BREAKING: All Russian athletes may be banned from the Rio Games

[Sneezyone]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/17/sports/olympics/russia-doping-summer-games-rio.html?_r=0

 

[Sari]

I've heard about this. Can't say I'm against it, even though I'd guess almost every country uses some method of doping.

 

[wallinbl]

I've heard about this. Can't say I'm against it, even though I'd guess almost every country uses some method of doping.

There's a difference between having rogue athletes that dope and making it your country's policy to help your athletes dope.

 

[JessSyd]

That would be terrible for the athletes within the program who are straight for whatever reason. Surely doping doesn't help every sport. I hope it doesn't happen. They need to look at their testing measures rather than penalise the current crop of athletes for something that happened at Sochi.

Australia would benefit if it actually happened. Our team just missed out on qualification and is first reserve for the gymnastics team competition. If Russia goes, we are in. Not that the girls are actively preparing as far as I know so if they are going to do it, they need to do it now to be fair on the people being moved up into a position to compete. But I hope they don't.

 

[bogwoppit]

Seems like punching the athletes in the face for the behaviour of corrupt politicians and coaches. I could see putting more stringent testing in place, but to ban them now is brutal.

 

[profmom]

I can't fathom imposing a blanket ban on all athletes from one country this close to the Olympics. I remember all too well the awful impact of the 1980-1984 tit for tat on the world's athletes. I hope we are not about to enter another cycle of that.

 

[raenndrops]

 

[gymdog]

Sad. I understand they want to send a strong message. But I wish/hope there is so,e way they can use a neutral testing site to test each sport - if the gymnasts didn't dope, I think they should go. Leave the teams that did it - I still feel terrible for them because I don't think it was their choice but understand you have to draw the line somewhere. heartbreaking for athletes that likely sacrificed their whole life until a national sports program just to basically be tricked and have their lives stolen from them in the end. I would go to bat for these people any time but the best way to save them in the future might be to take this action now.

 

[Sneezyone]

It makes me sad but I understand it. I'm sure there are certain sports with systemic issues but have a hard time believing that gym is one of them. I guess the global federations feel the need to take a stand not just to protect their own athletes chance at success but the very idea of a level playing field. From what I've read, this isn't just a matter of the egregious violations in Sochi but the manipulation of test results from other world sporting events too.

 

[Sandra]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/olympics-russian-gymnasts-must-not-banned-rio-says-100003738--spt.html

FIG asking IOC to not go forward with a blanket ban on Russian athletes at the Rio games.

 

[Redford]

It is a dream of mine that one day sports will be completly free of political brimbrambrum....

 

[Sneezyone]

On the Today show, they just reported that cheating was found in 30 different sports. I think that qualifies as widespread and helps explain the drastic action some are calling for. A final decision is expected later today.

 

[coach1234]

there has been none in gymnastics

 

[Sneezyone]

View attachment 6294 there has been none in gymnastics

True, but didn't they already establish a process by which clean athletes (those who can show they have been rigorously tested by outside labs) can be cleared to compete? They just can't compete under the national flag, right? Or do the athletes have to openly disavow their nation's testing protocols or something?

 

[Sk8ermaiden]

Someone was doping for ping pong, y'all.

In an otherwise serious issue, that is just making me laugh and laugh.

 

[GymDad9.9]

Someone was doping for ping pong, y'all.

In an otherwise serious issue, that is just making me laugh and laugh.

Hand eye coordination and power, just like baseball players....

 

[raenndrops]

View attachment 6294 there has been none in gymnastics

Estimating the numbers there were around 588 disappearing positive test results over the 30 sports.
If we take out the ones for Non-Olympic Sports and Paralympic Sports (because those athletes wouldn't be at the Olympics) that is about 514 tests. Of those, about 257 (1/2 of the tests in question) were in 2 of the sports!

Just something to think about.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

I see in the news Yelena Isinbaeva is part of a group of athletes contesting the ban, the case was heard today, also all Russian samples from Sochi have been submitted for re-testing

 

[amiandjim]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...sponsored-doping-programme.html#ixzz4FHJYCsZa

Oh my! I think they are actually going to be banned.

 

[bogwoppit]

Very sad.