Posted on 12/05/2017 10:51:17 AM PST by servo1969
Russia’s Olympic team has been barred from the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The country’s government officials are forbidden to attend, its flag will not be displayed at the opening ceremony and its anthem will not sound. Any athletes from Russia who receive special dispensation to compete will do so as individuals wearing a neutral uniform, and the official record books will forever show that Russia won zero medals.
That was the punishment issued Tuesday to the proud sports juggernaut that has long used the Olympics as a show of global force but was exposed for systematic doping in previously unfathomable ways. The International Olympic Committee, after completing its own prolonged investigations that reiterated what had been known for more than a year, handed Russia penalties for doping so severe they were without precedent in Olympics history.
The ruling cemented that the nation was guilty of executing an extensive state-backed doping program. The scheme was rivaled perhaps only by the notorious program conducted by East Germany throughout the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s.
Now the sports world will wait to see how Russia responds. Some Russian officials have threatened to boycott if the I.O.C. delivered such a severe punishment.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
This is sure to piss off the wrong people.
Do the Russians know something we don’t know?
If Rocket Man wanted to start a war - what better time then with tens of thousands civilians crowded into South Korea.
The Russian Figure skaters are currently riding a wav e of success, particularly the women. it would be unfortunate of Evgenia Medvedeva, the current world champion, cannot compete. She really is above and beyond any other female competitors.
Russians can hack the United States but can’t hack the IOC. Got it.
Who does the IOC think they are? The NCAA?!
Orchestrated by Russia?
What are the chances that a major attack (from NK) occurs and Putin knows in advance and is making sure that his people are not there.
Nothing seems out of limits to me any more.
I posted in kind prior to reading your post . . . at least I am not out there on my own on this one.
Punishment for what?
Now the sports world will wait to see how Russia responds. Some Russian officials have threatened to boycott if the I.O.C. delivered such a severe punishment.
...
How do you do a boycott when you’re banned?
Let me get this straight--Russia will boycott the Olympics (not attend), if they are barred from participating or attending?
Yeah--that makes sense. /s
The competitors will be allowed to compete but not under the Russian flag.
Agreed. Anyone who wins in figure skating, or hockey, or any sport the Russians are good at would need an asterisk next to their name, forever.
So the IOC, one of the most corrupt organizations on Earth, is accusing the Russians of cheating.
Well, we can say at least they know what it looks like.
Actually the world anti-doping agency CAUGHT Russia cheating. The IOC is laying down a punishment.
I don’t think 4 years ago when they were engaged in this doping and pee switching they were thinking about being banned from Korea just in time.
After letting them off the hook repeatedly this is the first honorable thing the IOC has done in awhile and you can bet it was begrudgingly considering the bribery and deal making behind the scenes. Either that or they have new leadership. Because the other ones were in the tank for the Russians.
Same goes for the doped up athletes who have lost their medals from Sochi or been banned for life. Asterisk.
Now if Trump REALLY wanted to tweak the Left, he would say that the punishment is unfair and therefore pull the US out of the games too. It would be HYSTERICAL to watch the Left scream about collusion and whatever else they could come up with!
...but it would kill him politically.
The hockey tournament is going to be a train wreck.
Already the NHL has declined to let their players participate. No Russia leaves the field one team short, so they will have to go and draft some other country to take their slot at the last minute.
In retaliation the KHL is likely to bar all of their players from participating, including non-Russians.
You could see a South Korea vs. Slovenia final.
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