quote:

Russia’s Track and Field Team Barred From Rio Olympics

Russia’s track and field team is barred from competing in the Olympic Games this summer because of a far-reaching doping conspiracy, an extraordinary punishment without precedent in Olympics history.

The International Association of Athletics Federations, the governing body for track and field, announced the decision Friday, ruling in a unanimous vote that Russia had not done enough to restore global confidence in the integrity of its athletes.

Russia won 18 medals in track and field — including eight golds — at the last Summer Olympics. But when the Rio Games begin on Aug. 5, no track and field athletes will compete under the Russian flag. Not even East Germany, which conducted a notorious doping scheme throughout the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, faced such a penalty.

“Politics was not playing a part in that room today,” Sebastian Coe, the head of the track and field organization, said about the vote Friday. “It was unambiguous.”

The case against Russia has advanced over the last seven months. Reports by the World Anti-Doping Agency and by news organizations have detailed a state-run doping scheme that punctured the integrity of the Olympics, seemingly upending many of the results from the 2008 Beijing Games, the 2012 London Games and the 2014 Sochi Games.

The allegations were wide-ranging and detailed: Athletes were given a three-drug cocktail of banned substances and liquor; authorities helped athletes evade drug tests by surreptitiously swapping out tainted urine; thousands of incriminating samples were destroyed; drug testers were threatened by members of Russia’s Federal Security Service.

But perhaps the most influential force in the track organization’s decision was the outcry from athletes outside of Russia. A groundswell of Olympians across sports agitated for penalties after WADA had been slow to respond.

“Athletes have been losing sleep,” said Lauryn Williams, a track and field and bobsled athlete from the United States. “You can’t have faith in anybody who is Russian.”


The Russian ministry of sport said in a statement Friday that it was disappointed in the ruling. “We now appeal to the members of the International Olympic Committee to not only consider the impact that our athletes’ exclusion will have on their dreams and the people of Russia, but also that the Olympics themselves will be diminished by their absence,” the ministry said.

The I.O.C., the ultimate authority over the Games, was scheduled to discuss the decision on Tuesday. If Olympics officials amended the ruling against Russia, it would be an unusual move, as they have historically deferred to the governing bodies of specific sports.

quote:

Russian federal investigators said on Saturday they had opened a criminal case against the country's former anti-doping chief on charges of abuse of office, a day after world athletics' governing body upheld a ban on Russia for systematic doping.

Grigory Rodchenkov, the former Moscow anti-doping laboratory chief who later fled to the United States, has spoken widely about how Russia ran a cover-up of doping by dozens of its athletes at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

The country's investigative committee, which is responsible for conducting investigations into local authorities and federal governmental bodies, said Rodchenkov ordered his subordinates in 2014 to recycle samples despite pledging to store them until further notice by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which resulted in damaging state interests.

Investigators said they believed Rodchenkov used his authority contrary to the legitimate interests of the anti-doping laboratory in order to extract personal benefits.

Rodchenkov, who is in hiding in the United States, could not be reached for comment.

Earlier this month, the investigative committee launched criminal proceedings against officials from the All-Russia Athletic Federation on similar charges relating to 2009-2013.

The International Association of Athletics Federations on Friday unanimously upheld its ban on Russian track and field athletes competing at international competitions, saying not enough progress had been made with reforms and dashing the team's hopes of going to the Rio Olympics.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday he would seek the intervention of WADA and the International Olympic Committee over the decision.

Young Freud posted:

Looking forward to Russia's upcoming "Eurasian Games" with the only competition coming from second-rater athletes from Belarus and Kazakhstan and probably some Chinese folks that are looking for a vacation.

Gobbeldygook posted:

Our national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country, should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

chitoryu12 posted:

Apparently this was used in WW2 for catching German infiltrators. They would overprepare for call-and-response identification challenges and memorize the whole anthem, not knowing that Americans skipped huge chunks. Anyone who properly responded to "The terror of flight" with "The gloom of the grave" would be exposed.

Gobbeldygook posted:

Our national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country, should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

StandardVC10 posted:

No one ever uses the second verse. It was mind-blowing for me to discover that "This land is my land, this land is your land" goes full socialist after the first verse.

the JJ posted:

...

Have you checked that opening line?

Richard Armour posted:

In an attempt to take Baltimore, the British attacked Fort McHenry, which protected the harbor. Bombs were soon bursting in air, rockets were glaring, and all in all it was a moment of great historical interest. During the bombardment, a young lawyer named Francis Off Key wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner", and when, by the dawn's early light, the British heard it sung, they fled in terror.

Cat Mattress posted:

quote:

I still do not want to die

Labour productivity - increase. Barriers to the development of future markets, - to remove. Updating the material base of educational institutions - to continue. Number of employees (it is very important that I am going to say), employed in small and medium-sized businesses, with today's 18 million people is expected to increase ...

In fact, no matter what he was going to say. It is important that he has to say then, a little later, when reporting on the style of the report will go to the cause. When talking about the fact that it and all truly interested. This will be an important political statement that is worth discussing.

The so-called economic part of Vladimir Putin's speeches in the era of sanctions is a purely therapeutic purposes. Reassure people. Slow down the running of foreign investors. to reassure himself. All of them, including the lecturer, and addressed a speech about productivity. Also, congratulations to the winners of socialist competition. That is, the regions, took first place in the table, "the annual national investment climate rating."

However, climate discourages Western businessmen in Russia, no matter how much is awarded to leaders-governors challenge pennants, trophies and banners, and Vladimir Vladimirovich about it guesses. What is really there "future markets". However, to participate in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is necessary, Juncker himself arrived, no joke, and the President of the Russian Federation shares with the audience his thoughts different.

First talks about the material basis, and it is very boring. But then in the framework of the planned discussion specially ordered from overseas journalist Fareed Zakaria begins to ask him political questions, and then the story becomes dynamic. Putin finally starts talking about what everyone's mind: about Trump and America of the Minsk agreements, and Ukraine, of Syria and of the sport.

From the first words it is clear that Vladimir Vladimirovich annoyed. He points out the master that he "distorts" his speech about Trump, although Zakaria cites them close to the text. He is accustomed to trying to play off the Old World to the New, saying that Obama "does not care about the sanctions", but the unfortunate Europeans suffer from them. He stands up for Assad, against the background of very serious clashes Pentagon with Defense Ministry sounds pretty ominous. He did not conceal schadenfreude, discusses football theme and type do not understand how this "two hundred people marked our fans a few thousand Englishmen."

No cost and without sensationalism. Thus, according to Putin during the plenary session that "America - a great power, today is probably the only superpower", but the meaning of this statement is not entirely clear. Whether Vladimir Vladimirovich shared with the audience his sad discovery, or lull the vigilance of potential enemy. Whether recruits him gently, like a couple of months ago, when he called Obama "a strong and decent man." And about Ukraine, we learn that if not for "coup" in Kyiv, supported by the West, "probably ... the opposition in a democratic way by means of elections to come to power. That's all. We have worked with them ..." Then, , imagine, and the Crimea probably would have stayed at the neighbors, and the Donbass.

All this is terribly interesting, and even touching, if we add to the above phrase is also dedicated to Bill Clinton. With it, Putin "worked" at the beginning of his presidential career and "grateful for some things that happened like ... entering" the future of our national leader "in politics." Furthermore. "Several times he (Clinton) showed signs of attention and respect to me personally and to Russia." Yes would be an exemplary model for the husband of his wife, coming prezidentshi America - so you can decipher the message that Vladimir Vladimirovich directs Hillary. Let it also admired Putin's Russia and, if he wins, and you will not know this world, gentlemen, so he will get better.

In general, speaking in his hometown of President of the Russian Federation tried to solve the problem obviously unsolvable. On the one hand, to show the audience and missing Western citizens, especially the Americans that he is not averse to make peace with them. Still, the sanctions are, and very efficiently, Whatever he sang about the economic success and the happy times, it is for small businesses. "We ... we like people say, do not hold evil and ready to meet our European partners", - informs the public, Putin, forgive all who should, and announcing to blame anyone but himself. And if you take into account the personality of the speaker, it must be admitted that such heights Dobronravov he still almost was not raised. Well, can not jump higher than his head, and on the first call to Sarkozy to cancel kontrsanktsii guarantor responds timidly, fearing kidalovo, but also on the willingness to take this step, too, hints. As I would be inclined to believe, prompted by Kudrin and Gref that "geopolitical tensions" promises catastrophe of the Russian economy.

However, it remains in force and its promise to fight for the sovereignty of Russia to the last round, and this means that the president is trying painfully to understand the central paradox of the era. Neither the Crimea or Donbass can not be given, but political isolation and economic hardship in relation to what he calls sovereignty - unpleasant phenomenon. Therefore, in the search for the fifth corner he gradually shifted somewhere to the side, suddenly discovering the ability affranchise obvious enemies, spies and assassins. Natura can not be undone, but the reality that Vladimir Vladimirovich has lost touch in the spring before last year, all the louder and more insistent reminds himself, and irritated his answers to tricky questions slip some new words.

They are drowning in a sea of ​​empty chatter and the usual mocking jokes and extras provides laughter and applause, but to the speaker, it seems, is not much fun. Yes, and it is difficult to pronounce new words and he hides them behind the words shabby. Splashing his resentment, anger, hatred. Not quite imagining that he do next, and what with all the talk to them.

RandomPauI posted:

It was a loss for America in the sense that we had to stop seriously thinking about taking over Canada after the war. I'm still curious what would have happened if we won control over it.

Cat Mattress posted:

So Oliver Stone is making a movie to reveal that the Maidan upraising of Ukraine was staged by the CIA to put in power a bunch of homonazis and that only Putin's manly arms are defending freedom and civilization. Wake up, sheeple!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVdvp188rk4

Cat Mattress posted:

So Oliver Stone is making a movie to reveal that the Maidan upraising of Ukraine was staged by the CIA to put in power a bunch of homonazis and that only Putin's manly arms are defending freedom and civilization. Wake up, sheeple!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVdvp188rk4

Cat Mattress posted:

So Oliver Stone is making a movie to reveal that the Maidan upraising of Ukraine was staged by the CIA to put in power a bunch of homonazis and that only Putin's manly arms are defending freedom and civilization. Wake up, sheeple!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVdvp188rk4

Flocons de Jambon posted:

I'm not sure there are many Russians who believe in the mythical homonazi, but you don't get to look down on them if you think US involvement in Maidan is an eccentric conspiracy theory.

Cat Mattress posted:

So Oliver Stone is making a movie to reveal that the Maidan upraising of Ukraine was staged by the CIA to put in power a bunch of homonazis and that only Putin's manly arms are defending freedom and civilization. Wake up, sheeple!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVdvp188rk4

steinrokkan posted:

Here we go again

Friendly Humour posted:

I thought we were already there. CIA did ukraine

Friendly Humour posted:

I thought we were already there. CIA did ukraine

Cat Mattress posted:

CIA did Iran, see how it worked out for them.

Regardless of whether or not the USA tried to nudge things in a direction or another, Maidan happened because it had popular support. Did people forget about the Orange Revolution already? Ukrainians were and still are fed up with corruption, autocracy, and oligarchy.

Flocons de Jambon posted:

I'm not sure there are many Russians who believe in the mythical homonazi, but you don't get to look down on them if you think US involvement in Maidan is an eccentric conspiracy theory.

fishmech posted:

What did they do?

fishmech posted:

What did they do?

Deteriorata posted:

The CIA actually was responsible for Maidan, but because Yanukovych was their man and it all went horribly wrong.

Baronjutter posted:

I've asked this specifically of people who go on about "CIA INVOLVED!!" and it's always something incredibly vague like "some of the protesters learned how to organize protests from the CIA!" or "The US government gave subtle encouragement to the protesters" like just vague moral support. They never realy have much to say about it being a fairly spontaneous mass event made up of mostly common people sick of their corrupt lovely government. You could say some of the current people in power now took advantage of this movement to further their own interests, and that the nebulous "the west" some how "supports" these politicians in some way.

But it mostly boils down to "A thing that I don't like happened in Ukraine that was sort of over the country moving closer to the EU, so clearly western CIA plot"
Were the protesters all CIA? Well no but...
Were the organizers CIA? No but maybe a western government once said something encouraging about them!
Were any of the new "junta" not existing democratically elected politicians some how installed by the CIA? Well no but...

Basically a lot of people in the west including western media and politicians were sympathetic to the protesters protesting a corrupt government that was shooting them dead in a public square so clearly it's all cold war 2.0 western imperialism CIA PSY-OPS brainwashing that used HARP to mind-control people to all go to Maidan and become violent thugs who forced the legitimate government to fire on them in self-defense.

Truga posted:

This is about the only CIA involvement story I'd be willing to believe.

Arglebargle III posted:

To be fair a bunch of European leaders visited Kiev to show support for the protests and it was a huge PR blunder and gift to the Russians/Donbass Reverse Revanchists. Europe was rhetorically on the side of the Maidan at the very least.