i like watching my grandkids playing soccer in the backyard. anything more organized than that is suspect.
Doping in sport is little different that insider trading in the stock market or gerrymandering in politics. But I'm going to be a little more forgiving of athletes as they receive most of the pressure to dope from national federations and corporate sponsors. And most of these athletes have foregone a decent education in order to be world class. While insider-trading and gerrymandering are about consolidating wealth and powerful among the already wealthy and powerful, doping becomes necessary to many athletes who want to maintain their livelihood.
I cannot help but think of Lance Armstrong and his counter-allegation: that everyone else was/is doping too. If that is true, it shows that sports (olympics or otherwise) suffers from free-market doping as well as "state-sponsored" doping. Secret passageways to smuggle "clean" urine has a certain "cold-war" spy like quality to it, but real-world practices (as Armstrong's case has shown) have revealed that individuals can be very resourceful when it comes to cheating.
Memo to everyone who used to enjoy the Olympics: The games are now dominated by professionals and dopers who use chemicals to achieve victory. The old days of amateur sports for sports sake are gone. There will be no more 1980 U.S.A. ice hockey miracles on ice. Get used to it. Like the World Cup, it's all about the money, and it's only going to get worse.
If Russia is allowed to compete at the next summer Olympics, it will be a profound step backwards for everyone, including the Russian people. It means that there is no truth and justice left in the world, and that only bullies, thugs, and cheats succeed.
Putin claims that there were no Russian soldiers in Crimea, that there are no Russian soldiers in Eastern Ukraine, and now his underlings claim that they did not systematically cheat at Sochi. When will this charade stop. Make him pay the price for this. Otherwise we all lose.
Putin claims that there were no Russian soldiers in Crimea, that there are no Russian soldiers in Eastern Ukraine, and now his underlings claim that they did not systematically cheat at Sochi. When will this charade stop. Make him pay the price for this. Otherwise we all lose.
Pumping up the Russian athletes is just more example of Putin pumping up himself. Will it make a difference if the Russians are denied the opportunity to compete at this years Olympics? No. Putin will still be a bully and may enjoy another opportunity to wallow in the 'unfair' western attacks on Great Mother Russia. The Russian people will only hear about the insults, not about the cheating. Nothing will change.
We owe to all the other athlete's to ban the Russians. And Putin deserves a poke in the eye.
We owe to all the other athlete's to ban the Russians. And Putin deserves a poke in the eye.
There is no question that the Russians cannot be at this Olympics. The Olympics are about countries competing against countries. When your country has been complicit frim the top down in a massive, long-term process designed to conceal performance enhancing drugs; and has forced athletes to take these drugs, there is only one answer -/ that country must be prevented from cheating. While individual athletes may suffer, there is literally no way to believe they are or have been drug free. Even Ms Isinbaeva's plea is suspect: "I never failed a drug test." No kidding. Neither did Lance Armstrong
Sorry no sympathy here. The country is a cheat.
Sorry no sympathy here. The country is a cheat.
1
When one cheats at anything, they believe that they didn't cheat, that's how they can live with cheating.
1
The analysis does not take into account Putin's vindictiveness, especially when his pride is bruised. Harming the Russian athletic preeminence is about as powerful a poke in the eye as you can imagine. I suspect many organizations are also concerned about being the target of the full force of Russian retribution. Nobody wants to do that alone.
1
Russian doping is massive and just like gun killing in America. Every time mass murders occur, it is "what a shame", as the article states. Then back to doping and selling assault weapons as usual, until the next event happens.
Look at the blond athlete in the article. She is just one of the endless blond athletes that the Russian doping system produces.
Look at Sharapova. Be honest. Take away those fake eyebrows, and the makeup. Look at the face and you have a male. All power to the Russian doping machine. They produce these girls like Sharapova for the gullible male fans, one after the other.
And the sports organizations will continue to do zero except say "What a shame", because it is the draw for selling tickets, sponsorship money, and lining their pockets. Maybe Muhammad Ali would say: They use dope to rope, us, the dopes.
Power (Dope) to the Russians!
Look at the blond athlete in the article. She is just one of the endless blond athletes that the Russian doping system produces.
Look at Sharapova. Be honest. Take away those fake eyebrows, and the makeup. Look at the face and you have a male. All power to the Russian doping machine. They produce these girls like Sharapova for the gullible male fans, one after the other.
And the sports organizations will continue to do zero except say "What a shame", because it is the draw for selling tickets, sponsorship money, and lining their pockets. Maybe Muhammad Ali would say: They use dope to rope, us, the dopes.
Power (Dope) to the Russians!
I love sports, but let's not pretend that at the corporate level of the Olympics, FIFA, the NCAA etc. it is run any differently than the corporations of Wall Street.
With professional, corporate sports, including the Olympics, it is quite simple: follow the money.
Which country gets the Olympics or the World Cup, which cities N.F.L. teams move to, post facto suspension of Draymond Green, Ichiro "passing" Pete Rose in hits, what public money is used to build stadiums for private teams, etc. are all largely a function of sports corporations, politicians, TV stations, and developers all juggling image and big bucks, as well as cutting corners for their own financial ends, including bribes, doping, selective rule enforcement, and anything else at hand.
I love sports both as a participant and as a fan. However, when high school stadiums costing over $60 million are built -- as recently occurred in Texas -- one can make book that even at the young, allegedly amateur levels, athletes, parents, teachers, coaches, administrators, and the community at large fully intend to win, regardless of the cost to honesty, fairness, and the long-term welfare of the athletes. And those attitudes work their way up and down the athletic food chain.
With professional, corporate sports, including the Olympics, it is quite simple: follow the money.
Which country gets the Olympics or the World Cup, which cities N.F.L. teams move to, post facto suspension of Draymond Green, Ichiro "passing" Pete Rose in hits, what public money is used to build stadiums for private teams, etc. are all largely a function of sports corporations, politicians, TV stations, and developers all juggling image and big bucks, as well as cutting corners for their own financial ends, including bribes, doping, selective rule enforcement, and anything else at hand.
I love sports both as a participant and as a fan. However, when high school stadiums costing over $60 million are built -- as recently occurred in Texas -- one can make book that even at the young, allegedly amateur levels, athletes, parents, teachers, coaches, administrators, and the community at large fully intend to win, regardless of the cost to honesty, fairness, and the long-term welfare of the athletes. And those attitudes work their way up and down the athletic food chain.
1
The worthlessness of Olympic leadership goes all the way back to Avery Brundage and Hitler's 1936 Olympics, which excluded many Jewish athletes to acvommodate Hitler. When American women swimmers in the 1970s tried to call out their steroidal East German counterparts, they were mocked and called sore losers. Steve Prefontaine was robbed of Olympic gold by the blood-doping Lasse Viren. It never chamges. The corruption of international sports is a disease with no cure.
The fish rots from the head. It's sad and pathetic how far an insecure man will go.
2
Would any one proposing that Russia be banned from the Olympics for doping, be saying this if the USSR still existed? When Communist countries were accused of cheating (especially East German women) many sports writers and others leaped to the defense of those athletes. Female swimmers who complained were called sore losers. Others simply accused of being right-wing, anti-communists extremists. The Olympics were intended to foster mutual trust and cooperation among all nations. A little cheating was acceptable considering the larger goals. I guess we don't need to worry about international trust and understanding anymore.
It would appear that winning modeling contracts is a far higher priority for Russian athletes than winning medals. Perhaps they could install a catwalk somewhere near the triple-jump runway.
3
It's difficult to know if it's the IOC dog wagging the FIFA tail or the other way around. There's just too much money floating at the noses of corrupt bureaucrats with absolute power.
9
Although I'm strongly inclined to ban all Russian athletes from at least this year's Summer Olympic Games and from the Winter Olympics in two years, I would be open to a compromise: all Russian athletes would immediately be subject to an intensive, international drug testing regime. Anyone failing a test would be banned for life from international competition. But recognizing the fact that this was state-sponsored and facilitated cheating, Russian athletes for those Olympics would not be recognized as being Russian. They would only be able to compete under the banner of the International Olympic Committee. They would be barred from the opening and closing ceremonies (the Olympics grand display of nationalism) and, if any Russian athletes won a gold medal, the Russian national anthem would not be played, but the Olympic anthem would replace it. Russian athletes would not wear any Russian garb, only an Olympic uniform. Russian radio and TV broadcasting of both Olympics would be prohibited.
5
Unfortunately testing now is of limited value - there are potentially years-worth of doped training, in which athletes would have been able to make drug-assisted gains in strength and endurance. Even after the drugs leave the body, the strength remains.
1
A better headline would have been, "Russian Doping Scandal, a Time for Crime and Punishment."
20
We all know the Russians will be at the Olympics and we will hear how they are working ever so hard to do better and etc. Once again the clean athletes will watch as the dopesters mount the medal podiums. The IOC, IAAF and WADA are disgraceful in all of this, but of course are supported by the big money that wants a spectacle for the advertising dollar. The Administration is likely pushing for Russia to be in to help calm the savage bear as a political matter.
11
Which athletes, exactly, are clean?
This is nothing but biased reporting unless every country is called out. WADA has shown that the cheaters are way ahead of the testing.
This is nothing but biased reporting unless every country is called out. WADA has shown that the cheaters are way ahead of the testing.
Michael Powell, I love your writing, on any subject. Thank you for bringing style and zest to the sports pages.
11
If you are not "available" for on-going testing, military city or no, you are not "available" for competition, so save yourself a plane ticket to Rio.
Seems pretty simple to me.
Seems pretty simple to me.
23
Bravo to Mr. Powell for highlighting Reedie's lack of backbone and the tragedy that athletes who train for years and strictly comply by the rules get cheated while the watchdogs pander to the cheaters for donations and entertainment.
How about the major sponsors and broadcasters standing up and saying they will not be part of a travesty/ It worked with that similar cesspool, FIFA.
How about the major sponsors and broadcasters standing up and saying they will not be part of a travesty/ It worked with that similar cesspool, FIFA.
19
All the Russians in the NFL and MLB guilty of taking performance enhancing drugs over the last 25 years should be banned from ever competing again.
4
"I know Sir Craig is a knight and all that. So please, just this once, let him pull out his broad sword and slay a dragon."
Can I suggest an edit, Michael? "I know Sir Craig is a knight and all that. So please, just this once, let him pull out his broad sword and fall on it."
Can I suggest an edit, Michael? "I know Sir Craig is a knight and all that. So please, just this once, let him pull out his broad sword and fall on it."
21
I am certain the lexicographical or military experts here will correct me if I am wrong; but I think that the correct term is 'broadsword.' That said, I think either recommendation would be just.
It's not the governing bodies that matter, it's the corporate advertising dollars. I and many others won't watch, so why advertise.
6
The advertising isn’t just during the Games, it is pervasive throughout the media and year round. Perhaps the Games should have remained at least partially amateur, with limits on income. Certainly, there should be no exceptions for testing and whereabouts of athletes. It actually seems relatively easy to cheat.
1
Reinstating amateurism won't solve the problem. State's have sponsored cheating by "amateur athletes" too. Let's also not forget that in the great days of "amateurism" whether in the Olympics or tennis or US college sports lots of special interests profited off the efforts of the "amateur athletes". As others have said, it's all the money these sports generate that gives incentives to cheat or sponsor cheating. That's the key to the problem not whether the athletes are officially "amateur" or "professional".
"Craig Reedie, the chief of the World Anti-Doping Agency, recently explained his regulatory approach to my colleague Rebecca Ruiz. “We’re not going to turn around to people and say: ‘These are the rules.’ "
Excellent article. WADA (including Reedie) and IOC themselves seem just a tiny step away from illegality. No wonder they all step so gingerly, evidently hoping everyone will look away.
Excellent article. WADA (including Reedie) and IOC themselves seem just a tiny step away from illegality. No wonder they all step so gingerly, evidently hoping everyone will look away.
13
Let's face it: Olympians are just another version of pro athletes...And like professionals, they are accorded tremendous attention and respect, even idolatry, that is inappropriate given that they are people who have simply devoted way too much of their time and energy to pursuing children's games.
Until we treat professional athletics for what they really are -- inconsequential entertainment -- people will keep trying to cheat, no matter the potential penalties. This is a social problem, not a technological problem.
Until we treat professional athletics for what they really are -- inconsequential entertainment -- people will keep trying to cheat, no matter the potential penalties. This is a social problem, not a technological problem.
13
Russia did more than engage in top down, systemic doping: it exploited its status as the host nation of the Sochi Olympics to build a "secret passags" to facilitate the substitution of clean urine samples for tainted ones. That's beyond damning. No nation engaged in widespread doping AND physical manipulation of Olympic facilities to cheat should be permitted to participate in the Olympic Games. For how long is to be determined. 3 to 4 Olympic Games sounds about right. That's about one generation of competitors. Out with bad, in with clean.
27
Look here, how few comments. It appears the Olympics are no longer relevant to most and just deserved.
18
Part of the reason there are so few comments is that today, at EST 915 am, the comments section is apparently closed to new comments. My apologies to Paulo for piggybacking.
I'd also point out that Sebastian Coe is a baron not a knight. You might object that British titles are irrelevant anachronisms, and I would agree. My suggestions would be: either don't use them or get them right.
I'd also point out that Sebastian Coe is a baron not a knight. You might object that British titles are irrelevant anachronisms, and I would agree. My suggestions would be: either don't use them or get them right.
Speaking of Eugene Oregon, please read: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/17/sports/eugene-ore-to-host-first-world-.... Sebastian Coe also needs to be inbestigated, so too, Phil Knight, his underlings, most of the local and state governmental officials and other business leaders. We(residents of Oregon) are now footing the bill for this corrupt charade. This corruption cancer starts at the top and has worked its way all the way down to the bottom. Everyone wants a piece of the $$$$$.
7
It seems to me that international track and field anti-doping advocates are in the same boat as gun control advocates in the US are. Each is dominated and intimidated by a noisy, violent minority whose interests and modus operandi are not those of the majority.
8
Do you really mean "gun control advocates?" I would say your description applies to "anti-gun control advocates."
The answer to this is quite simple. Any event, any heat where there's a Russian athlete, no one competes. Let the Russian sprint out ahead. Everyone else stays at the starting line, waiting for him or her to get out of the way. Get another starter pistol and off you go.
Yes, it's a joke, but Russia's making a joke of the Olympics anyway. Let's put a big asterisk beside the Sochi Game results, all of them, with the the explanation "Results unreliable because of blood-doping charges against host nation."
The answer to this is quite simple. Any event, any heat where there's a Russian athlete, no one competes. Let the Russian sprint out ahead. Everyone else stays at the starting line, waiting for him or her to get out of the way. Get another starter pistol and off you go.
Yes, it's a joke, but Russia's making a joke of the Olympics anyway. Let's put a big asterisk beside the Sochi Game results, all of them, with the the explanation "Results unreliable because of blood-doping charges against host nation."
34
Steve- so too an asterisk for pro football and baseball. i bet you forgot about Mark McGwire. Just today a player was suspended for 80 games for steroid use. a lifetime ban and termination of their contract along with reimbursement to the owner of said team of their current and last year's salary would shock these players now and in the future which probably would clean up the sport(s) real quick.
2
Hapin- please read: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/17/sports/eugene-ore-to-host-first-world-.... I think Phil Knight has dirt smeared all over, so too our politicians who bend over backwards to be on his good graces.
2
The superpower and it allies are determined to isolate the Russian people and to bring about regime change as part of their imperial ambitions. NATO forces are on its borders breaking all agreements reached when the Warsaw Pact was disbanded.