Olympics

It's 42 degrees in New York. 18 degrees in Chicago. And, PERFECT BIKINI WEATHER wherever the hell Lindsey Vonn is!

The world-class ski legend is on a secret trip for a secret project with her adorable pup Lucy Vonn ... and it doesn't take a whole lotta investigative reporting to know it's a bikini thing.

Vonn recently hooked up with L Space -- a bikini company -- and by the looks of things, they made a good choice in a spokesperson!

The 35-year-old Olympic superstar has had a pretty massive year -- she got engaged to her NHL star boyfriend P.K. Subban (remember they proposed to each other?!) and officially retired from competitive downhill skiing.

The good news ... she's got options!

Shannen Doherty is getting cancer treatment options from a famous survivor ... figure skater Scott Hamilton.

We got the Olympic gold medalist in NYC on World Cancer Day and asked if he had a message for Shannen ... who just revealed her breast cancer has returned and is now stage 4.

Scott says Shannen should seek as many medical opinions and options for treatment as she can because that's the best way to survive. Hamilton is definitely an expert on the subject, he's persevered through 3 brain tumors and overcome testicular cancer.

While the diagnosis sounds bleak -- Shannen says she's "dying of stage 4 terminal cancer" -- Scott says there are all kinds of things she can do ... surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, etc.

We also asked him about Shannen's decision to keep mum on her diagnosis because she wanted to prove she could still work. Scott explains why cancer stigmas don't help patients.

Usain Bolt is adding a lil' bolt to his family ... 'cause the fastest man ever just announced he's expecting a baby with longtime girlfriend Kasi Bennett.

33-year-old Bolt broke the big news on Instagram ... writing, "I just want to say a KING or QUEEN is about to be HERE."

Kasi added ... "Our golden child ❤️ Coming soon..."

It's unclear if the the little bundle of joy is a boy or girl.

The 8x Olympic gold medalist and Bennett -- 30 years old -- have been dating for about 5 years ... and haven't been shy about their desire to have kids.

'We just got really serious, we are taking it one step at a time. I definitely want a family, though. For me, over the years, I've waited because I want to make sure it's the right person," ... Bolt told People Magazine in 2016.

"I’ve always said I want three kids. The other day I hung out with my buddy who has three kids and it was crazy. I was like, 'Hmm do I really want 3 kids?' But yes, yes I do. I’m sure of it."

Olympic athletes looking to follow Colin Kaepernick's lead will have to do it somewhere other than Tokyo ... 'cause the IOC has banned kneeling and raising fists in protests at the 2020 games.

The International Olympic Committee released its guidelines for the upcoming Summer Games ... and it's clear the committee is trying very hard to keep politics out of it.

"The unique nature of the Olympic Games enables athletes from all over the world to come together in peace and harmony," the guidelines say.

"We believe that the example we set by competing with the world’s best while living in harmony in the Olympic Village is a uniquely positive message to send to an increasingly divided world."

"This is why it is important, on both a personal and a global level, that we keep the venues, the Olympic Village and the podium neutral and free from any form of political, religious or ethnic demonstrations."

Hollywood's finest came out in droves for a pre-Golden Globes event which saw them mingling with Olympians -- and the get-together was nothing short of a tearjerker.

The ritzy shindig went down Saturday afternoon at one of the first-ever homes established in Bev Hills ... the Virginia Robinson Gardens mansion. It's called Gold Meets Golden, and the whole idea is to pair celebs with pro athletes all in the name of charity --  this in anticipation of Sunday's award show and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, of course.

For this 7th year -- which was hosted/presented by Coca Cola, BMW Beverly Hills, FASHWIRE along with other sponsors -- the proceeds were going toward Angel City Sports ... an org promoting adaptive sports for kids, adults and vets with physical disabilities.

Definitely a cause worth getting behind ... and you could tell as much by who showed up -- including Nicole Kidman, Chris Evans, Rami Malek, Taron Egerton, Cynthia Erivo, Matt Bomer, Ben Platt, Beanie Feldstein, Zoey Deutch, Joey King, Naomi Watts, Lou Ferringo and more.

Of the Olympians and athletes in attendance ... Jackie Joyner Kersee, Nadia Comaneci, Bart Connors, Ibtihaj Muhammad, Ian Thorpe, Willie Gault, Metta World Peace, Apollo Anton Ohno, Kristi Yamaguchi and several others.

Check out the clip above ... you see Cynthia belting out a rendition of John Lennon's "Imagine," Taron and Sistine Stallone putting medals on the 2014 bobsled team and Matt Bomer presenting a cake to diver Greg Louganis for his 60th bday this month.

The Russians are OUT at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo AND the 2022 World Cup -- at least for now -- because they're HORRIBLE cheaters, according to the World Anti-Doping Agency.

WADA has voted unanimously to hit Russia with a 4-year ban from all major international sporting events ... including the Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 World Cup.

Here's why ... WADA officials say Russian authorities TAMPERED with a laboratory database in an effort to cover up HUNDREDS of potential doping cases involving Russian athletes.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said last month the investigation revealed "flagrant manipulation" of the lab data.

Now, The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) has 21 days to appeal the ban -- and Russian officials have strongly suggested they will fight the punishment.

WADA President Sir Craig Reedie is digging in his heels -- saying in a statement, "For too long, Russian doping has detracted from clean sport.

"The blatant breach by the Russian authorities of RUSADA's reinstatement conditions, approved by the ExCo in September 2018, demanded a robust response. That is exactly what has been delivered today."

Terrifying moment for figure skating legend Michelle Kwan -- who was involved in a bad crash in South Carolina on Friday after a mattress fell off a car on a highway.

The 39-year-old Olympic medalist was driving on Interstate 26 in Columbia around 6 AM when a driver in the fast lane "dropped a massive mattress" in the middle of traffic.

Kwan tried to avoid the mattress, but in the chaos, she was hit by another driver. Kwan says the car that dropped the mattress sped off when the driver saw the damage on the road.

"Luckily the driver who hit me was paying attention and slammed on his breaks - he still hit me hard."

Kwan -- who was driving a rented Nissan Sentra -- says she's grateful she wasn't pushed into oncoming traffic, where cars were racing around 70 mph.

"Thank God nobody was hurt," Kwan says ... "just felt very scared and now angry at the coward that drove away."

Kwan adds, "Sorry but just need to share and also remind folks to secure furniture or hire movers because you can really kill somebody."

In case you need a refresher, Kwan is one of the all-time greats ... she's been inducted into both the U.S. and the World Figure Skating Hall of Fames.

Nyjah Huston says he could've been racking up those Olympic medals for more than a DECADE ... telling TMZ Sports he would've been ready for the Games at age 11!

Of course, skateboarding will be in the Olympics for the first time ever in 2020 ... but if it had been a thing in years past, Nyjah says he woulda been a serious contender while he was still in MIDDLE SCHOOL!

"I started skating pro contests when I was like, 11, and I was going out there on a competing, winning level ... so yeah, if the Olympics was around 8 years ago, I would've been there for sure."

By the way, we found footage of Nujah skating when he was 9 ... and yeah, he's probably right.

Huston is 25 now and has racked up 12 X Games gold medals during his career ... and says he's hoping to add that Olympic gold to his trophy case when he competes in Japan next summer.

There is ONE more major accomplishment Huston says he's hoping to achieve before he hangs up his board for good ... Thrasher's Skater of the Year award.

U.S. Olympic legend Harrison Dillard -- whom General Patton once called "the best goddamn athlete I’ve ever seen" -- has died at 96.

Dillard was an absolute BEAST of an athlete -- winning 4 Olympic gold medals and smashing more than 11 world and Olympic records during his illustrious career, according to the NY Times.

In fact, Dillard was the "World's Fastest Man" in 1948 after winning the 100-meter dash at the Olympics ... and became "World's Fastest Hurdler" at the 1952 Games.

Dillard is also a military veteran who served in the U.S. Army for 32 months during World War II and after dominating at an Army track meet, Gen. Patton called him, "The best goddamn athlete I've ever seen."

He later worked as a running coach for the Cleveland Indians and the New York Yankees.

Dillard is a two-time Hall of Famer ... he was elected to the National Track and Field H.O.F. in 1974 and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in '83.

Dillard passed away on Friday after battling stomach cancer.

Alex Morgan truly is a superhero ... the USA soccer superstar says she's still planning to play in the 2020 Olympics -- just months after she has her baby!!!

The 30-year-old striker announced last month she's having a baby girl with her husband, LA Galaxy stud Servando Carrasco ... and the due date is April 2020.

Of course, next year's summer Olympics are scheduled to kick off in Tokyo just weeks after that ... with opening ceremonies slated for July 24.

For all you non-math whizzes out there ... that's just about 3 months!!!

But, in an interview with USA TODAY Sports earlier this week ... Morgan says she's gunning to get back on the pitch with her American teammates despite that tiny time frame.

"After having a healthy baby, I want to get back with the national team and look forward to playing in Tokyo," Morgan said.

It's not exactly unprecedented ... her fellow Team USA squadmate, Sydney Leroux, returned to the field in September for her NWSL team just 3 months after she had her baby earlier this year.

In other sports, it's been done too ... remember, Mackenzie Dern straight-up fought in the UFC just 4 months after she gave birth!!

Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady ... looking for a 6'5" receiver who runs a 4.2 40-yard dash?? Good news -- Usain Bolt says give him a call ... 'cause he's down to play!!!

We got the most decorated Olympic sprinter ever out in NYC this week ... and now that he's retired, we had to ask -- would he be up for an NFL career??

The 33-year-old said yes ... but on one condition -- it's gotta be either with New England or Green Bay!!

"If the Patriots or Aaron Rodgers call me," Bolt says ... "If they call me, I'm ready!"

Think it's crazy?? It ain't ... the former fastest man in the world actually once got offers from NFL teams to tryout for a roster spot back in 2016, but he famously declined.

But, now that the whole track thing isn't in the picture ... seems he's up to give it a shot!!