Putin’s Swift Reaction to Doping Report Blames Anti-Russian Politics
Source: New York Times
MOSCOW President Vladimir V. Putin responded within hours Monday to accusations that his government ran a covert doping program for Russian Olympians and other elite athletes, indicating how seriously the Kremlin took the charges.
The government often waits days to react to issues raised abroad, if it responds at all, but international sports competitions in general and the Olympics in particular are important to Mr. Putin.
The president harnessed the success of the 2014 Winter Olympics at the Russian resort of Sochi as proof that he is the leader to bring the nation, as is said here, off its knees after the chaotic collapse of the Soviet Union. The Russian haul of 33 medals, seven more than any other country, was offered as the evidence.
Mondays damaging report by the World Anti-Doping Agency placed a large question mark over the Sochi medals, and it could well lead to the suspension of the entire Russian Olympic team from the Rio de Janeiro Summer Games, less than three weeks away. So Mr. Putin has little time to address a problem that strikes at his and Russias prestige.
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/19/sports/olympics/vladimir-putins-swift-reaction-to-doping-report-blames-anti-russian-politics.html?_r=0
it's all an anti-Russian conspiracy
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)DetlefK
(16,423 posts)1. A few years ago, the IOC tried to replace Wrestling with Golf. Not kidding. It was Putin, a Judo-fighter, who basically strongarmed the IOC into keeping Wrestling as a discipline.
2. Consciously or subconsciously, Putin is trying to restore Russia to its influence and glory of the old soviet days. And for the Soviets, winning in sports was an essential component of propaganda. It's deeply ingrained into Russia's national identity. "A victory for Russia is a victory for Communism." Old habits die hard.
GOLGO 13
(1,681 posts)Golf is an elitist sport for old, white rich men. It will fail as an Olympic sport. All the top players don't want shit to do with it.
uawchild
(2,208 posts)Joking. Mostly.
JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,364 posts)I love Olympic sports that can be played with a beer in one hand.
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)Even though they got the world spotlight, the investment, and the medal count victory, hockey is a matter of national pride and the old CCCP "Red Army" was not only a juggernaut, they had a lasting influence on how other countries thought about training, tactics and player development...
And I'm not surprised about the wrestling, since a lot of people were up in arms over that (after all, it is one of the *original* events from the Greek games) and golf truly is a joke... I'd rather see baseball come back.
uawchild
(2,208 posts)Maybe banning the Russian Olympic team from the 2016 games isn't enough -- it was STATE SPONSORED DOPING.
I am in favor of banning Russia from the 2020 Olympic Games as well. Let them all take the 8 years to get clean for the 2024 Olympics.
maxsolomon
(33,400 posts)will the IOC stand up to Russia?
I really doubt it.