Apparently cheating, lying and stealing are part of the Russian culture. Also part of big business culture in the USA.
Ban all Russian athletes from all international competitions for 4 years. Dopers, liars, and cheaters deserve what they get.
$15 million? In the context of the size of these games and the moneys involved, the importance of performance to athletes' sponsors? The cost of the training regimen the athletes endure? And the fact that almost all of them have no other marketable skills and must depend upon sponsors -- or benefactors, family -- for a livelihood?
Ridiculous slap on the wrist.
The Olympics has needed reform for a while now. I am sure there are people more in tune with it that could name several things, but the big two for me:
A ban is a ban. No allowing athletes that are from banned countries to compete. Is it harsh? Yes it is but is it fair to the other countries that a banned country was still allowed to send hundreds of their athletes anyway with barely a slap on the wrist? No. Which brings me to point two, that might help banned country athletes and keep things honest. Athletes MUST live more than 75% of their time in their country to represent it. No more taking advantage of other countries training facilities and representing some other country. If you want to represent that country, then fine but you must have resided there over a certain period of time (and not less than a year) for 75% of that time.
This would give athletes from disgraced/banned countries an opportunity to compete if it is that important to them for another country lawfully. This would also end the "Well here's Joe Schmoe. He trains in New Jersey, lives in Canada but is representing (insert some completely different country here) because his great granddads cousin lives there."
Otherwise what's the point? This is supposed to be about athletes representing their home countries. And it is supposed to be the best of each country, no shady doping allowed. If it isn't about that, then why call it the Olympics? Disband it and/or call it something else instead.
1
Ghee, what a surprise! The Russian athletes should never have been allowed to compete, not under any flag.
The Olympic Committee’s banned drug policy is as fraught with issues as its failed and harmful sexual conduct and reporting policy.
1
What a shame.
Russians are bringing a big time shame to themselves and to the Olympics.
I can't help but think that if I were an Olympian standing next to a Russian in a competition - I would either have a contempt or feel angry that he could be a doper.
It does no good to help a good healthy atmosphere amongst these Olympians.
What do they call in NCAA - the death penalty.
May be something equivalent might finally educate these Russians on seriousness of their offenses.
Further proof of the obvious. Russia has a state sponsored cheating and doping system, and Russian athletes have been cheating and doping since at least 1972. Enough is enough.
8
I kind of feel sorry for any honest athletes from Russia...they are all painted with the brush of cheaters.
4
Am I seeing a pattern here?
4
Two Russian athletes who supposedly were closely scrutinized tested positive AT THE OLYMPICS. Putin and his minions can never be trusted and will always do everything they can get away with. Has the world not learned this lesson yet?
5
Let's review the bidding. They cheated at the last winter olympics in their own country and were banned by IOC from participation in 2018. Then their athletes were allowed to compete but not under the Russian flag if they passed a doping test. Now 2 of their team have failed an on-site screening and they are debating on whether to allow the team to march under the Russian flag in the closing ceremony. How much money has the IOC received from the Putin Regime to reverse their decision? Let's just agree there really are no rules for competing at the games and move on.
13
I don't get it. When Russian athletes were not failing any doping tests Russia was accused of a government bottle-switching cover up and needed to be banned from the Games. Now that some individuals failed the test Russia is again accused of systematic doping. It looks like the whole thing has more to do with anti-Russian hysteria in the US than with sport and doping.
If someone failed doping test (including phony medical exemptions) they should be disqualified. Same rule for everyone. That's it. Simple!
1
The IOC has again proven itself to be a craven organization with a total absence of a moral compass. As the film Icarus showed, Russia is a commercial organized crime industry masquerading as a legitimate country. NBC is complicit in fostering these acts of illegitimacy with its paying of billions of dollars for this sham. Between the IOC, FIFA, NCAA and the NFL, its no surprise that more money flows into sports than into education or, for that matter, our public libraries, museums or our cultural institutions. We all know who to blame in this country, and its not those who are deemed to be BLUE.
1
Next to FIFA, the IOC is the world's most corrupt non-governmental organization. Their suede-glove handling of all things Russian is proof.
12
What is wrong with them?
3
Stop saying "Russian athlete" fails dope test, it's "OAR" fails dope test!
C'mon, if "Russia" cannot claim glory for winning, then "Russia" cannot be blamed either for doping; it's "OAR" both for the medal count and for the doping count (and so far, doping has outnumbered gold medals 2 to 1).
Serves the Olympic Committee right for buckling to Russians to compete under the idiotic title "OAR".
5
Right now let Russia know that they will not be able to send any athletes to next Winter Olympics.
12
How about banning Russian citizens entirely from all Olympic competition for the next 4 to 6 years?
3
Does anyone honestly believe only two are dirty?
IOC, you were played.
12
They just need a total ban on Russia. Once a cheater always a cheater. I don't understand either why you need to dope for curling. They should be banned from the Olympics.
8
maybe potus can intervene on behalf of the russians
5
They've probably got their bought-and-paid-for minions on the IOC as well as in the White House and (likely) the Congress.
The Russians systemic doping system at Sochi should have totally disqualified them from these games. The idea of competing as Olympic Athletes from Russia is ludicrous. As they continue to cheat the entire Russian athletic community needs to be punished for anything to matter.
9
The I.O.C. said it could welcome Russia back if it paid a $15 million *BRIBE* and adheres to the global antidoping code.
2
What an age.
Don the Con or the Cons from the Don.
Not much of a choice.
2
Will Russia get it’s flag back now? Hopefully, not, but the so-called “Olympic Movement” is so corrupted by commercial interests that anything is possible.
3
The fulcrum of the Olympics is not, nor has ever been positioned for balance. It is a political puppet. If one wants balance why not include the para-olympians with the "abled" body athletes? Doping probably does more to return balance to the games than anything else. Kids want to play, not be a spectator.
Why in the world are the Russians allowed to compete in the Olympics? Weren't they supposed to be banned? If they aren't competing under the Russian flag why does all the media refer to them as the "Russians"? Between doping scandals and gymnastics scandals I've become totally turned off by the Olympics, and - note to advertisers - my TV is also turned off.
2
"Will Russia get their flag back?" Why not. They don't deserve anything else -- much less the chance to compete in the Olympic games.
2
Russian athletes should NOT have been allowed to compete, regardless of their "clean" record. Russia athletes should have been banned - period. Any athlete from any country caught using drugs, should automatically result in that country being banned from the next Olympics and all metals won revoked. If a hard stance is not taken, then athletes will continue to cheat and their countries will turn a blind eye to that cheating.
5
"Why on earth did you do that?"
"I could not help myself. It is my nature."
(The Scorpion and the Frog)
13
Russia should be banned from the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. This has been recommended in opinion pieces in the European press, with commentators adding that any and all Russian participation in the 2018 Games was obscene. However, there was sympathy for Russian athletes -- despite their country's state doping system -- in many eastern European and south Asian countries, all of which have an Olympics committee. South Korea itself worried over fewer visitors and less revenue if Russia was banned this year. The leniency will no doubt continue.
5
The two Russian teenaged skaters did a beautiful job yesterday in their performances which gained them gold and silver. However, perhaps they should be tested as well? The non medalists clearly fell and would have scored lower, but.....?
The two Russian skaters, like the other athletes from their country should have been baned from the Olympics because of the deliberate fraud perpetrated before and during the Sochi games.
They should all be banned until independent testing and monitoring procedures are put in place si that athletes who are clean are not forced to compete with frauds who dope. If a few teenagers miss their chance at medals, I could care less.
Why even let this country compete? The scandal in Sochi was more than enough evidence to ban them, as they turned the entire Olympic ethos on its head with systematic cheating arranged by the hosting nation’s own head of state/government. Not marching with their flag is barely a slap on the wrist, especially when they are STILL getting caught immediately after Sochi.
31
Either punish a nation through complete exclusion or it's worth nothing. Russia is as corrupt as they come - they cheat at everything - from elections to curling. integrity is not embraced by this nation.
39
Hundreds of American athletes have used Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) for alleged asthma and ADD 'conditions' in both Summer and Winter Olympic Games -- all that's needed is a 'certificate' from a compliant doctor.
1
Unreal.
12
Hopefully all medals are taken away from Russians
15
Ok, I maybe get the bobsledder because she has to push the sled really fast at the start, but a performance enhancing drug for curling? What was it supposed to do improve his strength and stamina?
7
I'm thinking that all Russian athletes take something.....just a few get caught. Perhaps they don't even know they're taking it.
4
He was tested positive for meldonium, a drug widely used among Russian athletes, including Sharapova.
It has an effect on the athlete's stamina and concentration - curling demands nerves of steel, so that would be a justification for taking it. The fact is that there is no reason to take meldonium, unless you have vascular diseases, furthermore the bobsledder did no question the accuracy of the test, he says he might have had his drinks spiked. Seriously?
9