Thankful, next

The GIST: Yesterday, swimmer Penny Oleksiak, Canada’s most decorated Olympian, was banned from competition until 2027 for an anti-doping rules violation. No, the 25-year-old wasn’t caught taking banned substances — she was penalized for a whereabouts failure. Let’s discuss.

🤔 What is a whereabouts failure?: Part of the World Anti Doping Agency’s (WADA) drug testing program, athletes are required to submit their “whereabouts” every 90 days, including the location and times of daily activities like work and school, their competition schedules, and a specific daily time slot when they are guaranteed to be available for testing.

• Athletes must ensure their info is accurate, complete, and submitted on time. If it isn’t, WADA employs a three-strike system: Any three combinations of filing failures or missed tests within a 12-month period could result in a two-year ban.

• Notably, athletes can make changes to their whereabouts during the 90-day period should their plans change for a last-minute outing or event.

🧪 That sounds pretty strict: It is. To maintain the integrity of sport and ensure a level playing field, testing is done without notice and out of competition, meaning athletes could be literally anywhere in the world when WADA comes knocking. If a doping control officer (DCO) can’t locate an athlete for a sample, that’s filed as a missed test.

• And it happens more often than you might think: American sprinter Gabby Thomas was briefly suspended for a whereabouts failure in 2020. She then supplied evidence proving the DCO was at fault for not locating her, ultimately eliminating one of her three missed tests.

⏩ What’s next: Some say the two-year punishment is too harsh, while others believe the process is part of being a pro athlete — and at the end of the day, the rules are in place to keep sport clean and the playing field level. As for Oleksiak, she accepted the ban and will be eligible to compete in July 2027, in plenty of time for the 2028 LA Olympics.

In Canada, ice isn’t an obstacle; it’s an invitation. Toughness isn’t just talked about in the Great White North — it’s practiced every day, on frozen ponds, backyard rinks, and under the arena lights.

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Under Armour keeps pushing when others stop — just like you. Because in Canada, we don’t wait for warmth; we create our own. And Under Armour is built for exactly that.

🏀 NBA Cup: Toronto Raptors vs. Indiana Pacers — Tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET — TSN

• Having already clinched their NBA Cup group, the Dinos head into tonight’s game with a singular goal: extend their eight-game win streak. The key to their early-season success? Nearly leading the league in assists. Jurassic Park runs on teamwork.

🇨🇦 No. 9 CanWNT: Friendly vs. No. 8 Japan — Saturday at 1:30 a.m. ET — OneSoccer

• On the heels of back-to-back losses to No. 11 Netherlands and No. 24 Switzerland, the Canadian contingent is looking for a little pick-me-up — and there’s no better way to find your mojo than by knocking off the team that’s right above you in the rankings.

⚽ MLS Conference Finals: Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. San Diego FC — Saturday at 9 p.m. ET — MLS Season Pass

• San Diego is trying to cement itself as the best expansion squad in MLS history, while the Whitecaps are shooting for the franchise’s first championship appearance. Only one can advance to the early December title game.

🏎️ F1: Qatar Grand Prix — Sunday at 11 a.m. ET — TSN

• It’s the penultimate event of the season, and McLaren’s Lando Norris is this close to his first World Drivers’ Championship. Motorsports’ most prestigious individual honor will be his if he can outscore his teammate, Oscar Piastri, and four-time defending champ Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by at least two points.

Every era has an icon: Women’s hockey has Marie-Philip Poulin. The PWHL’s ultimate closer has built a career on last-minute goals and golden moments — whether she’s wearing the Victoire’s crest or the Maple Leaf. Some call her Captain Clutch; others just call her inevitable.

👏 Why we’re a fan: She’s the calm, commanding heartbeat in every locker room, blending leadership and lethal finishes like no one else in the game. This Barbie has ice in her veins.

🚨 Opponents lose sleep over MPP, but women’s hockey fans just like you are dreaming big. Flip your fandom into wins with FanDuel and place a PWHL futures bet.

Leave playing fantasy sports to the men? We don’t think so. That’s why we created our free-to-play NFL Pick’em Challenge, the perfect place to shoot your shot without the hassle of spending hours setting your weekly lineup.

• 🚨 First time playing? Your timing couldn’t be better: We’re doubling the prizing for the rest of the season, rewarding each week’s winner with $200 in GIST swag.

• All you have to do is pick who will win each of this week’s 16 matchups. It’s easy — just ask Maelyn B., who topped the jam-packed leaderboard last week.

☝️ Deadline reminder: Tomorrow’s Thanksgiving, meaning picks close early this week. The first game on the holiday menu: tomorrow’s 1 p.m. ET Turkey Day showdown between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions.

• Get your picks in before kick off — there’s nothing sweeter than outsmarting Uncle Mike before dessert.