The current world record holder in the 400-meter hurdles, Brazilian Alison dos Santos, was nominated Tuesday (Oct. 6) for the World Athletics Athlete of the Year award.

Piu, as he is known in Brazil, had a memorable season, including a record-breaking performance at the Diamond League in Zurich, Switzerland, and his third career victory in the Diamond League, the world’s premier track and field circuit. And there’s more – Alison lifted the trophy at the inaugural Ultimate World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, which brought together the world’s best athletes.

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Nine other male athletes are competing with Piu, including Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis, world record holder in the pole vault, and Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe, who this year set the fastest time in the history of the London Marathon with a time of 1:59:30. No Brazilian athletes appear on the list of 10 nominated female runners.

The finalists for the Athlete of the Year award will be determined by a vote that closes at midnight on October 17, Central European Time. Four groups are eligible to vote, each with a 25 percent weighting: World Athletics fans (click here to vote), athletes who have competed in the 2026 World Athletics Series, members of the media, and members of the World Athletics Family – such as council and committee members, competition organizers, and athlete representatives.

The three finalists in each gender will be announced on November 10 and 11. The Best Athlete of the Year award will be presented in Monaco on November 29.

A two-time Olympic medalist (bronze in Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024), Piu set a new world record in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 45.80 seconds at the Diamond League meet in Zurich, Switzerland, surpassing the previous record (45.94 seconds) set by Norway’s Karsten Warholm at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

The São Paulo native also became a three-time Diamond League champion by winning all six Diamond League meets he competed in: Shaoxing, China; Xiamen, China; Oslo, Norway; Stockholm, Sweden; Silesia, Poland; Zurich, Switzerland; and Brussels, Belgium. Piu had already clinched the Diamond League title in both 2022 and 2024.

In September, Alison dos Santos also won the first edition of the Ultimate World Athletics Championships in Budapest, which brought together the world’s best athletes, including American Rai Benjamin and Norwegian Warholm.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Monday (Sep. 28) signed into law a bill establishing permanent national guidelines for the development of women’s soccer in Brazil. Law No. 15,522 sets forth a series of responsibilities for the country, the Brazilian Soccer Confederation (CBF), and soccer clubs.

“We want women to gain a foothold in every sector of the labor market, every political activity, every professional field, and every sporting activity. There is no reason for women to be treated as inferior,” Lula stated.

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The law stipulates that clubs that train young athletes must also maintain a women’s team, and it guarantees sports organizations that develop women’s soccer the same rights and benefits granted to entities that promote men’s soccer.

The Ministry of Sports will be responsible for encouraging girls’ participation in soccer, strengthening youth competitions across all age groups, and supporting the creation and maintenance of professional and youth teams.

The ministry should also work with clubs and CBF to develop protocols for preventing and combating racism, discrimination, prejudice, and violence against women. These protective measures cover women athletes, referees, coaches, fans, administrators, physical education professionals, and other women involved in soccer.

The ministry will also encourage partnerships between schools, universities, and clubs to identify and develop new talent in women’s soccer. It will also support the training and employability of women in other aspects of the game, such as refereeing, coaching, and sports administration, among other roles.

The new law also amends the Law on Public Limited Soccer Companies (SAF). Now, a club that wishes to become an SAF must develop both women’s and men’s soccer, or women’s soccer only.

“The change provides legal backing for the development of professional athletes by business structures dedicated exclusively to women’s soccer,” the Brazilian government explains.

The Executive Branch submitted the bill to the National Congress in September 2025. On September 2 of this year, the bill completed its legislative process after being approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate, and was sent to the president for approval.

World Cup

The law was enacted in connection with the organization of the upcoming Women’s World Cup, which will take place in Brazil in 2027. The text of the law also calls for the development of a plan outlining the social, athletic, and financial legacy that the tournament is expected to leave behind.

The 2027 Women’s World Cup will be held from June 24 to July 25, 2027, in Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Fortaleza, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and São Paulo.

Brazil concluded its participation in the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Hungary on Sunday (Sep. 20), with six medals: three gold, two silver, and one bronze.

Gymnast Flávia Saraiva opened Brazil’s medal tally on Saturday (19), winning gold on the uneven bars.

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On Sunday (20), Flávia once again reached the top of the podium, taking gold, while Rebeca Andrade won silver on the balance beam.

On the floor exercise, Flávia Saraiva struck again, winning silver - her third medal of the competition. Fellow Brazilian Lorrane Oliveira took bronze in the same event.

In Sunday’s final event, Arthur Nory delivered a flawless routine on the high bar to claim the gold medal.

Season

Part of both the Challenge Series and the World Circuit, the Hungary leg is the penultimate stop on the artistic gymnastics circuit.

This week, the Paris, France, leg wraps up the season. The 2026 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships will follow, taking place in Rotterdam, Netherlands, from October 17 to 25.

The Brazilian men’s national volleyball team has qualified for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The spot was secured with a 3-0 victory over Argentina on Sunday morning (Sep. 20) at Maracanazinho in Rio de Janeiro.

In front of a crowd of 11,968, coach Bernardinho’s team won 25–20, 25–23, and 25–20.

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Since 1964, when volleyball made its Olympic debut, the Brazilian men’s national team has never missed an edition of the Olympic Games. The victory also secured its 34th South American Championship title.

Opposite hitter Darlan led the way, finishing as the match’s top scorer with 23 points. The All-Tournament Team, which brings together the competition’s best players, consisted of opposite hitter Darlan, setter Cachopa, outside hitters Adriano and Aravena (Chile), middle blockers Flávio and Loser (Argentina), and libero Massimino (Argentina). Brazilian team captain Ricardo Lucarelli, an outside hitter, was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.