Dragon

This is looking more and more like no Russia in Pyeongchang

Elena NIKITINA, Mariia ORLOVA, Olga POTYLITSYNA and Aleksandr TRETIAKOV are found to have committed anti-doping rule violations pursuant to Article 2 of The International Olympic Committee Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, in 2014, and are disqualified from the events in which they participated. In addition, the four athletes are declared ineligible to be accredited in any capacity for all editions of the Games of the Olympiad and the Olympic Winter Games subsequent to the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014. https://www.olympic.org/news/ioc-sanctions-four-russian-athletes-as-part-of-oswald-commission-findings

As far as I know Godelli appealed the decision but was unsuccessful. Rostami's appeal is still to be decided

The excuse the USA make for the refusal to allow Rostani and Godelli into the country is that they do not believe they will return home after the championships

Is this list accurate? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luge_at_the_2018_Winter_Olympics_–_Qualification Looks a bit strange to me

I now had it confirmed by the head of US bobsleigh that the IBSF have changed the qualification system slightly for 2018. In 2014 they used a system where you had to be in the top 40 or 50 of the world rankings (depending on the event) to qualify for the Olympics, In 2018 it's top 40 or 50 eligible crews of the world rankings. So USA no.4 or Germany's 4th best etc, are not counted for qualification rankings. This is for bobsleigh and skeleton. This is big news for Nigeria

Any idea what happens if Russia are not allowed to compete?

So any idea who has qualified for the Olympics?

I was told this by https://www.ashford.edu/online-learning-experience/student-success-stories/organizational-management-tuffield-latour who should know this

Had it confirmed to me that "top 40" means top 40 without counting teams that are not eligible to compete. For instance the 4th best team from Germany or USA or Canada That would move Nigeria from 41sr in the rankings to around 30th

I've been talking with someone who works for NBC in America, This is what he said "It's way more complicated than that. Because only 60 women can compete at the Games - and 40 of those spots are taken up by athletes on relay teams - there are only 20 spots remaining for athletes like Goh. It's possible she'll get bumped due to the quota capacity. In other words, it's better to be ranked 40th (and a member of a country with a relay team) than 32nd (and not a member of a relay)."

PUBLIC DISCLOSURE IWF reports that Mr. Ruslan ALBEGOV (RUS) has been charged with the violation of Article 2.2 of the IWF Anti-Doping Policy. As a consequence, the Athlete is provisionally suspended in view of a potential anti-doping rule violation. In any case where it is determined that the athlete did not commit an anti-doping rule violation, the relevant decision will also be published. IWF will not make any further comments on the case until it is closed. (Weightlifting)

This is not an official rule by the IOC but they have used this method in the past.

Not quite. It's 3 or more players in the same "competition period"

Number of Russians being investigated for doping at the Sochi Olympics has risen from 28 to 35

69kg Commonwealth champ is liable to lose his title because of doping

Just voted the best song ever to come out of Wales

And the rest of the cases from Sochi should follow the same pattern over the next month. Hearings on a Monday, decisions later in the week (probably Thursday or Friday)

Men's ice hockey is very hard to pick based only on results from the last 2 seasons. Little of the recent form will effect the Olympic tournament

Gracenote now know about Stuhec. It'll be changed for next month

ZIMBABWE Soccer Fan - Real Sounds of Africa

KENYA Butterfly - Nameless

I go with and for music festival choices