Olympics

Donald Trump just took a huge step toward barring biological men from competing in women's sports ... signing an executive order Wednesday that he said will end the era of watching "men beat and batter female athletes."

POTUS put his pen to the "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" mandate at a ceremony at the White House ... promising it will stop transgender athletes from competing against females going forward.

"It's going to end, and it's ending right now," Trump said emphatically to a room full of his supporters as he signed the document. "And nobody's going to be able to do a damn thing about it, because when I speak -- we speak with authority."

Dick Button, America's first Olympic gold medalist in figure skating, is dead, and the legend's passing comes on what was already a dark day for the sport.

Button died Thursday in the Upstate New York town of North Salem ... according to his children, who first confirmed his death in the Washington Post.

Perhaps no one in history's had more of an impact on U.S. figure skating than DB, who first dominated as a competitor in the 1940s and 1950s ... and then became a longtime broadcaster covering the sport around the world.

Nancy Kerrigan was unable to contain her emotions while speaking about the tragic American Airlines crash that claimed the lives of nearly 70 people, including a contingency of U.S. ice skaters who just wrapped up a big competition in the Midwest.

The U.S. ice skating legend spoke Thursday during a press event at the Skating Club of Boston -- where some of the late skaters trained -- and Kerrigan was clearly heartbroken.

"We’ve been through tragedies before as Americans, as people, and we are strong," Nancy said. "I guess it’s how we respond to it, and my response is to be with people I care about and love, and I needed support."

Olympic Gold Medalist Shawn Johnson and her husband, former NFL player Andrew East, may be in retirement, but they're proving they've still got it ... one acrobatic challenge at a time.

The former athletes put their fit frames on display for a number of videos uploaded to social media, where they've tapped into their competitive spirit to pull off a series of acrobatic stunts.

Check it out ... a shirtless Andrew effortlessly lifts Shawn into the air ... just as she contorts her body and turns a full 360 degrees. It's flipping adorable, if we do say so ourselves!!!

Legendary swimmer Michael Phelps is grieving over the death of Brian Campbell ... sharing a heartfelt tribute to the longtime Olympic swimming staffer.

Team USA Swimming announced Campbell's passing on Monday ... saying the massage therapist -- who also worked for UCLA -- died at the age of 68.

"He served American swimmers for decades on the pool decks of numerous Olympic Games and World Championships," the organization said.

Olympic kite surfer Bruno Lobo -- who just competed at the Paris Games in August -- heroically saved a drowning swimmer last week ... and the dramatic rescue was all captured on video.

Lobo posted the footage to his Instagram page over the weekend ... explaining to his thousands of followers the scene played out on Jan. 10 -- as he was testing some new gear during a surf sesh off a coast in Brazil.

The vid shows as Lobo was making his way through the waves ... a young woman appeared to be in serious distress as she was swimming through some choppy waters.

Former Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr. says fleeing from the L.A. wildfires this week was a horrifying experience -- as he had only seconds to get out -- and it's clear he's disappointed he couldn't save his Games medals as he hastily evacuated.

The 50-year-old -- who earned 10 pieces of hardware in the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympics -- sat down with Harvey and Charles on Thursday's "TMZ Live" to detail how he escaped the flames that have been ravaging L.A. this week ... and he said it was everything but easy.

Hall Jr. says the blaze came on him and his house so quickly -- he only had "probably tops of three minutes" to get some belongings and get out.

Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr.'s home was destroyed in the devastating Los Angeles wildfires this week ... along with the many medals he won throughout his career.

The athlete's father, Gary Sr. -- also an Olympic swimmer -- shared the news on social media ... saying his son fled his Pacific Palisades estate amid the blaze.

He evacuated the home with only his dog, Puddles, insulin and some paintings -- including one of his grandfather.

Angel Reese and Gabby Thomas graced the cover of VOGUE -- the iconic fashion magazine -- and they look stunning!

The mag provided a preview of the new covers featuring the WNBA and Olympic track stars on social media, branded "When Sports Met Fashion."

Reese slayed in a burgundy Versace dress ... while Thomas rocked a Sportmax top and Tory Burch shoes.

"It's always been both: basketball and fashion," Reese said.

Didn't win a medal at the 2024 Olympics? Don't worry -- one is for sale ... but ya better have some deep pockets if you want to display it around your neck!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... a bronze prize from the Paris Games has just hit the block at RR Auction -- and experts there expect it to sell for over $30,000.

The award was given out back in August during a women's wrestling event -- although it's not clear who the original winner was.

1:49 PM PT -- Fred Kerley is not the only one facing legal issues over Thursday night's incident -- turns out, his girlfriend, Cleo Rahman, is too.

Court records show Rahman -- AKA DJ Sky High Baby -- has been hit with a resisting officer without violence charge for her alleged role in the matter.

Olympic sprinter Fred Kerley -- who just won a bronze medal for the U.S. at the 2024 Paris Games -- was arrested on Thursday night ... after he was tased during a wild confrontation with cops that was all captured on police video.

According to the Miami Beach Police Department ... officers' run-in with the 29-year-old happened at around 11:22 PM -- as they were involved in "an active police scene."

Cops wrote in an incident report that Kerley had approached them with "an aggressive demeanor" ... and was expressing concern about his car that was parked nearby.

Simone Biles is contemplating whether her Olympics career is over ... claiming it would be "greedy" to compete when the Games come to LA.

The most decorated U.S. gymnast in Olympic history spoke with Sports Illustrated after being named the publication's "Sportsperson of the Year" ... and in the sit-down, she was asked about potentially adding to her medal count in 2028.

Biles said there's a lot to consider when determining her future ... as it would affect much more than just herself.

Celine Dion is setting her intentions for the new year ... hinting another comeback is on the horizon after her triumphant return to performing this summer.

The singer, who announced her stiff-person syndrome diagnosis 2 years ago, took a moment on New Year's Eve to thank her devoted fans for their "unwavering support" throughout this trying time.

As Celine put it ... her fans' "love and energy" has inspired her "every day" amid her health issues -- which saw her take a step back from performing in recent years.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Gabriela Dabrowski is opening up on her breast cancer diagnosis ... revealing she competed in the Paris Olympics and the WTA Tour Finals while battling the disease.

The 32-year-old tennis pro shared her journey in a lengthy Instagram post on Tuesday ... saying she discovered a lump in her left breast in 2023, but medical professionals initially said it was nothing to worry about.

One year later, Gaby realized the lump was bigger ... and in mid-April, it was determined it was cancer. Thankfully, it was caught early ... and after several surgeries, she can call herself a survivor.

It wasn't too difficult to see who Simone Biles was supporting at the Bears vs. Seahawks game Thursday night ... check out her 'fit -- it was covered in images of her husband, Jonathan Owens!!

The U.S. gymnastics star pulled up to Soldier Field for the "Thursday Night Football" tilt in a hoodie and some sweats that had Owens' face all over them.

The Chicago defensive back's No. 36 digits were also featured on the cozy garb ... and it was clear the 29-year-old appreciated the look, as he gave her a big ole smooch before taking the field.

Sophie Hediger -- a Swiss snowboarder who competed in the 2022 Beijing Games -- was tragically killed in an avalanche on Monday. She was just 26 years old.

Switzerland's skiing federation announced the heartbreaking news on Tuesday -- revealing the incident happened at the Arosa resort.

"We are stunned," Swiss-Ski CEO Walter Reusser said in a statement, "and our thoughts are with Sophie's family, to whom we express our deepest condolences."