LDOG

They also lost 5-0 to Spain so not so sure. Anyway, it's just one match, at home, not against a top opponent... anything is possible.

Most likely it was a fakeout to force ukranians to shut it down and make them lose a big power source.

When the war is against the west, to be precise.

War is more serious than doping. CAS will 100% uphold the ban or their funding and recognition will end. And yes, it will be a completely political and not legal ruling. Every international organization acts neutral until their money is on the line.

I don't know about the others but I read that Venezuela couldn't vote because they have debts with UN (yes, I mean a money debt lol).

Not an expert on the matter but isn't Mazepin kinda a prick and an average racer pushed by his oligarch dad's money? Honestly no sympathy with the guy then

South Africa abstention

Not all of them win big money, those outside the top 150 barely make a living. It's not like in football where they can just keep playing for russian clubs in the russian league, they have no source of income if you don't allow them to travel and compete internationally.

True. At olympic level there's no argument to defend their participation.

Say, if Russia backs down from their Ukraine intrusion within the next 10 days would these teams revert their decision? Or have they decided to not play Russia permanently or until Putin is removed or what?

Actually... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1974_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(UEFA–CONMEBOL_play-off)

Of course, but the russian team that enters the pitch are just a bunch of footballers doing their job. I don't see the point in expelling them from the competition other than for symbolic reasons. That's why I said cut the prize money instead, because that's something that can actually be used for evil purposes back in Russia.

Are you serious? With this criteria we shouldn't give "even a toilet paper" to a lot of countries due to a multitude of conflicts from the past.

To be clear, if I had any decision power on this I would: 1. Not allow Russia to host this play-off, for security reasons. 2. Allow participation of Russian team since their coaching staff and players have not done anything wrong. 3. Deny the russian football federation the prize money from WC participation (should they qualify) until their government ceases hostilities.

Btw these countries are maybe right to refuse to play Russia anywhere but do they have no problems with playing Saudi Arabia should they qualify to Qatar? Yemen doesn't matter I guess

FIFA would drop Poland, Sweden and Czechia in a heartbeat if they have to. Obviously their only concern is to not lose teams like England, Spain, France, Germany.

I hate to be his lawyer on this topic because we couldn't be further apart in politics, but Konig is clearly not pro Putin lmao He's probably just taking a dig at "social-democrat" politicians.

Sorry, voted where?

It was the first games since 2006 that weren't even broadcasted on local tv. I think that says it all about the expectations. I still could watch everything since a mexican company has rights for latam and streams everything on YT (olympics free in YT, a dream for anyone here, I know). Our best performance was a 24th place in Luge, and the athlete doesn't even live in Argentina. For winter athletes here currently there's no money and no hope of getting better. We are barely able to sustain amateur summer sports right now, imagine winter.

So I suppose this Slafkovsky is top contender for a draft? Don't know how much this tournament is rated in NHL eyes.

Holy crap, you're ready to go set balls for the giant sitting volleyball guy.

The draw: Pool A (host) Pool B Pool C (host) Pool D

None, all will be low level most likely. Awful scheduling.

If it was up to me anything that isn't a judo throw or taking a short cut outside of the course limit would be allowed. No pushing penalties for pussies, no lane bullshit. Just go and murder each other

I don't like these post-race revisions at all, makes me feel like all I watched before was a waste of time.