Me, too. Is this the first issue since the Russians were suspended for 3 Olympic cycles after the huge scandal at the 2014 Games?
Maybe one thing the IOC can do is put an asterisk after any event she participated in and the corresponding place (probably 2 golds), to make it part of the official records so people know those weren’t fair contests and NOT up to Olympic standards.
So many are speaking out against the obviously ridiculous decision made regarding the Russian skater.
Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir have both taken to social media to vent and share their disappointment. Wonder what their commentary will be like during the upcoming competition?
They will be professional surely, but I hope they speak on the matter.
Is anyone really being punished if the Russian athletes can keep competing as it nothing happened??? Ridiculous.
I listened to Johnny and Tara last night. They pulled no punches and were very candid about how they felt. It was very interesting to hear how testing and medication is taken very seriously from the time you are young. Every medication is scrutinized. I’m sad to say I am not surprised after the slap on the hand they got after Sochi.
It’s true. As I said above my daughter competed internationally in skating as a Team USA member and she literally would put nothing in her mouth without knowing what was in it and checking whether it was OK leading up to competitions. We had to report to the team doctors anything she took on a regular basis and if the ingredients weren’t super clear, such as some “all natural” supplements, we were advised to stop taking it. Prescribed medication was handled differently and skaters could get “therapeutic use exemptions” if they were taking something they needed for medical reasons, such as insulin, but it was a process. Getting sick leading up to a competition was a challenge because even many cold medications contain banned substances, such as pseudoephedrine (Sudafed).
Mistakes happen (one of the US pairs skaters had an issue last year due to an ingredient in her makeup) but they are rare. And it’s hard to believe this is a mistake when you have an anesthesiologist as your team doctor and you have the history of doping that Russia has. I just feel so bad for the other skaters who are being denied their moment and will instead have their medals mailed to them. And I also feel bad for this skater who is being thrown to the wolves by the adults around her. Just so sad all around.
I assume this is not the end of this issue and that she could be stripped of any medal later? It sounded like since she doesn’t have time to go through an appeal that they could fully go through the process and she could lose her medals anyway??? The thought process is let her compete just in case? Or am I understanding this wrong?
Do you really think the 15-year-old had any say as to what went in her body?
Yes, that’s the thought process. But it’s not how it usually works. My understanding is she is being treated differently because of her age. The organization that makes the rules came out today and said the arbitrators are misinterpreting the rules about an underage athlete (“protected person”). A protected person still should not be allowed to compete (according the the rules) BUT when considering other sanctions, they should consider her age and perhaps punish the adults making the decisions for her more harshly than she is punished. BUT, I’ll admit by understanding might not be accurate. I’m getting confused a bit by all the different organizations involved!
Anyway, the issue is when someone goes to the Olympics and earns a medal, they want their medal ceremony. Instead, those who earned a medal in the team event, and potentially those who earn one in the ladies event, are being denied the Olympic moment they earned and deserve. They won’t get to stand on the podium and see their flag being raised and their anthem being played. Their medals will be mailed to them as some later date.
Definitely not. And that makes this very tragic for her. But it’s not fair to all the other athletes that a 15 year old can compete and get unfair advantages due to doping regardless of the source. I think this situation will cause the IOC to reconsider age limits in the Olympics. Though from what I’ve heard I’m not sure any of the Russian skaters under that coach have much say in what goes into their body. There are rumors they can’t even consume water the day of competition in order to keep their weight down. There was an interview with the coach where she talked about daily weigh-ins and trying to control their weight down to 200 grams (the weight of a phone). The last Olympic gold medalist under her got treatment for an eating disorder after the Olympics.
The doping rules say a 15 year old is considered a “protected person”. This means any sanctions will likely be more harsh for her team (coaches, doctors, etc.) than they are for her. But they also don’t say she should be allowed to compete. It’s a very sad situation for her and all the other athletes.
I remember Amy Van Dyken having an asthma attack on the pool deck during her Olympics. She wouldn’t use the inhaler as then she’d be disqualified from all her races. The entire world could see she was taking the medication for an emergency but no exceptions.
I say let them take all the drugs they want, but make it fair for everyone.
If, as expected, the 3 medalists all competed under ROC, I will be quite happy for them to mail their medals. Given the efficiency of postal systems in some countries, expect the medals to show up in time for the 2026 games. But it does suck for the US and Japanese team medalists.
Correct
I do feel bad for the athlete, as she is clearly incredibly talented. If you dance at the big girls’ dance, though, the big girl rules apply to you. I certainly don’t believe she orchestrated any of this, and she may well have no idea what she was given, but she failed the test. The adults around her are to blame, but not only will they not be ashamed … they will continue to ignore the rules, especially since it seems like they can get away with it.
I don’t get it. The whole win at any cost mentality completely baffles me.
I’m out. The decision is ridiculous. It’s like parenting … kids quit listening to empty threats. Why shouldn’t they keep cheating?
Although, the Russian skater is 15, Sha’Carri Richardson’s violation was marijuana, which I don’t believe enhances your performance. 
I’ve thought this Olympics has been boring, overall, but now it’s kinda of a joke. But I will be looking forward to the the gold medal (re)match between USA and Canada in women’s ice hockey.
Well, how about the US Men’s Hockey Team? Quite a story. Even the 1980 US “Miracle on Ice” Team tied its first match with Sweden. Our team is undefeated right now, 3-0, having defeated China, Canada, and Germany. Great start!
Amazing since most of the players from the US are very young and in college. There appear to be a few that play for international teams, but I recall the NHL did not allow its players to go to this Olympics.
Well done, Team USA. Wish you the best!
ETA: As much as I loved 1980, the 2022 team was thrown together at the last minute, with little time to prepare, practice, and play warm-up matches. The 1980 team had been together for nearly half a year, under the incredible Coach Brooks.
Some of the hockey players are young, but a few have NHL experience.
Much fewer than past Olympics. I haven’t studied this in detail, but there are a ton of 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23 yo’s on this team (scroll down to the bottom to see the 2022 roster):
There is an easy fix. Don’t let “protected” people compete. Let the age be higher or remove the classification.
The problem is with many things. A few ruin it for many.
I like the Olympics, I love seeing these athletes compete. The hypocrisy and corruption is astounding
And that’s the key for me. Great story, so far, but we’re not watching the best at their sport, similar to men’s soccer at the Olympics. I prefer to watch the best at what they do. It’s kinda like watching minor league baseball.
But maybe I’ll get interested if they get to the gold medal game.
Hey, Minor league baseball can be fun! Joliet Slammers, hot dogs , beer , and fireworks on the 4th of July. Very memorable experience. Nothing better. And the minor league players are great, dreamers. The hockey guys are inspirational, doing their thing and representing their country! Hope they continue their run!