Axios

The International Olympic Committee will purchase coronavirus vaccines from China for all Olympic and Paralympic competitors ahead of this summer’s Tokyo Games and next year’s Beijing Winter Games, the organization's president announced Thursday.

Why it matters: The move aims to reassure the public that this summer's Games will not result in a super-spreader event. Polling in Japan is strongly leaning against holding this year's Olympics.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) on Thursday signed the first of over 40 bills introduced this year by lawmakers across the country to exclude transgender youth from sports that align with their gender identity.

Why it matters: A record-setting number of bills targeting trans children have been proposed this year, in what LGBTQ advocates say is an unprecedented push partially motivated by backlash to actions taken by Biden's administration.

The pandemic has been hard on everyone, but the impact on teenagers has been uniquely profound.

Why it matters: High schoolers spent much of the past year isolated and on the sidelines, and that lack of human connection combined with shortened or canceled sports seasons has taken a devastating toll.

A year ago today, Utah Jazz star Rudy Gobert returned a positive COVID-19 test, triggering the sports shutdown of 2020.

The backdrop: During the week prior, the U.S. had surpassed 100 cases (March 2), the world had surpassed 100,000 (March 6) and sports leagues had closed their locker rooms to media members.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said his decision to suspend all NBA games on March 11 came without input from the board, the benefit of guidance from major health organizations, or public understanding of the coronavirus.

Why it matters: In an interview Wednesday with Axios Re:Cap, Silver recalled staring down the barrel of an 11th-hour choice — made well before the dire reality of the pandemic had taken root — that would impact the livelihoods of 55,000 people and millions of fans around the world.

Marc Stein, the New York Times' star NBA reporter, has partnered with Locker Room to create live audio content, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Locker Room, Clubhouse, Twitter Spaces and other social audio apps have surged in popularity during the pandemic, leading some to believe the future of social networks might be audio.

With the NCAA model under attack, sports media company Overtime is launching its own basketball league and offering high school players six-figure salaries to skip college.

How it works: Overtime plans to recruit up to 30 athletes, ages 16 to 18, to forfeit their high school and college eligibility and join their league, Overtime Elite (OTE), starting in September.