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Russia banned from Winter Olympics!

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
Wow. Just wow.

From snowsbest.com:

The IOC have announced a ban on Russia sending a team to the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in February 2018. The ban comes after the investigation of a state run doping program by the Russians leading into the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

“This was an unprecedented attack on the integrity of the Olympic Games and sport. The IOC EB (executive board), after following due process, has issued proportional sanctions for this systemic manipulation while protecting the clean athletes” said IOC president Thomas Bach.

“This should draw a line under this damaging episode and serve as a catalyst for a more effective anti-doping system led by WADA.”

It gets worse for Russia as the IOC have placed a life time Olympics ban on the Deputy Prime Minister (and former Sports Minister) Vitaly Mutko. The Russian Olympic Committee president, Alexander Zhukov, has also been suspended from his role as an IOC member.

Certain athletes from Russia, those who have a rigorous drug tested history, will be free to compete at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics but will do so under the name “Olympic Athlete from Russia”. But the Russian flag will not be flown during the Opening Ceremony and any medals won will be individual and not awarded to Russia.

Many Sochi Olympic medals will be reassigned as a result of Russia’s urine tampering during the 2014 Sochi Games (over a 100 were tampered with to remove evidence of any Russian doping).

In an elaborate overnight operation at the 2014 Sochi Games, a team assembled by Russia’s sports ministry tampered with more than 100 urine samples to conceal evidence of top athletes’ steroid use throughout the course of competition. More than two dozen Russian athletes have been disqualified from the Sochi standings as a result, and Olympic officials are still sorting through the tainted results and rescinding medals.

The Russians have hit back at the IOC decision, announcing they will not broadcast the games in their country.
 

Jenny

Angel Diva
Absolutely wow. I feel sorry for any clean athletes. (Although, I'm not so sure I'd want to go to the Korean Peninsula right now, anyway.)
 

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
Absolutely wow. I feel sorry for any clean athletes. (Although, I'm not so sure I'd want to go to the Korean Peninsula right now, anyway.)

According to a report I heard on NPR, ticket sales for the Winter Games are down, and one of the reasons is that people are afraid to go there.
 

newboots

Angel Diva
I heard that report, too. The athletes who have a long record of being clean will be allowed to compete in the Olympics, but not as a Russian team. If they podium, the Olympic anthem will be played. Sad for those who followed the rules.

Not as sad as missing your chance on the podium because some performance-enhanced athlete cheated their way ahead of you. I'm glad they are making that right!
 

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