phelps

officially confirmed... Viktoria Orsi-Toth (Italy, Beach Volley) tested positive for Clostebol (steroids)... she's been already replaced by the American born Italian Rebecca "Becky" Perry, to make pair with Marta Menegatti... not a bad choice, I guess... http://www.gazzetta.it/Olimpiadi/2016/03-08-2016/ecco-becky-perry-arrivo-rio-160578232294.shtml

htere's not officialconfirmation, but it's almost sure that Viktoria Orsi-Toth (ITA, Beach Volley) was tested positive for Clostebol (steroids, the same substance of sailor Roberta Caputo)... so, even if she could be replaced by another Italian specialist, we don't have a competitive team anymore...maybe it would be better to pull out of the competition...

however, it's not that the paid commercial VPNs are a lot different...maybe they're not just as extreme in their "dark" side as hola, but don't trust them when they promise you that they're "transparent" to their users... by the way, when I need a good VPN, I use "Hyde My Ass" (but in the last year or so, after getting my motorized sat dish, basically I stopped using internet streams, apart for those 2 or 3 events I couldn't watch otherwise on tv - and in any case, I still use a Chromecast to send streams to my tv, when I need it)...

individual events in fencing and judo will also be on aug, 4th...

that's the theory...but practice can be a lot different...just look at what the Russians did in Sochi with their "disappearing positives"... frankly, I don't have any sort of confidence in any Institution (WADA, IOC, International Federations) when there's so much money on the table...

yeah, boxing has always been like a heaven for corrupted judges...some of the worst scandals ever have been recorded in this sport... other fighting sports are not so widely manipulated as boxing (maybe because they are less popular in many parts of the world and don't have the same economical power of boxing - even the relatively modest AIBA sector of boxing)... maybe only Taekwondo has had in the past the same problem as boxing, but now there are less "wrong winners" in all of its bouts (of course some manipulations will always be present, I'm not saying that now it's a completely clean discipline)... fencing...well, fencing is so poor on the economical side (and has very few Countries dominating the action, at least until the last few years) that it's not worth the effort to build a system like the boxing one, so until now there have been just a few occasional real cheats...mainly we have just bad mistakes because of not well prepared refs...

2 - to me, no...and it's the same for all "performance" disciplines (strenght or endurance it doesn't matter)... 3 - they should be tested in the last 6 months of their ban (that's also the minimum period required for "newcomers", I mean athletes registered for the first time by an international federation before they begin to compete in international events)... 4 - I think that in this way international federations would be encouraged even more than today to hide their cheaters, rather than exposing them like IWF is at least partially trying to do...they would never risk to lose the Olympic status and the consequent money they can raise thanks to that...

Italy Gold = 150000€ Silver = 75000€ Bronze = 50000€ this is the individual fee, also in team sports each athlete of the team would get this same amount of money...

maybe they did it on purpose, so to win one more medal... but no...of course, it's a typo...

the good thing about BBC streams is that they are available to everybody in Europe, since they are FTA on satellite @ 28.2 Est (I already put them on top of my channel list, snce they are already active and showing pictures from some events of the London Games - in particular, now they are looping Track Cycling, Men's Keirin + Athletics, Men's 10000m and Diving, Men's Springboard)...

well, they were 4th at the last World Champs with Viviani and Ganna (our young rising super-star) very tired because they also started in other events in the same days... I think that at their best they would be major contenders together with Denmark for the Bronze medal... however, the news of the day is that the Chinese specialist Hong Liu, winner of the Race Walking World Cup on May 7th, was tested positive in that same competition... but, of course, no information about the illegal substance(s) found in her body was discolosed and she was sanctioned only with a disqualification from that race and a 1-month ban, which already expired on July 13th...just in time to let her win the Olympics... IAAF is definitely a joke...they're just insulting all the sports' fans throughout the World...

I don't know if I have to laugh at it, or if I have to be very angry because our place (and with it the chances to set up properly an event like the Olympics, 'cause even if we get a place right now, we can't be competitive in any case, since most of our specialists already spent their energy at the recent u-23 & Junior Europeans and Worlds, so now they are basically on holidays) was originally stolen by a bunch of proven cheaters, who had never got that without illegal help... OK, let's just take it with a smile, but just because I can be sure that even our guys are that clean (but at least they have never been caught cheating, by now)...

Rowing, an even more detailed schedule (unfortunately, it's in German only)... http://rio.sportschau.de/rio2016/zeitplan/index.html#s=RO&d=20160803,20160804,20160805,20160806,20160807,20160808,20160809,20160810,20160811,20160812,20160813,20160814,20160815,20160816,20160817,20160818,20160819,20160820,20160821 Fencing (since it's in Italian, here's a short guide: about the competition's rounds: Qualificazioni 64 or 32 = Round of last 64 or last 32, Ottavi = Round of last 16, Quarti = Quarterfinals, Semifinali = Semifinals, Finale 3. posto = Bronze Medal bout, Finale 1. posto = Gold Medal bout; about the various events: Spada = Epee, Fioretto = Foil, Sciabola = Sabre, Individuale = Individual event, a Squadre = Team event, M = Men's, D = Women's) http://www.rio2016.coni.it/it/home/rio-2016/calendario-gare/dettagliocalendario.html?disciplina=17 Boxing (for indications about the competition's rounds and the gender of the athletes you can always look at the Fencing guide, just to be added: Sedicesimi = Round of last 32) http://www.rio2016.coni.it/it/home/rio-2016/calendario-gare/dettagliocalendario.html?disciplina=16

yesss!!! maybe even a little bit too early I guess... however, I can't wait for it (but I'm going to ignore the first 2 rounds of the Champions Hockey League, since they are going to be played during the second week of the Olympics )... I'm going to start my "personal" hockey season only with the KHL opener, on Monday, August 22nd...

well, I don't think it will help our cause that much...it's too late to build a competitive 8+ (and the crew which missed the qualification by a very small margin in Luzern - and made the final at last year's Worlds - has been dismantled to build more competitive crews where we originally got our qualification)... the girls, instead, are not competitive anymore in any case, despite having won the World title in 2013... so, I would prefer to see the Russians out of the Fencing events...that would mean a lot for the Italian medal table, I guess...but of course it's just a boutade, I don't think that doping has much to do with the sport of Fencing (maybe a bit more in sabre, which is the most demanding weapon for what concerns the athletic ability), since technique and tactics are by far predominant in that game... and, getting serious, frankly I don't feel any sort of joy when I see other people struggling the way the Russians are doing (even if they are the only responsible for their negative fate, to be honest)...I only appreciate our success when it comes from a fair battle on the field of play by beating all the best opponents...any other way of getting the honor, it's not so exciting and satisfying (at least to me)...

wonderful job, as always! but the Waterpolo schedule needs to be reviewed... in fact, there have been some late changes according to some TV requirements... the correct (and definitive) one can be found here: http://www.fina.org/sites/default/files/general/copy_of_olympic_event_schedule_aquatics-07062016_v12_all_1.pdf

it's quite obvious that you don't follow Fencing so carefully (and don't know it in its deepest aspects)... foil and sabre are always subject to interpretation (and often they are really affected by bad refereeing - which sometimes is just corrupted refereeing)... and moreover, there is a big geo-political mafia behind the Fencing refs...but until they do it according to mr. Usmanov's desires, nobody will go against the boss' will...

because in some sports you can have great advantage in taking some drugs even during the course of the event (for instance, in shooting you can benefit of being slightly drunk just before the final - once you get in - in order to calm down nerves)...

Italian public TV, RAI, announced that they will have, together with a 3-channel TV coverage*, a full set of up to 36 streamings in High Def (720p, I guess) at the same time (some of them with Italian commentary, some others just with environmental sound) available via their website (www.rai.tv)... of course, there's a very high chance that people outside Italy would need a VPN to have access to it... those 3 channels (rai2, raisport1 & 2) are available to the European audience via satellite on Hotbird @ 13 East (rai2 also on Astra @ 19.2 East), but of course they are encrypted, so you need a TivuSat smart card to view them (that card is normally for Italian viewers only, but it can be found on e-bay and some Sat TV material resellers over the internet also for all the people around the World)...

Italy's Roberta Caputo (Sailing, Women's 470) tested positive for Clostebol (which is a steroid)... she will be replaced by Elena Berta, to make the team with Alice Sinno (Italy will keep their right to participate, according to our NOC)...

not necessarily...it only means that those athletes are entitled to take part in those events and no other athlete can be selected for the event X by that given Country... but the final confirmation about an athlete starting or not, generally is given only at the teams' meeting held just before the first session including that event, so to give athletes and teams the chance to make their own evaluation until the last moment...

I respect your opinion... but I don't agree with it, of course...

Men's Rink (Roller) Hockey European Championships 2016 Portugal won 6-2 against Italy and is European Champion Italy was ahead 2-0 at the end of the 1st half, but Portugal came back in the 2nd becoming European Champion after 18 years. Bronze to Spain. GOLD FINAL: ITALY-PORTUGAL 2-6 The Big Final was maybe over every expectations: the defending champion did their best to keep the title and in the first half of the match it seemed feaseble. Since the very beginning, Italy pushed and found the goal with Ambrosio at 17.29. After less than 1 minute, Ambrosio doubled by converting the penalty. The match became really nervous and Italy made 6 faults in a raw before the end of the first time. Back to the locker rooms, Portugal completely changed and, supported by a crowded arena, started to push entering in the match. At 18.39 Diogo Rafael found the first Portuguese goal and it took him ten minutes more to double and tie: since then, the team coached by Senica became unbeatable. After the penalty converted by Ventura, Costa and Rodrigues scored in a raw and Nunes converted the last penalty: it is 6-2 and Portugal is the 2016 European Champion. BRONZE FINAL: SPAIN-SWITZERLAND 7-1 Spain won the Bronze medal at the Europeans in Oliveira: Even if the score gap is large, it has been a hard-earned medal. Sure enough, Switzerland closed the tournament without a medal but with a result over the expectations and made Spain suffer in the first period. Spain needed half a period to break the Swiss defense: at 11' Eloi Mitjans scored his first goal in a European Senior. At 5' to the end Pascal Kissling scored a penalty and tied but a great hit by Jordi Bargallò took Spain again in the leads. Back to the parquet, it was Spain again and in the first minutes the match was already over. At 3' goal by Cristian Rodriguez followed by Barcells who converted the penalty after Jimenez's banishment. Burgaya scored the 5-1 at only 5' from the restart. The last two goals where by Baliù at 12' and the double by Mtjans.

to be honest, if we win the Gold medal over the 1500m Free in Swimming it wouldn't be a surprise at all...actually, it's the most probable and the most expected for Italy, with or without Sun Yang it doesn't matter (many people also expect Paltrinieri breaking the world record...and personally I even think he can go below the 14.30 mark, too)... the volleyball team winning the Gold medal, instead, would be quite a surprise...

Mark your calendars! KHL 2016/2017 Season Schedule unveiled The KHL has unveiled the schedule for the 2016-17 Championship. On Monday, the 22nd of August, the IX Championship of the Kontinental Hockey League gets underway and the regular season runs until Saturday, the 18th of February, 2017. The play-off stage is to start on Tuesday, the 21st of February. The number of games scheduled is 870 (compared with 840 in the 2015-16 regular season), and the addition of Kunlun Red Star of Beijing means a total of 29 clubs will contest the Championship. In devising the calendar for the 2016-17 season, the League has strived to meet the needs and accommodate the wishes of the Russian national team, the member clubs, the fans of the game and the TV partners of the League. The 870 games have been distributed over 158 match days, which means the League has accommodated a higher number of games and the consequent increase in the workload of the arenas without resorting to an extension of the regular season. The specialists who compiled the calendar managed to conquer some serious organizational and logistical problems, and also had to observe a number of binding conditions, particularly those devised to serve the interests of the national team over the forthcoming season. For this reason, at the request of the Russian Hockey Federation and the Team Russia coaching staff, it was agreed that the knockout phase of the Championship should be completed no later than the 20th of April, i.e. at least two weeks before the start of the 2017 World Championships. The schedule also features breaks in the season to aid the national team as it competes in the various stages of the Eurotour. In the spirit of compromise and in recognition of the intensity of the KHL schedule, the Russian Hockey Federation agreed that a list of clubs submitted by the League may play on days immediately before and after the Eurotour stages. The League also paid considerable attention to the requirements of its TV partners, and so it is planned that the popular Hockey Mondays, which include live coverage on federal network Match TV, will feature all 29 teams over the course of the season. The KHL member clubs also played an active role in formulating the schedule and provided invaluable input all through the preparation stage. In particular, the compilers had to allow for the frequent phenomenon of several of the arenas being unavailable on specific days of the year. In all, some 19 clubs supplied the League with dates upon which their stadia were to be used for non-hockey purposes, and the total number of days varied from 3 to 108. The League also recognized the interests of the other national teams, of countries with clubs participating in the KHL, which over the season will be competing in various international competitions under the auspices of the IIHF. Despite meeting the many obligations and accommodating the various interests, the schedule for the 2016-17 Championship boasts a number of advantages. One very positive aspect is that there will be KHL hockey on every day of the campaign, with the exception of the obligatory breaks in the season (14 days for the Eurotour stages, 4 days for the New Year holidays, 3 days for the All-Star Game, and one day to commemorate the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl tragedy). Also, no day will feature the maximum of 14 games. Only 4 of the 29 teams will begin and end the regular season with home/road games. For the remaining 25 clubs, a home start means a finish on the road, while those who must travel for the opening game can look forward to ending the regular season in front of their own fans.