Russia banned from international competitions, including Olympics, for 4 years over bad drug testing

[LadyStanley]

Russia banned from Olympics, World Cup for four years over doping violations
Russia has been handed a four-year international competition ban over doping violations.

Individual athletes may be able to compete if they can show no positive drug tests.


Article does not mention IIHF so, unsure how this impacts hockey tournaments. But that probably means Ovechkin has played in his last Olympic games.

Click to read more...

 

[Kshahdoo]

Russia banned from Olympics, World Cup for four years over doping violations
Russia has been handed a four-year international competition ban over doping violations.

Individual athletes may be able to compete if they can show no positive drug tests.


Article does not mention IIHF so, unsure how this impacts hockey tournaments. But that probably means Ovechkin has played in his last Olympic games.

To ban or not to ban Russia from World Cup is up to FIFA. I doubt, it will happen, FIFA is pretty independent from WADA. At least, IIHF has already said, WJC 2023 and WHC 2023 will take place in Russia, according to previous IIHF decisions.

 

[MXD]

Why can't the IIHF move the WJC/WHC 2023?
I mean, it's not like it hasn't been done before (especially for the WJC), and it's only three years from now.

 

[Albatros]

Why can't the IIHF move the WJC/WHC 2023?

(Fasel, Putin)

 

[HugoSimon]

And the Olympics has continued to devalue itself as a meaningful sports competition.

PEDs are part of sports. You have to be mathematically challenged to not appreciate the massive advantage that they give athletes. Unless you're a naturally gifted McDavid type who's happy to play in the AHL you need some way of keeping up with an 82 game schedule.

Without PEDs your exposing yourself to repetitive strain injuries.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Why can't the IIHF move the WJC/WHC 2023?
I mean, it's not like it hasn't been done before (especially for the WJC), and it's only three years from now.

And why should it? It's no like Team Russia ever had any problems with doping.

 

[goonybird]

Finally.

 

[tarheelhockey]

So the Russian athletes will still be allowed to compete, just not under the flag or anthem.

Meaning this is a PR hit for Russia but they will internally continue to trumpet "their" medals and athletes.

Seems like an empty punishment, really. If they're going to be banned, BAN them.

 

[MXD]

And why should it? It's no like Team Russia ever had any problems with doping.

I'm not saying the IIHF should or shouldn't move the events; I'm just saying that they absolutely can move if if they wanted to (and they apparently don't want to).

 

[LadyStanley]

And why should it? It's no like Team Russia ever had any problems with doping.

What about the entire WJC team that had to be replaced (by U18s) as they tested positive for banned substance.

 

[Kshahdoo]

What about the entire WJC team that had to be replaced (by U18s) as they tested positive for banned substance.

Well, 1st, the situation around that substance was your typical WADA shit against Russia. It was legal for many years, but when Russian athlets started to use it, it all of a sudden was banned.
2nd. The substance was banned shortly before the tournament, and FHR wasn't sure, players were clear enough, so it decided to send another players. WADA didn't catch any of our players.

 

[sandysan]

So the Russian athletes will still be allowed to compete, just not under the flag or anthem.

Meaning this is a PR hit for Russia but they will internally continue to trumpet "their" medals and athletes.

Seems like an empty punishment, really. If they're going to be banned, BAN them.

My understanding is the athletes who were pinched WILL be banned. Athletes who were not can participate under some imaginary flag, provided they don't get pinched.

 

[Henkka]

Icarus (2017) - IMDb

People should watch this.



Maybe best Documentary ever.

 

[tarheelhockey]

My understanding is the athletes who were pinched WILL be banned. Athletes who were not can participate under some imaginary flag, provided they don't get pinched.

That whole idea is just so silly to me.

“The Rangers have been caught paying players under the table, so they have been banned from the playoffs. By which we mean, the specific players who were busted can’t play. The rest of them can, as long as they call themselves the Strangers or the Grangers.”

 

[gstommylee]

So the Russian athletes will still be allowed to compete, just not under the flag or anthem.

Meaning this is a PR hit for Russia but they will internally continue to trumpet "their" medals and athletes.

Seems like an empty punishment, really. If they're going to be banned, BAN them.

Banning the entire country outright = banning people who were clean. This allowed athletes that are clean to still be able to compete individually under the Olympic flag but ban those that failed a drug test.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Banning the entire country outright = banning people who were clean. This allowed athletes that are clean to still be able to compete individually under the Olympic flag but ban those that failed a drug test.

To be more accurate on the bolded: athletes who haven’t yet been caught red handed

 

[Jussi]

To be more accurate on the bolded: athletes who haven’t yet been caught red handed

A country the size of Russia is bound to have talented clean athletes. Athletes that aren't taking their sports officials actions or inactions quietly: https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/12/10/i-am-a-russian-world-champion-and-i-demand-answers-a68545

I just want to highlight how athletes or people that work closely with this matter, are putting the blame purely on the political apparatchik where as politicians are trying to spin this as anti-Russian bias or as political. So typically politicians are avoiding taking responsibility.

— Maria Lasitsekne, three-time World Champion in high-jumping:
“Totally not surprised about this outcome. Today is a very shameful day and I never believed the promises that everything will be OK. I will continue fighting for my own right to compete, even under a neutral flag. I am not planning to change my nationality. I am annoyed that athletes are alone in their fight and the heads of sport in our country are only willing to defend us on paper.”

— Alexander Tikhonov, four-time Olympic biathlon champion:
“We got what we deserved. We have so many former athletes in the State Duma, couldn’t they sort out this mess? I am with WADA on this one.”

— Evgeniy Kafelnikov, Olympic tennis champion:
“There was systemized doping in Russia, I have no doubt about it. Someone should be punished for it. Russian sport could have restored its reputation if the people who started it all just went out and said: 'Yes, I screwed up, please forgive me.' But no one wants to take responsibility for this. In the end, everything is shifted on the poor athletes.”

— Yuri Ganus, the head of RUSADA, said Russia had "no chance" of winning an appeal against the WADA decision, calling the four-year ban a "tragedy." Some athletes are contemplating leaving Russia, Ganus added, describing the sentiments among athletes as "awful."

— Vasily Titov, the head of the Russian Olympic summer sports federations:
“WADA is trying to drive a wedge between Russian athletes and the state. This is not about sports, it is purely politics.”

 

[gstommylee]

Some of these comments are ridiculous. Russia got caught sponsoring drug use for the Olympics and covering it up. WADA has the right to punish the country.

 

[viper0220]

Some of these comments are ridiculous. Russia got caught sponsoring drug use for the Olympics and covering it up. WADA has the right to punish the country.

This is politics, to think that athletes from other countries don't use drugs is naive.

 

[End of Line]

This is politics, to think that athletes from other countries don't use drugs is naive.

Yeah, it's pure politics right now.

 

[MNNumbers]

This is politics, to think that athletes from other countries don't use drugs is naive.

Of course it's naive to think to that other countries' athletes don't use PEDs.

But in the case, the national Anti Doping Association was found to have falsified it's own testing, for the purpose of keeping doped athletes eligible. That means that the state, and Putin, think there is some gain to be had for the nation if its athletes win at all costs.

That's the issue here. The people who are guilty continue to cover up.

The athletes who know are upset.

And the government people don't change anything.

This, the real athletes are caught in no man's land. That's the sad part.

 

[sandysan]

isnt the title a little misleading ? They were banned for systemic ( if not state sponsored) doping violations, not because of "drug testing"

its not a really a test when the results are predetermined

 

[Jussi]

This is politics, to think that athletes from other countries don't use drugs is naive.

No one's saying that. The difference is government sponsored/ran doping. The usage of government funds is so transparent in Western countries that no one would dare even try because it would be domestic political suicide as well. "Why is tax payer money used for such pointless endeavors as doping in sports? This government must resign!" or something like that.

 

[Jussi]

isnt the title a little misleading ? They were banned for systemic ( if not state sponsored) doping violations, not because of "drug testing"

its not a really a test when the results are predetermined

Yes it is. If the OP is too lazy to change the title too much, just add the word "falsified" before "drug testing".

 

[Jussi]

Yeah, it's pure politics right now.

Yes, pure domestic Russian politics.