Biathlon at the Winter Olympic Games 2018

[ahjfcshfghb 294]

I think banning Shipulin now, as well as Viktor Anh and Ustyugov, is a move designed to provoke Russia into a boycott.

Many Russian athletes have doped, and I think the overall solution is the right one. But these three have no histories and it's disputed whether they were actually in the report. If they were serious about actually getting to the bottom of the situation, they wouldn't announce this so close to the Games where there is no appeal possible. 

I say, let them take part. Not just because it'll make the sports so much more interesting to watch, but because I think it's a foul play political move. 

[dareza 911]

10 minutes ago, ahjfcshfghb said:

I think banning Shipulin now, as well as Viktor Anh and Ustyugov, is a move designed to provoke Russia into a boycott.

Many Russian athletes have doped, and I think the overall solution is the right one. But these three have no histories and it's disputed whether they were actually in the report. If they were serious about actually getting to the bottom of the situation, they wouldn't announce this so close to the Games where there is no appeal possible. 

I say, let them take part. Not just because it'll make the sports so much more interesting to watch, but because I think it's a foul play political move. 

 

I agree with you 100%

[ahjfcshfghb 294]

1 minute ago, dareza said:

 

I agree with you 100%

Honestly I hope Russia does well. I wouldn't mind seeing them at the top of the medal table. It's one thing for the IOC to punish doping, but it's another to attempt to humiliate, isolate and discredit an entire nation. That's what they're doing. I used to be very anti-Russian, but this has shown me just how dishonest the IOC is being. Russians have every right to be mad. 

[heywoodu 16,004]

2 minutes ago, ahjfcshfghb said:

Honestly I hope Russia does well. I wouldn't mind seeing them at the top of the medal table. It's one thing for the IOC to punish doping, but it's another to attempt to humiliate, isolate and discredit an entire nation. That's what they're doing. I used to be very anti-Russian, but this has shown me just how dishonest the IOC is being. Russians have every right to be mad. 

Yet still mostly at their own authorities, because that's where all this crap started. If it weren't for the 'brilliant' idea to start a state sponsored doping system, we wouldn't have this mess in the first place.

[ahjfcshfghb 294]

1 minute ago, heywoodu said:

Yet still mostly at their own authorities, because that's where all this crap started. If it weren't for the 'brilliant' idea to start a state sponsored doping system, we wouldn't have this mess in the first place.

Of course. But at the same time, I don't like the way the IOC have handled this. They've systematically eliminated their best athletes just before the games, on questionable evidence, and without giving them any chance of appeal. That's just unfair, and it really seems like they've done this on purpose to intimidate/humiliate Russia.

[heywoodu 16,004]

Just now, ahjfcshfghb said:

Of course. But at the same time, I don't like the way the IOC have handled this. They've systematically eliminated their best athletes just before the games, on questionable evidence, and without giving them any chance of appeal. That's just unfair, and it really seems like they've done this on purpose to intimidate/humiliate Russia.

Oh I agree about that, especially the timing. This should have been done and dusted before 2018 started. 

[ahjfcshfghb 294]

Just now, heywoodu said:

Oh I agree about that, especially the timing. This should have been done and dusted before 2018 started. 

It's no coincidence that Anh, Shipulin and Ustyugov were some of Russia's biggest medal hopes. If they were in the McLaren report all along, as has been claimed, why only bring that to the spotlight now? Maybe I'm biased because I was looking forward to watching them compete. But this treatment of Russia cannot be anything other than completely idiotic, or an act of vengeance by the IOC. Both of which I completely condemn. 

(PS maybe we should get a mod to move this to the doping discussion)

[heywoodu 16,004]

1 minute ago, ahjfcshfghb said:

It's no coincidence that Anh, Shipulin and Ustyugov were some of Russia's biggest medal hopes. If they were in the McLaren report all along, as has been claimed, why only bring that to the spotlight now? Maybe I'm biased because I was looking forward to watching them compete. But this treatment of Russia cannot be anything other than completely idiotic, or an act of vengeance by the IOC. Both of which I completely condemn. 

(PS maybe we should get a mod to move this to the doping discussion)

Agreed  

 

Ahn wasn't really such a big gold medal hope (well, maybe for Russian fans who thought he's still top of the world), but I get the point. 

[ahjfcshfghb 294]

Just now, heywoodu said:

Agreed  

 

Ahn wasn't really such a big gold medal hope (well, maybe for Russian fans who thought he's still top of the world), but I get the point. 

Yeah kind of funny how all the press is writing about Ahn going to 10 medals total, when this year he hasn't come close positionwise. 

But it's what he symbolizes for Russia, really. I first thought actually that South Korea had a hand in this, trying to prevent him from competing. His wins were quite humiliating for South Korea. Now though that there are these other top athletes, so it has to be more.

Part of me's really excited for this. The political climate will be so tense. All the way through. I'll have to book a 'United Korea' hockey ticket, too...

[Agger 1,700]

Well. That athletes could be left out this late isn't really news.

I'm personally gonna wait and see if they will prove some good reason for the action before thinking that it's some kind of conspiracy.