Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva was disqualified from the 2022 Olympics on Monday, almost two years after her doping case caused turmoil at the Beijing Games.
The verdict from the Court of Arbitration for Sport means the Russians are set to be stripped of the gold medal in figure skating’s team event. The United States finished second and is set to be named Olympic champion instead.
The International Olympic Committee decided not to present any medals for the event in Beijing, where the 15-year-old Valieva was the star performer hours before her positive test for a banned heart medicine was revealed.
CAS said it upheld appeals led by the World Anti-Doping Agency, which asked the court to disqualify Valieva from the Olympics and ban her. A Russian sports tribunal had cleared her of any blame.
Russians and doping, name a more iconic duo.
Russians and killing political opponents
Russians and faulty windows.
Russians and Russians.
Touché.
Is the last thing heard when you’re defenstrated by your nearest politburo.
Russians and killing their own citizens
Russians and a lack of ethical morality.
i will never understand why anyone lets russia compete in anything. they just always lie and cheat.
I mean the US and many other athletes have been caught before cheating this isn’t new. Canada the US, Sweden and, Spain just to name a few.
The issue wasn’t athletes cheating individually. The issue was that Russia had a state sponsored doping program from top to bottom. That is significantly different than one off athletes, or one off coaches.
This is not just some random athletes doing it on their own here and there. There was (still is? Who knows) a Russian government run program to allow for doping and help their athletes evade monitoring from anti doping authorities. Likely at least 580 postive tests across 30 different sports covered up. Team USA doesn’t even get government funding, let alone a government run doping conspiracy.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/36823453
Saying Team USA doesn’t get government funding is inaccurate.
It’s not a holistic nationalized system like many other countries have, but that doesn’t mean Team USA athletes and athletic programs aren’t direct recipients of government financial support.
For example:
Team USA athletes have access to some of the best training facilities and coaching teams in the world, many of which get direct, or indirect government funding e.g. grants, subsidies, tax incentives, etc.
On a side note, that’s a great graphic. I was going to mention the hole in the wall in my other comment, but I was too lazy to go grab a source. Kudos.
You’re right, there are indirect ways they get support. They are not directly funded like in many countries though. That’s not to say they don’t have considerable resources.
https://2021impactreport.teamusa.org/financials-reports-and-disclosures/financials.html#gsc.tab=0
Financial disclosures are even available online.
I was just pointing out other Olympic teams didn’t have the very centralized system of state run organization and funding like Russia had that would allow something like what Russia did to even be possible.
wasn’t the big deal with the Russians that it was at the level of the entire organization rather than done by limited specific individuals?
That took a long fucking time. Opposed to the US sprinter who tested positive for a non-performance enhancing drug (weed) and was giving a suspension just 9 days after initial test results. Keeping her from even going to her games.
This girl had tested positive for performance enhancing drugs and was still allowed to compete. So they could take the next two years to get their shit together. Look I know she was 15 and probably had a choice on where to take them, but that doesn’t justify the wildly different responses.
Spelling
Well weed is not allowed so it should be treated in the same way
But it wasn’t. Sha’Carri Richardson had her suspension handed to her much much faster. Additional Valieva took away the other competitors chance to stand in metal ceremony positions they deserved. That is something that can never be given back.
it should be treated in the same way
So they should have been allowed to compete and then take 2 years to figure it out?
Imagine winning the gold medal two years after you lost it. Imagine trying to explain the celebration party to people and them not caring or believing you.
I imagine that does undercut the excitement on some level.
Like, it’s an amazing achievement nonetheless, but like… the wind’s already gone. Sail’s empty.
Ban Russia forever. They deserve it.
The only title they are worthy of is “weak” and/or “cheater”.
I don’t think they should be banner “forever”, but definitely increasing lengths the more this goes on.
They should also have to pay a lot of concessions to other nations if they want back in.
We can ban Russia but let individuals that met and test international standards compete
I see you’ve spawned a heated argument. I know this post is old but I have a different take:
Don’t ban Russia. It’s just athletics, it’s not that big of a deal. All athletes should get the chance to compete even if they live in countries that encourage their cheating. Ban the cheaters and their coaches when they are exposed.
Perhaps ask Russia to pay a fine if they wish to continue to send athletes. This would dissuade them from forcing their young adults/teens to alter their body chemistry.
The Olympics is supposed to be somewhere every country can participate.
The Olympics is supposed to be somewhere every country can participate.
Yes that’s the line the Olympic committee always trot out as well when anybody is ever asking them to make a decision on anything. They always argue that the Olympics is not political, but refusing to take a political stance is itself a political stance.
Continuing to allow Russia to compete even when they cheat constantly (because it is basically all the time it’s not one or two athletes it’s basically everyone they send) is itself saying that cheating is acceptable if you get away with it. It’s like the cost of doing business for Russia.
Isn’t that like racism?
No unless you like redefining words to fit your narrative.
Last I checked Russia was a country not a race. Many different races live in Russia so you might want to learn what racism is.
If we banned USA from the Olympics would that also be “racism”?
Technically you are right, but I heard your dog whistle. I should have said that it is fascist: Russia, because of their inherent russianess are evil scum and should be banned forever from competing at the olympics which is mean to bring different people together peacefully.
Because we are the good guys who would never cheat or meddle in foreign elections or invade other countries because they threaten our supremacy.
It’s the exact same mechanism as racism, a fascist believe in the superiority of us against an inherently evil other.
As an Estonian I’ll say what you’re looking to hear loud and clear “Fuck the Russians”. Have a great night.
Yeah fuck Russia. But a diplomatic end to the war now.
Nah just fuck Russia. They can literally give all the land back and pay reparations to all the families they destroyed in Ukraine.
Should have happened during the Olympics, but the IOC gave the Russians the win.
Yeah, like you don’t get that moment back, standing on the podium while your national anthem plays.
I feel really bad for this girl. Disqualifying her was the right move, but I highly doubt a fifteen-year-old representing Russia in the Olympics was given much choice as to whether she wanted to use performance enhancers or not. On top of that, she got four year ban from professional skating, which basically robbed her of her peak professional years. Her career was basically destroyed by something that was, best case senerio, a mistake she made at fifteen or, wost (and more likely) case, something that was forced on her by her trainers/managers.
Wow this is the first time ever I’ve heard of Russia cheating on something because they couldn’t win from skill alone.
/S
A Russian caught doping? At the Olympics??
They really need to step up their game, everyone else knows how not to get caught.
Boycott these worthless games.
I strongly disagree. The Olympics are one of the best things humanity does. Are the people running it corrupt scum? Pretty much. But the Olympics are one of the only times the whole world comes together to at least attempt to do something positive.
Also, have you ever watched the 49 kg (108 lb) women’s weightlifting competition? They look like ants lifting multiple times their body weight. It’s fucking awesome.
I’d rather not reward the IOC with my patronage and eyeballs viewing the blatant consumerism and capitalistic nature of what should be a wonderful event. The IOC takes home billions and the athletes get nothing.
Sorry, I vote with my wallet and my principles.
Man, all these world class athletes from Russia have these horrible heart conditions at such young ages!
Must be something in the water…
Why on earth would they try doping? They know that people are tested, I don’t get how they think that’s going to work. They either need to stop cheating, or they need to get much better at it.
Almost guaranteed that it was state sponsored
Yeah but same question. It being sponsored doesn’t really make it any less stupid.
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More like, state forced I should say. There are a ton of records that show that the state forced its athletes to dope in order to win.
Just another dirty Russian cheater, second only to china’s culture of cheating/theft.
This poor girl was undoubtedly forced into taking the meds, ruining her future.
If you play any game with ruskies you learn this: ruskies always cheating, stealing, scamming.
I can’t imagine how the Canadian team is feeling with their medal chances on limbo over these two years
