2016 Olympic Games in Rio: Only Russians cheat?

Re: NYT article about Russian doping scandal at the Sochi Olympic Games

Sharapova will challenge the ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sports

Russian tennis star Sharapova suspended for 2 years for doping
http://tass.ru/en/sport/880878

Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova has been suspended for two years for breaching anti-doping rules, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) reported on its website on Wednesday.

Sharapova has been disqualified for two years, commencing on January 26, 2016, the ITF said.

Sharapova announced in early March her doping sample taken during the 2016 Australian Open tournament showed the presence of the substance meldonium banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) since the beginning of the year.

The Russian tennis star was preliminarily suspended from competitions from March 12.

Sharapova said she would file an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), ESPN reported.

"The tribunal found that I did not seek treatment from my doctor for the purpose of obtaining a performance enhancing substance," ESPN quoted Sharapova as saying. "The ITF spent tremendous amount of time and resources trying to prove I intentionally violated the anti-doping rules and the tribunal concluded I did not."

"I cannot accept an unfairly harsh two-year suspension," Sharapova said. "The tribunal, whose members were selected by the ITF, agreed that I did not do anything intentionally wrong, yet they seek to keep me from playing tennis for two years."

"I have missed playing tennis and I have missed my amazing fans, who are the best and most loyal fans in the world. I have read your letters. I have read your social media posts and your love and support has gotten me through these tough days. I intend to stand for what I believe is right and that’s why I will fight to be back on the tennis court as soon as possible," she said.

The ITF said Sharapova had 21 days to appeal the ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is planning to review the suspension, it said in a statement.

"As with all decisions made by Anti-Doping Organizations, WADA will review the decision, including its reasoning, and will subsequently decide whether or not to use its independent right of appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)," the agency said.

The Russian Tennis Federation will grant support The Russian Tennis Federation (RTF) will grant all the necessary support for Maria Sharapova if she decided to file an appeal against her two-year suspension, imposed earlier in the day over anti-doping violations, RTF President Shamil Tarpishchev told TASS on Wednesday.

"It is impossible to reverse the suspension completely as she earlier admitted to taking the substance after January 1," Tarpishchev said in an interview with TASS. "However, I believe that it is possible to reduce the term of the suspension."

"Moreover, Sharapova’s ideal reputation and the fact that she took the substance [meldonium] upon doctor’s prescription can play a hand in this situation," Tarpischev added.

"She has US lawyers," Tarpishchev said in an interview with TASS. "Perhaps it would be better to file an appeal. We [RTF] will also try to take part in it."

"Two years are a serious punishment. If all goes as it is, it will be difficult for her to return to the level she has attained," Tarpishchev said.

"We also hope that she [Sharapova] will be back playing on courts under any scenario of developments," the RTF statement said.

Makarova to replace Sharapova at the Olympics The imposed suspension on Wednesday put an end to all recent media speculations whether Sharapova would be playing for Russia at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro.

Russian tennis player Ekaterina Makarova will replace her compatriot Maria Sharapova at the 2016 Summer Games in Brazil, Tarpishchev added.

"Everything is simple when it goes for the Olympic entry list," Tarpishchev said in an interview with TASS. "Player’s current ranking plays the determining role and therefore Sharapova will be substituted by Makarova."

According to the Women Tennis Association (WTA) current rating list, Makarova is ranked the fifth best female tennis player among the Russians.

The ban issued under mitigating circumstances The ITF took into account a set of mitigating circumstances issuing a two-year suspension for Sharapova over anti-doping violations, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko told TASS on Wednesday.

"I am very disappointed," Mutko said in an interview with TASS. "Maria personally admitted in public [to taking the substance]. There were mitigating circumstances and they were taken into account as only two years [of suspension] were ordered. This is all sad."

Re: NYT article about Russian doping scandal at the Sochi Olympic Games

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the latest documentary on doping in Russia by German broadcaster ARD is nothing but defamation.

Kremlin Slams Latest German Doping Documentary as 'Unproven Slander'
http://sputniknews.com/russia/20160609/1041053665/kremlin-doping-ard.html

The latest documentary on doping in Russia by German broadcaster ARD is nothing but defamation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday.

"In this case, we still consider it unproven slander. We are still convinced that doping must be fought. This fight is constantly carried out in our country, including in line with the Russian president's instructions," Peskov said, noting that the information presented in the film is unconvincing.

Russia hosting the 2018 FIFA World Cup is the main reason for the doping scandal involving Russian athletes, Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said Thursday.

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Russia Hosting 2018 FIFA World Cup One of Reasons Behind Doping Scandal
http://sputniknews.com/russia/20160609/1041046723/russia-world-cup-mutko.html

Russia being awarded the right to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup is a key reason behind the doping scandal involving Russian athletes, Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said Thursday.

"One of the reasons behind the doping scandal is the wish to 'dig' under football due to the 2018 World Cup. First, they tried to go through FIFA, but that failed. Now they're investigating laundering in regard to the application, trying to find a new approach," Mutko told reporters.

According to the minister, Russian sport is experiencing unprecedented pressure, while violations on the part of athletes from other countries go unnoticed.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said that Russia would avoid troubles in preparations for World Cup similar to those ahead of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

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FIFA Chief Confident Russia to Build 2018 World Cup Stadiums on Time
http://sputniknews.com/sport/20160601/1040626822/fifa-russia-cup-2018.html

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said Wednesday he expected Russia to build and test all 12 stadiums for the 2018 World Cup on time.

The world football’s governing body reportedly expressed concerns about delays and rising costs that complicated the construction of a St. Petersburg stadium, the venue of Russia’s first Confederation Cup next year.

The recently-elected FIFA chief assured journalists that he had overseen preparations for four World Cups, "so I know that there are always issues." He added he was certain that Russia would avoid troubles similar to those ahead of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup will be held from June 14 to July 15 in 11 Russian cities, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Rostov-on-Don, Sochi and Volgograd. According to chief of the Russia 2018 Organizing Committee Alexei Sorokin, Russia will spend over $10 billion on the 2018 World Cup.

Re: NYT article about Russian doping scandal at the Sochi Olympic Games

In the follow up to the recently released film by German journalist Hajo Seppelt “Doping Secret: Showdown for Russia,” Russia’s state television channel Rossiya 1 decided to send its political commentator Olga Skabeyeva and her crew to interview the journalist about the documentary. However, the interview ended with insults, threats and harassment.

German Doping Reporter Kicks Out Russian Journalist as She Asks for Proof (Photos - Video)
http://sputniknews.com/world/20160610/1041140220/russian-journalist-harassment.html

Seppelt agreed to a five-minute interview in a hotel room in the city of Cologne.

The first question from the Russian journalist is about Russia’s Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko and why Hajo Seppelt was referring to him not by his official title but by the term “Putin’s Minister.”

While answering to this question the German journalist seems to be quite calm and composed, patiently explaining that he called him a Minister of Sport several times, but because he is under Mr. Putin, he simply called him Putin’s Minister.

The interview then continues more or less without incident until Skabeyeva asks Seppelt to provide the records he used to make his report on the Russian government’s involvement in the ongoing doping scandal.

Seppelt refuses, saying that he does not have them with him and that he is actually surprised by the request.

Then Skabeyeva asks Seppelt a question about whether he has been paid to make these documentary films.

Seppelt answers no, further explaining that he is not someone’s agent but a journalist calling on others to investigate for themselves about doping in Russia in the hope that they will find something that Minister Mutko wouldn’t like.

The interview is still going normally.

Something starts going visibly wrong when Skabeyeva once again asks him to provide the evidence for his accusations adding that it is “very important for us” as “we might not be able to go to the Olympics.”

Seppelt, already slightly annoyed, replies that this has nothing to do with her, asking her if she is friends with the athletes.

She says that she is trying to be “a friend to her country.” The German journalist replies that she “does not have to be a friend of her country” because she is a journalist and has to be independent.

What happens next is a series of threats and harassment.

First of all, Seppelt throws the journalist’s microphone out of his hotel room.

This is soon followed by the tripod.

The German journalist declares the interview is over, adding that Skabeyeva shouldn’t be proud of her country and calls her “stupid.”

“You Russian journalists who are proud of their country, you are stupid,” says Seppelt clearly annoyed.

“You don’t need to be proud, you need to be consistent,” he says, flaring up. “You have a system steeped in cheating and corruption.”

When Olga asks once again for the evidence, Seppelt pushes her cameraman, and then her, out of his room.

The conversation continues outside the hotel room with the camera still on but fixed on a door, with Seppelt hotly explaining why ‘Russia is so bad, bad, bad.”

The footage then returns back into the room before the crew was pushed out of it with Seppelt threatening to call the police if the crew does not leave.

Skabeyeva is next seen asking to be let back upstairs to retrieve her purse, with the cameraman still filming. Seppelt rushes to the camera covering it with his hand. It appears that he has hit the camera because a clapping sound is heard, and Skabeyeva gasps loudly.

The brawl continues outside the hotel with the German journalist nervously pacing around the entrance, talking on the phone and threatening to call the police.

Skabeyeva says he was chasing the crew for another 30 minutes refusing to give back their microphone.

Hajo Seppelt’s film “Doping Secret: Showdown for Russia,” was aired by German broadcaster ARD/WDR on Wednesday night. This is the fourth documentary to accuse Russian authorities of covering up doping offences.

While being vague and offering no actual proof, the documentary was aired right before the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) is due to convene to decide if Russian track and field athletes can compete at this summer’s Rio Olympics following the doping scandal.

The decision will be made at an IAAF council meeting in Vienna on June 17.

Новые подробности допингскандала: "Россия" разоблачила разоблачителя (Video)
http://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=2763990

Re: NYT article about Russian doping scandal at the Sochi Olympic Games

The outrage over performance enhancing drugs strikes me as kind of hysterical. From what I understand from those 'in the business', failing a drug test either means you were stupid or careless. There is no test in the world that can guarantee that you are and have always been free of performance enhancers. The other thing is that drugs such as certain steroids are VERY effective - studies have shown that you can build muscle and get stronger/faster from just taking steroids even while sedentary. So if top level athletes were all clean and natural, then they might even be outperformed by some committed drug-using amateurs in certain areas. Although you could never really prove it, I think this is another one of those 'big lies' when it comes to our world.

This is another transparent attack on Russia. Even if athletes were not "doping", people with the means could easily create fake evidence.

Re: NYT article about Russian doping scandal at the Sochi Olympic Games

angelburst29 said:

In the follow up to the recently released film by German journalist Hajo Seppelt “Doping Secret: Showdown for Russia,” Russia’s state television channel Rossiya 1 decided to send its political commentator Olga Skabeyeva and her crew to interview the journalist about the documentary. However, the interview ended with insults, threats and harassment.

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Yes, apparently Zakharova also commented on this burst of hysteria and total lack of professionalism by Hajo Seppelt.

"We, the Foreign Ministry, have always defended and will continue defending Russian journalists," Zakharova said. "But I have never thought that at this historical stage we will have to protect Russian journalists from assaults by state structures, extremists and representatives of political movements in some foreign countries," the Russian diplomat said.

However, she added, the reality has changed. "It is the first time that I see a representative of free press, a man, who attacks a journalist who, in addition to all, is a representative of the fair sex. I understand that journalists should be strong but there should be a limit," Zakharova explained.

"The female journalist did not ask a single question, which could humiliate the honor or dignity of man in any way. Nor did she insult his [Seppelt’s] political, religious or any other convictions. The only thing, which [Olga] Skabeyeva did, was to ask for the papers proving what is of relation to our country in general," the Russian diplomat said.

ARD television journalist Hayo Seppelt has made a series of documentaries on doping abuse by Russian athletes.The Kremlin press service said, in turn, that Seppelt’s film consisted of little convincing facts.

VGTRK journalist Olga Skabeyeva was attacked in Cologne. The TV crew wanted to interview Seppelt who agreed to receive the Russian journalists. After some time, he interrupted the interview. The Vesti.ru website reported that Seppelt had seized the microphone, threw it behind the door and ousted the journalists. He also threatened to smash their TV camera.

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Also, there is the following video of the whole incident. The narration is in Russian, but starting from 9:00 min you can just follow whatever happens on the screen and see yourself his behavior. He even took journalist's microphone and followed the camera crew for half an hour, while threatening to call the police!

Re: NYT article about Russian doping scandal at the Sochi Olympic Games

German journalist and producer of the film on doping in Russian sports Hajo Seppelt said Saturday that a TV crew of the All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (VGTRK) that had interviewed him tried to provoke him in order to spark an alteration.

German Doping Film Producer Calls Russian TV Crew's Interview ‘Provocation’
http://sputniknews.com/world/20160611/1041175062/german-producer-russian-journalist.html

On Thursday, Rossiya-1 TV channel showed a news broadcast describing Seppelt's behavior during the interview as aggressive, as he had taken away crew's microphone, threatened to broke camera and ordered to leave his hotel room, where he had given an interview. The TV channel also showed that the journalist had also chased his Russian colleagues for about a half an hour after the crew left the hotel.

"The version of the incident in RUS TV did not show at all the manipulative and provocative method of the Russian state TV Crew in Cologne. How would you react when people don't stop to film next to your sleeping room? And shoot illegally items in other rooms? And refuse to go? I realised too late that it was an attempt by the RUS reporter to provoke an incident. They fled when they realised I'm calling the police," Seppelt said on his Twitter account.

He added that police ordered him to follow the crew to report the place of their destination. (???)

According to Seppelt, visit of Russia's TV crew was a "perfidious" attempt to discredit and undermine the anti-doping research.

In December 2014, ARD released a film titled "The Doping Secret: How Russia Creates Champions" on alleged doping abuse and corruption in Russian sports. The second installment of the film followed on December 7, the third was released on March 6, 2016 and the fourth one was released on Thursday.

Following the release of the film, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) launched an investigation into the allegations of doping abuse in Russian sports. In November 2015, WADA's Independent Commission issued a report accusing Russia of numerous breaches of global anti-doping regulations. As a result, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) temporarily suspended the Russian Athletic Federation's membership.

The Russian authorities have promised to carry out a clean-up program to fulfill the WADA demands in order for the country's athletes to be allowed to participate in the 2016 Olympics.

Re: NYT article about Russian doping scandal at the Sochi Olympic Games

Talking about being a sore loser.

There was this story two days ago about a runner from USA, Alysia Montano, who was bitter after losing her last chance to get an Olympic medal in Rio, and she blames Russian athletes for that, who supposedly cheated her out of her medals. Sigh.

The pain, sweat and tears runner Alysia Montano has endured over years of training could not compare to the anguish she felt as she crashed out of the Olympic trials on Monday.

During the women's 800-meter race, both Montano and Brenda Martinez stumbled on the final turn of the track in a crushing end to their dreams of competing in Rio de Janeiro next month.

In a heartbreaking finish, Montano staggered through the final 150 meters long after her competitors crossed the finish line and collapsed on the track several times as she wailed in agony.

The 30-year-old, a vocal critic against doping who was so devoted to the sport she once competed while she was 34 weeks pregnant, later called her entire career a 'farce'.[...]

'I'm missing three medals in eight years of my life as a professional runner,' said Montano, who believes she lost medals after finishing behind runners later accused of doping.

She finished behind cheating rivals at the 2011 and 2013 world championships, and came fifth at the 2012 Olympics, where winner Mariya Savinova and bronze medalist Ekaterina Poistogova, were both accused of doping by a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report.

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Re: NYT article about Russian doping scandal at the Sochi Olympic Games

There is new development in the massive anti-russian sport campaign. Now they demand to ban not only Russian athletes, but also Russian Paralympic team, while they were never under any suspicion.

Seems like beside the general anti-Russian craze, someone wants to make sure they would finally get gold or silver medals, after Russians would be out of the way.

http://tass.ru/en/sport/888831

More than 20 athlete groups representing Olympians from around the world were preparing to request that the International Olympic Committee ban Russia’s entire delegation from the Rio Olympics[...]

TASS learned on Saturday that USADA (U.S. Anti-Doping Agency) head Travis Tygart is set to demand from International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach that the Russian Olympic and Paralympic teams be suspended from taking part in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro. The decision should be taken not later than July 26, Tygart says in his draft letter, obtained by TASS.

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Re: NYT article about Russian doping scandal at the Sochi Olympic Games

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the doping scandal involving Russia athletes is a result of the interference of politics in sport.

Doping Scandal Dangerous Throwback to Politics Interfering in Sport - Putin
http://sputniknews.com/russia/20160718/1043231127/doping-scandal-putin.html

"We see a dangerous throwback to political interference in sport. Yes, the form of such an intervention has changed, but the essence is the same: to make sport an instrument of geopolitical pressure and create a negative image of countries and nations," Putin said.

He said the Olympic movement, which unites humanity, "can once again be on the verge of splitting" as the result of WADA's report.

Earlier in the day, an investigation commissioned by the WADA said in a report that Russia had been running a state-sponsored doping scheme for years. The inquiry was opened on claims by Grigory Rodchenkov, former head of the Russian doping lab in Moscow.

However, the Russian president added that Russia will carry out an investigation into the doping scandal to prevent doping violations in sports.

Putin said that the WADA must provide more thorough and objective data based on concrete facts to assist the Russian investigation into the doping allegations.

He said that Russian officials mentioned in the WADA report as direct perpetrators of doping violations will be suspended until the investigation is completed.

The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) cannot return to compliance unless all persons from the Russian Sports Ministry, several government departments and RUSADA itself are dismissed, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) head said Monday.

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All Russian Sports Ministry Officials Must Be Sacked - WADA
http://sputniknews.com/sport/20160718/1043229649/wada-sport-officials-russia.html

Earlier in the day, an investigation commissioned by the WADA said in a report that Russia had been running a state-sponsored doping scheme for years. The inquiry was opened on claims by Grigory Rodchenkov, former head of the Russian doping lab in Moscow.

"The McLaren Report confirms that, at a minimum, RUSADA’s return to compliance cannot be considered until all persons from the Russian Ministry of Sport and other Government Departments and Agencies that are implicated by the Report, including RUSADA, are dismissed from their roles," Craig Reedie said, as quoted by WADA.

Re: NYT article about Russian doping scandal at the Sochi Olympic Games

A clear and understanding speech on this subjet:
https://www.sott.net/article/323472-Cultural-warfare-US-attempt-to-ban-Russia-from-Olympics-for-cheating-is-rank-hypocrisy
https://www.sott.net/article/323095-IOC-Russia-will-not-be-banned-from-2016-Olympics
that can be transpose to all areas of our life facing psychopathy and laws and values ponerized... I think.
Yelena Isinbayeva
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yelena_Isinbayeva

Re: NYT article about Russian doping scandal at the Sochi Olympic Games

Unfortunately Isinbayeva was banned from competing at the Rio Olympics by the IAAF . As far as I'm concerned, the women's pole vaulting competition results will have an asterisk next to it in all future mentions. She's the world's preeminent female pole vaulter, the world record holder, and now becomes a casualty in the Empire's shameful and petty cultural war against Russia.

Re: NYT article about Russian doping scandal at the Sochi Olympic Games

It will be very interesting to follow the Olympics this time, because Russians got a serious boost to their motivation and a good reason to do super efforts. If so, what will happen if they win and get gold medals? Right now, entire Russian team, and since they arrived to Rio, are being checked on an everyday basis by WADA. What will happen if they will win despite all this pressure and harassment? Would others accept it, or just scream that there is even deeper corruption?

Re: NYT article about Russian doping scandal at the Sochi Olympic Games

Keit said:

It will be very interesting to follow the Olympics this time, because Russians got a serious boost to their motivation and a good reason to do super efforts. If so, what will happen if they win and get gold medals? Right now, entire Russian team, and since they arrived to Rio, are being checked on an everyday basis by WADA. What will happen if they will win despite all this pressure and harassment? Would others accept it, or just scream that there is even deeper corruption?

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Some may cry foul, but to anyone with two firing neurons they will just come across as sore losers.

Re: NYT article about Russian doping scandal at the Sochi Olympic Games

Beau said:

Unfortunately Isinbayeva was banned from competing at the Rio Olympics by the IAAF . As far as I'm concerned, the women's pole vaulting competition results will have an asterisk next to it in all future mentions. She's the world's preeminent female pole vaulter, the world record holder, and now becomes a casualty in the Empire's shameful and petty cultural war against Russia.

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This news has blown up the Russian media space recently and rightfully so. She is the major symbol of Russian athletics. The fact that she was banned for no reason enraged the whole country. And as she herself commented on her own and her colleagues' ban "This is the funeral of global athletics".

Sometimes it's hard to acknowledge that this mad world is real.

Re: NYT article about Russian doping scandal at the Sochi Olympic Games

Siberia said:

Beau said:

Unfortunately Isinbayeva was banned from competing at the Rio Olympics by the IAAF . As far as I'm concerned, the women's pole vaulting competition results will have an asterisk next to it in all future mentions. She's the world's preeminent female pole vaulter, the world record holder, and now becomes a casualty in the Empire's shameful and petty cultural war against Russia.

Click to expand...

This news has blown up the Russian media space recently and rightfully so. She is the major symbol of Russian athletics. The fact that she was banned for no reason enraged the whole country. And as she herself commented on her own and her colleagues' ban "This is the funeral of global athletics".

Sometimes it's hard to acknowledge that this mad world is real.

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Indeed. Despite the fact that the IOC ruled against a complete ban of Russian athletes at the Olympics, the fact is that a blanket ban of all Russian track and field athletes is just dumb and totally unfair. If you fail a drug test, you should not compete. But to ban everyone who competes in track and field, even those who never failed a drug test, where is the sense in that? And why aren't other countries held to the same standard? Why aren't other countries standing up for Russia and calling this BS for what it is? I wouldn't even want to compete in this farce of a competition after the way it's been totally politicized and shown to be used essentially as a tool of imperial warfare.