I Am Devastated That All Of Russia Is Banned From The Winter Olympics
NY Times — Russia’s Olympic team has been barred from the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The country’s government officials are forbidden to attend, its flag will not be displayed at the opening ceremony and its anthem will not sound. Any athletes from Russia who receive special dispensation to compete will do so as individuals wearing a neutral uniform, and the official record books will forever show that Russia won zero medals.
That was the punishment issued Tuesday to the proud sports juggernaut that has long used the Olympics as a show of global force but was exposed for systematic doping in previously unfathomable ways. The International Olympic Committee, after completing its own prolonged investigations that reiterated what had been known for more than a year, handed Russia penalties for doping so severe they were without precedent in Olympics history.
Devastating. Absolutely devastating. I’m a big Olympics guy and I’m telling you, the Olympics NEED Russia. They’re the bad guys, the antagonists. They’re the savages who basically put their athletes in athletic labor camps from the second they’re born with one goal and one goal only — winning gold. Fail and you’re never heard from again. It’s Colombian soccer against the US in the World Cup times a million. I NEED Putin sitting on a throne looking down in disgust when a speed skater comes up a blade short or a downhiller catches a gate and tumbles to a couple broken legs. NEED Russia VS USA in competition that transcends sport, hitting much closer to modern warfare than simple athletic competition. My personal favorite is the summer gymnasts but still very, very, VERY prevalent in the winter. Russia IS winter… and they’re not gonna be at the Winter Olympics? Just won’t feel right. That’s one of the few things they really got: military parades and the Olympics. Once every two years they get to take all their pent up eastern European nationalism and funnel that shit into life or death performances for young athletes. It’s phenomenal.
No NHL’ers and now no Russia? Hot seat: 2018 Winter Olympics.
PS — How about this bait they’re throwing where some athletes can compete as the “Olympic Athletes from Russia” aka OAR? Under a neutral flag? No Russian colors, no Russian anthem, no Russian flag? HA! If you’re a Russian athlete thinking you can get away with this you’ve got a whole new thing coming in the form of eternal torture at the hands of a one Vladimir Putin.