Nova Posted July 24, 2016 Posted July 24, 2016 The entire Russian Olympic team will today be banned from competing at the Rio Games next month, The Mail on Sunday understands. According to well-placed sources, the International Olympic Committee will punish all 387 Russian sportsmen and women in the strongest possible way after revelations of their country’s state-sponsored doping programme shocked the world. The country’s corrupt track and field stars have already been banned from the Games, and last week lost a desperate legal challenge to overturn that decision. Source
Nova Posted July 24, 2016 Author Posted July 24, 2016 This is huge and unprecedented in the history of Olympics where the entire country is being banned for the misdoings of a few athletes. The dreams of honest athletes, who trained their entire lives to be in Olympics, shattered.
Adi_91 Posted July 24, 2016 Posted July 24, 2016 The move looks extreme, but the games cannot be played under the shadow of suspicion of some players winning medals who may have taken performance enhancing drugs. It is a fair decision imo although a bit harsh.
Nova Posted July 24, 2016 Author Posted July 24, 2016 48 minutes ago, Adi_91 said: The move looks extreme, but the games cannot be played under the shadow of suspicion of some players winning medals who may have taken performance enhancing drugs. Russian athletes who want to compete can do so under a neutral flag (Olympics flag). I doubt anyone will do so in fear of betraying the homeland, except someone who does not want to return back to the country. 50 minutes ago, Adi_91 said: It is a fair decision imo although a bit harsh. I feel it's harsh. Cricket did not ban entire nations from participating in any tournament for the misconduct of a few players. What about the Russian athletes who were honest?
diga Posted July 24, 2016 Posted July 24, 2016 Difficult to identify some of these drugs... No idea who takes it. Sharapova evaded for a long time
Adi_91 Posted July 24, 2016 Posted July 24, 2016 7 minutes ago, Nova said: Russian athletes who want to compete can do so under a neutral flag (Olympics flag). I doubt anyone will do so in fear of betraying the homeland, except someone who does not want to return back to the country. I feel it's harsh. Cricket did not ban entire nations from participating in any tournament for the misconduct of a few players. What about the Russian athletes who were honest? I agree with you that they can compete under the IOC flag. But, as you point out, it can go both ways as some people may feel strongly against it. But realistically, they need to keep track of athletes to see if they have consumed a banned drug. Will be a nightmare as conducting the games in itself is a lot of hard work. Once, you suspect, it always lingers.
Nova Posted July 24, 2016 Author Posted July 24, 2016 The latest is that Russia will not get a blanket ban by the IOC. Competitors from Russia who want to take part in the Games will have to meet strict criteria laid down by the IOC. http://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/36878983 I think this is better.
Adi_91 Posted July 24, 2016 Posted July 24, 2016 22 minutes ago, Nova said: The latest is that Russia will not get a blanket ban by the IOC. Competitors from Russia who want to take part in the Games will have to meet strict criteria laid down by the IOC. http://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/36878983 I think this is better. Good news this. Russia does win a lot of medals, so banning them would have thrown the cats among the pigeons when it comes to medal winners.
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