between the World Championships and Pan American Games from 1979 to 1986.
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Transgender boxer disappears as mandatory gender testing introduced worldwide
Infamous women's boxing champion Imane Khelif has reportedly cut off contact with the world of boxing at the same time gender testing is being implemented in international competitions.
Khelif won gold in women's 66kg boxing at the Paris Olympics in 2024 without losing a single round and, despite being born male, claimed for months that he is actually female.
Although three different reports said Khelif is a man, the claim did not stick until a fourth medical report leaked that revealed the Algerian has XY chromosomes.
'Currently, she has stopped everything.'
The International Boxing Association, the World Boxing Organization, and endocrinological experts all have independently determined that Khelif is a man.
Since the revelation, not only has newly appointed Olympic president Kirsty Coventry announced she would protect women's sports, but the WBO also introduced mandatory gender testing.
The WBO's new guidelines are the strongest rules against male cheating of any sports organization and plainly state that athletes must compete in the gender category that aligns with their sex at birth.
"All athletes over the age of 18 that want to participate in a World Boxing owned or sanctioned competition will need to undergo a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) or a functional medical equivalent genetic test to determine their sex at birth and their eligibility to compete," the document states.
At the same time, Khelif's former manager made a major announcement surrounding the not-so-female boxer's career.
RELATED: 'Male': Leaked medical report alleges women's boxing champ Imane Khelif has XY chromosomes
According to French outlet Nice-Matin, Khelif has left his boxing club in France and has not been seen in the ring for about 13 months.
"Currently, she has stopped everything," said Khelif's former manager, Nasser Yesfah. "She hasn't even started again. She doesn't box anymore. After what happened at the Olympics. ... In any case, she will be subjected to the same type of test if she becomes a professional."
Khelif has also ceased communications with his Nice, France, boxing gym, Nice Azur Boxe, and returned to Algeria.
"Overnight, she no longer gave any news to her club. It has become too [much] for a small structure like ours," the gym's founder, Tony Vivarelli, said according to a translation.
RELATED: New Olympic president strikes huge blow to transgender athletes ahead of 2028 games in LA
Former national gymnastics champion and women's sports activist Jennifer Sey told Blaze News she was thrilled to see the WBO take the lead on making competitions safe for women.
"It's simple. A basic, easy-to-administer test for sex. It's not invasive. And one test is all that is needed in an athlete's career," Sey said. "I look forward to the results of Imane Khelif's test."
Although Khelif appears to be missing from the boxing world, the athlete recently wrote that he still has the fire to compete. British outlet GBNews reported on a social media post from Khelif in which he said, "I'm going through a difficult phase filled with challenges, silence, and waiting... But despite everything, the spirit that fought for gold still beats within me."
The cross-dressing athlete included a photo of himself attempting to appear feminine.
"I am Imane Khelif — a champion yesterday, resilient today, and determined to return tomorrow," he reportedly wrote.
Khelif was set to defend his women's title at the Eindhoven Box Cup in the Netherlands in June. But he ended up not beating up more women at the tournament because by then his chromosomal test had already been leaked.
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