Athletics 2023 Discussion Thread

[Grassmarket 4,030]

2 hours ago, heywoodu said:

Plus as far as I remember, the Torun events are often more than excellent, in terms of organization as well as atmosphere.

It is probably something unobvious like available space for Commentators.  It’s like the Tour de France - there are all sorts of potentially brilliant stages, but unless the finish is near a town with 6000 hotel rooms, they don’t get included.

[Werloc 3,191]

1 hour ago, Cinnamon Bun said:

I feel like this was done to please certain people and not really out of a want to do it. Lifting the doping ban was always gonna be pointless as Russia were always gonna remain suspended for the foreseeable.  

It's honestly scary how many people don't have a strong position against Belarus and Russia entering sport competitions.

 

If they managed to take over Ukraine, then the Baltics would've probably been swallowed too and their friends in the East would've probably started a crusade on their neighbouring country. 

 

We would be in an all-out war and sports would be the last thing on our minds  

 

Not letting them compete is the least we can do, when Ukraine is keeping the world safe. 

[Orangehair43 285]

It’s probably to stop a legal challenge. Russia love taking things to sport courts. 

[heywoodu 16,004]

8 hours ago, Werloc said:

It's honestly scary how many people don't have a strong position against Belarus and Russia entering sport competitions.

 

If they managed to take over Ukraine, then the Baltics would've probably been swallowed too and their friends in the East would've probably started a crusade on their neighbouring country. 

 

We would be in an all-out war and sports would be the last thing on our minds  

 

Not letting them compete is the least we can do, when Ukraine is keeping the world safe. 

It is not the easiest of discussions though, especially since online there's also a lot of people who seem to think "I am not 100% sure I totally agree with all athletes from Russia and Belarus being banned from all sports, even under neutral flags" equates to "I am mostly on Russia's side in this war".

 

I am personally not totally sure every single Russian and Belarussian athlete should be banned from competing even under neutral flags or something (I'm also not totally sure they should be allowed to compete under neutral flags, but I'm absolutely fine with people who are totally in favour of a full ban), but I am as much against Russia in their war of aggression as I would have been against, say, Nazi Germany.

Edited March 24, 2023 by heywoodu

[AsensioWillemsen 174]

13 hours ago, Grassmarket said:

Hopefully it will remove the biggest problem, which was that there was a suspicion that certain federations were searching these individuals out as a policy.

The only thing that annoys me is that certain people use this as a spread of victory of their political agenda. Well, it can't be helped, this step was just necessary.

[Olympian1010 8,230]

 

 

 

[ChandlerMne 1,204]

Just a reminder. NATO started brutal campaign of bombing Yugoslavia in 1999, today is 24th "anniversary".

I wonder how Totallympics users would react in these days, would they condemn civilian victims and protect human rights... 

I faced those times personally, banning of Yugoslavia athletes in 1992-1995 likewise. 

Every time i will say - let the athletes compete, as long as they take neutral stance. 

I dont have simpathy for Russia but this level of xenophobia and hatred is indeed shocking. 

Edited March 24, 2023 by ChandlerMne

[OlympicsFan 860]

1 hour ago, ChandlerMne said:

Just a reminder. NATO started brutal campaign of bombing Yugoslavia in 1999, today is 24th "anniversary".

I wonder how Totallympics users would react in these days, would they condemn civilian victims and protect human rights... 

I faced those times personally, banning of Yugoslavia athletes in 1992-1995 likewise. 

Every time i will say - let the athletes compete, as long as they take neutral stance. 

I dont have simpathy for Russia but this level of xenophobia and hatred is indeed shocking. 

Slovenia is doing really good economically.

[Monzanator 4,768]

16 hours ago, Grassmarket said:

More details on the / ban:

 

The Good News! Your doping suspension has been lifted!

The Bad News! Your war suspension is beginning! 

In hindsight I think this is a big win for Russia. Lifting that state-sponsored doping ban would always be the more difficult task and could have been extended indefinitely. Now it's gone and people don't notice it since the war is more important. After the war ends you will be Russians reinstated into competition and many people will wonder what happened with the doping ban.

[ChandlerMne 1,204]

1 hour ago, OlympicsFan said:

Slovenia is doing really good economically.

I know, good for them. 

This is rather political issue but its good to know that they entered Kingdom Yugoslavia voluntarilly. No one forced them to unify.