So, the dazzling young superstar Russian woman skater, who is a wonder on the ice,

[Sogo]

tested positive for performance enhancing drugs.

No wonder the Republicans love the Russians so much. They're cheaters.

What a disgusting development....a 16-year-old....

[hedda_foil]

1. She's 15 and the coaches are the ones to blame if they doped her.

Don't blame the kid. Blame the officials.

[Sogo]

3. It's their whole freaking system.....

The reason they compete as ROC is because of their state sponsored doping. Proving once again that a slap on the wrist accomplishes nothing against chronic bad actors.

The pressure the Russian state puts on their athletes is criminal.

Sure, maybe the kid isn’t to blame, but one can never look on her performances in the same way again…..

[Tumbulu]

2. Only 15, and she is so beautiful to watch

I listened to a commentary about the drugs the Russian teams take. The drugs allow them to practice longer. And then they go off of them usually in enough time to not fail the test. Anyway, it strikes me as abusive to this child.

I agree with you as to why the republicans love them so much.

[Sogo]

4. To me, she WAS beautiful to watch....

I’ll never be able to view her with so much wonder again….And I certainly wouldn’t hold her up as a role model for younger kids, when her talent is “enhanced.”

The ROC exists because of their state sponsored doping of their athletes. That kind of pressure to win at all costs is sick and, as you say, abusive.

[AngryOldDem]

5. Be it Russia or the ROC...

….some things never change.

When I first saw this story, I wondered if it involved the kid. She is carrying that team. She is amazing and gifted competitor, a pleasure to watch, so it’s no wonder Russia would want to exploit that by any means possible.

This drug is apparently given for chest pain and enhances blood flow. There is no reason to give it to a kid.

The Olympics and its integrity have been on thin ice (no pun intended) for awhile now. The IOC needs to do the right thing and just ban Russia from the Games — for a few cycles or permanently, don’t care.

I truly feel sorry for her. This is abuse.

[Sogo]

6. I agree that Russia needs to be banned.

Last edited Thu Feb 10, 2022, 02:49 PM - Edit history (1)

What good has been achieved to give them a slap on the wrist? Big deal, they’re called ROC and nor Russia….who’s that fooling?

[AngryOldDem]

7. It calls into question everything.

And taints her achievements, unfortunately. Was that fall in the team final now intentional? I wonder, given she’s not made a mistake like that since I’ve been watching her. The gall of the ROC to continue to dope is amazing, after being given the opportunity to front a team under an different name — and no, I’m not giving them any benefit of the doubt. By their fruits ye shall know them.

The women’s competition begins Tuesday, and it sounds like a resolution to this is going at a snail’s pace. She’s practicing, which is only fair, but I think if the doping committee finds that she did have a banned substance in her body, she’s done.

Settle this, already — this is the kind of crap that makes the Olympics a joke.

[Sogo]

8. Yes, she would HAVE to be finished at that point.

Unless she's someone whom they consider "above the law"....

[DinahMoeHum]

9. Proper sanctions here, IMO. (assuming this situation proves true)

1) DQ the ROC for the team event, and strip them of their medal.

2) Let the other ROC skaters compete in their respective individual events (pairs, ice dance, singles) since as far as we know, they're clean.

BUT

Ban the skater Kamila Valieva from further competition this Olympics AND ban her for 2-3 years from all other international competitions.



Sheesh, those fuckheads NEVER learn, do they?

[AngryOldDem]

11. No, they don't learn, because the rules don't apply to them and the IOC obliges.

My question about the kid, though, is whether she was coerced, threatened, or lied to into taking the drug (assuming she did, which for the ROC is not much of a stretch) or was given it without her knowledge. She is a minor, after all, and has no voice, probably, in her training. Shows how highly Russia regards its athletes.

Complicated situation, which makes just banning the whole team the best option at this point. They should not have been allowed to compete under “ROC” in the first place. That was bullshit. You don’t dope, period.

[kairos12]

10. East German athlete future

Dead before 30.

[DinahMoeHum]

12. Dead, no. More likely, fucked-up (literally) reproductive systems

There's a featured episode on the PBS series Secrets Of The Dead called "Doping For Gold" that detailed this East German athletic program and some of the athletes affected by it in their later years. A few of them had to have sex-change operations as a result.

&t=1671s

[Irish_Dem]

13. The Russians have a huge, sophisticated, successful doping program.

Which includes drugging minor children. These drugs are often dangerous.

Children are a protected class with the international doping committees so they often get off with just a warning.

All of this done on purpose.