2018 Winter Olympics

Claregaafan18

Very disturbing news coming out of the Court of Arbitration of Sport this morning with the Winter Olympics just a week away. 28 Russian athletes who had lifetime bans over drug cheating have had their bans overturned by CAS.

This is a kick to the teeth to the Olympic movement and makes a mockery of the Olympic brand. I feel sorry for the likes of the Sunday Times whose journalists have put their heart and soul into uncovering the dark secrets of this Russian state-sponsored doping program. On the other hand this will be seen as a victory for dopers and for Russian President Putin, who ignorantly said that Russia "did no wrong".

In total 169 Russian athletes with supposedly clean records are allowed to compete, but not under the Russian banner after the International Olympic Committee banned the country from competing in Pyeongchang.

Finally serious questions have to be asked about Thomas Bach who is the current president of the IOC. Many critics would see him as being too soft on Russia and critics would also argue about his relationship with Putin is too close.

blue note

I'm not all that disturbed by it. You can see from the fancy bears leak that basically drug cheating is prevalent in all countries. The western athletes seem more likely to do it with TUEs, but they're as clear as day just a sneaky way of using performance enhancing drugs. I wouldn't be surprised if a huge number of winter Olympics athletes suffer from asthma and hayfever and need sabutonal and cortozone to treat these illnesses.

Drugs in sport bother me a lot, but so does the hypocrisy of us blaming the dirty Russians for it all. They're probably one of the worst, but it would not seem fair to me if they're treated more harshly because of where they're from.

Claregaafan18

blue note wrote: »

I'm not all that disturbed by it. You can see from the fancy bears leak that basically drug cheating is prevalent in all countries. The western athletes seem more likely to do it with TUEs, but they're as clear as day just a sneaky way of using performance enhancing drugs. I wouldn't be surprised if a huge number of winter Olympics athletes suffer from asthma and hayfever and need sabutonal and cortozone to treat these illnesses.

Drugs in sport bother me a lot, but so does the hypocrisy of us blaming the dirty Russians for it all. They're probably one of the worst, but it would not seem fair to me if they're treated more harshly because of where they're from.

The last paragraph is so true. Believe me the Russian story is just the tip of an iceberg when it comes to doping. Come time I suspect more countries will be found out over this issue of state sponsored doping. Time will tell but if people think Russia were the only ones doing this then they should think again.

blue note

Claregaafan18 wrote:

The last paragraph is so true. Believe me the Russian story is just the tip of an iceberg when it comes to doping. Come time I suspect more countries will be found out over this issue of state sponsored doping. Time will tell but if people think Russia were the only ones doing this then they should think again.

Other countries have - look at the UK in cycling. Wiggans and froome both using TUEs in what a lot of people would consider questionable ways. Same in tennis, sharapova was using a tue for a performance enhancing drug for years. If she had stopped taking it when it became illegal she'd have done nothing wrong in many people's eyes. Now she's a poster star for the sport again having returned from a drugs ban.

I am bothered that the Russian athletes are allowed to compete in these circumstances. But I'm equally bothered that we're ignoring the questions over western athletes.

Claregaafan18

Obviously the whole doping issues have cast a shadow on the Winter Olympics.

However the show must go on as the old saying goes. Does anyone have any idea who are the athletes to look out for in Pyeongchang? I am always very intrigued with the speed skating, probably my favourite winter sport. Obviously the ice hockey, cross country skiing, biathlon, alpine skiing and ski jumping will always attract the casual armchair supporter like myself also. Here's hoping the 2018 Winter Olympics will be remembered for all the right reasons.

blue note

I love the one where 4 skiers are racing on the same track. That looks like great fun!

Fiery mutant

At this stage it would just be best to let them all take the drugs, and just see who can be the fastest cokehead in the world.

It’s gotten that bad that the Olympics and many other sports has lost all appeal.

citytillidie

blue note wrote: »

I love the one where 4 skiers are racing on the same track. That looks like great fun!

Ski and snowboard cross that is.

Here is a link for all sports that will give you the time it is on here

https://www.pyeongchang2018.com/en/game-time/results/OWG2018/en/general/competition-schedule.htm

Gizmo55

Just noticed we have all the Eurosport channels now on Virgin media. Won’t get a wink of sleep.

Skid X

I like how Steve Cram (first ever 1500 metres World Champion, former multiple middle distance events World Record Holder and Athletics commentator) also developed an interest in Curling and became the BBC's lead Curling commentator.

Gizmo55

Skid X wrote: »

I like how Steve Cram (first ever 1500 metres World Champion, former multiple middle distance events World Record Holder and Athletics commentator) also developed an interest in Curling and became the BBC's lead Curling commentator.

Ha. Have to say I like his commentary on most sports. This snowboarding qualification is nuts.

DunnoKidz

The Ice Dancers are incredible!

DunnoKidz

Claregaafan18 wrote: »

Very disturbing news coming out of the Court of Arbitration of Sport this morning with the Winter Olympics just a week away. 28 Russian athletes who had lifetime bans over drug cheating have had their bans overturned by CAS.

This is a kick to the teeth to the Olympic movement and makes a mockery of the Olympic brand. I feel sorry for the likes of the Sunday Times whose journalists have put their heart and soul into uncovering the dark secrets of this Russian state-sponsored doping program. On the other hand this will be seen as a victory for dopers and for Russian President Putin, who ignorantly said that Russia "did no wrong".

In total 169 Russian athletes with supposedly clean records are allowed to compete, but not under the Russian banner after the International Olympic Committee banned the country from competing in Pyeongchang.

Finally serious questions have to be asked about Thomas Bach who is the current president of the IOC. Many critics would see him as being too soft on Russia and critics would also argue about his relationship with Putin is too close.

Wait, isn't the Olympics motto "stay clean"? So, the team with the most doping history are (conveniently) welcomed to participate representing the symbolic "stay clean" flag? What hypocritical signal does that send out? ...Wonder who was paid off, for that to occur.

Joe_ Public

Glued to the speed skating today. Awesome sport.

blue note

DunnoKidz wrote: »

Wait, isn't the Olympics motto "stay clean"? So, the team with the most doping history are (conveniently) welcomed to participate representing the symbolic "stay clean" flag? What hypocritical signal does that send out? ...Wonder who was paid off, for that to occur.

I'm getting the athletes who were actually caught doping went through the disciplinary process? Unlike the athletes from western countries who were shown by the Russian hackers to have used TUE's in clearly dishonest circumstances. I think it would have been far more hypocritical to ban the Russian athletes who weren't caught doping just based on the fact that they were Russian while ignoring the fact that many of the western athletes were in essence caught cheating but nothing was done about it. There isn't even an interest in what I can see in cleaning up the TUE's.

Cork Boy 53

Shaun White, the "Flying Tomato", has won his third Olympic halfpipe gold medal today. He was under serious pressure going into his final run but pulled off a magnificent performance to finish as the champion.

citytillidie

Snowboard cross in the morning if your up early enough should be good

sligeach

I see the unified North&South Korean Ice Hockey team created history by scoring their first ever goal! Congratulations to....... sorry, give me a minute now, the Korean spelling is very difficult at times.......

Randi Griffin???

Sounds like a character from Family Guy.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-2018-iceh-w-cor-jpn/ice-hockey-japan-win-as-unified-korea-enjoy-special-moment-idUSKCN1FY1BP

Gizmo55

Snowboard cross looks amazing. All the snowboard stuff is amazing really.

Gizmo55

Luge team relay is brilliant.

Cork Boy 53

The topless Tongan who carried his country`s flag in the opening ceremony finished third last in his cross country skiing race today. He competed in the Rio Olympics in taekwondo and now he says he wants to take part in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, possibly in a water sport. Crazy character.

dastardly00

Great finish to the women's skeleton competition!!

Cork Boy 53

Good day for the British team with a gold and two bronze medals. However short track skater Elise Christie crashed out for the second time in two events. The Winter Olympics in 2014 and 2018 have both been disasters for her personally.

prunudo

The finish in the ladies super G was great, the look of shock on her face.
Maybe I'll give up snowboarding and start skiing!

Tin Foil Hat

Cork Boy 53 wrote: »

Good day for the British team with a gold and two bronze medals. However short track skater Elise Christie crashed out for the second time in two events. The Winter Olympics in 2014 and 2018 have both been disasters for her personally.

She has now been disqualified from 4 out of 5 events over the last two Olympics. 3 of those times for taking out other competitors. She's a menace on a skate track.

DunnoKidz

blue note wrote: »

I'm getting the athletes who were actually caught doping went through the disciplinary process? Unlike the athletes from western countries who were shown by the Russian hackers to have used TUE's in clearly dishonest circumstances. I think it would have been far more hypocritical to ban the Russian athletes who weren't caught doping just based on the fact that they were Russian while ignoring the fact that many of the western athletes were in essence caught cheating but nothing was done about it. There isn't even an interest in what I can see in cleaning up the TUE's.

Perhaps hypocritical was too strong a word but Oh the irony...
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/winter-olympics/winter-olympics-2018-russia-curling-meldonium-pyeongchang-a8216456.html ......in Curling!

....sorry, you were saying?

blue note

Haha! I saw that and had a double take. Curling? I play golf and people are surprised that PED's could be useful in that, but they could be very useful in golf. So perhaps it's my ignorance of what's required / useful for that sport. But nonetheless - CURLING!!!?????

But the article kind of reinforces my point to be honest. That drug was legal under the TUEs until the year Sharapova was caught. And Sharapova was far from the only one using it when it was legal as a TUE (I think the Williams sisters, among others, were too). It was a drug that was rarely used (it wasn't very popular for this purpose) to treat heart conditions for a 6 week period and Sharapova and others used it for years. When she had to explain it I think part of her explanation was that her family had a history of diabetes. It couldn't have been clearer that she was using it to gain an unfair advantage. Or maybe to keep up with the others who were using it too.

So use of this very drug was perfectly acceptable even though it's as plain as day used to boost performance, not to treat an illness. And loads and loads of athletes are doing this and there aren't even questions asked of them. WADA still have to deal with people who are breaking the rules in conventional ways, such as Sharapova or the curler. But they also have to start tackling athlete's use (misuse) of TUE's.

dastardly00

Did anyone watch the men's biathlon 15km mass start event?
Absolute class and nail-biting finish
http://www.bbc.com/sport/winter-olympics/42981535

I think if I could be a Winter Olympian I'd like to compete in the biathlon
There's something cool about the combination of skiing and shooting, probably from watching James Bond movies all my life!

Skid X

Germany and Canada have identical times after the final run of the Two Man Bobsleigh and will each get Gold, you don't see that very often.

sligeach

Winter Olympics: Worst skier in history finishes LAST as she could not do any tricks

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/freestyle-skiing-heaven-halfpipe-unconventional-swaney-071119547--spt.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lijLiBS7fI0

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lijLiBS7fI0

Reminds me of that African swimmer in the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AO7iMw7-zM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AO7iMw7-zM

muppetshow1451

Not bad for a nation with only 5.2 million people to be on top with most medals won.

http://www.nbcolympics.com/medals

aj89

Elise Christie - disqualified again!

dastardly00

Tin Foil Hat wrote: »

She has now been disqualified from 4 out of 5 events over the last two Olympics. 3 of those times for taking out other competitors. She's a menace on a skate track.

Do you have any knowledge/info on how common it is for an athlete to be disqualified during speed skating? I'm just wondering if Christie is a complete enigma, or if it's not unusual for the top skaters to be DQ'd.

citytillidie

dastardly00 wrote: »

Do you have any knowledge/info on how common it is for an athlete to be disqualified during speed skating? I'm just wondering if Christie is a complete enigma, or if it's not unusual for the top skaters to be DQ'd.

I am guessing it is the pressure of the Olympics as she has no real issues winning the worlds which are not really on tv and only really heard of when it comes to the winter olympics

citytillidie

citytillidie wrote: »

I am guessing it is the pressure of the Olympics as she has no real issues winning the worlds which are not really on tv and only really heard of when it comes to the winter olympics

4 disqualifications and 2 crashes out of 6 events across 2 Olympics is quite the achievement.

In interviews this Olympics she sought to blame other people on at least 2 occasions also.

Spent more time crying or sliding or her ass.

The narrative on BBC was cringe. It's obvious that Clare Balding fancies her!

citytillidie

glasso wrote: »

4 disqualifications and 2 crashes out of 6 events across 2 Olympics is quite the achievement.

In interviews this Olympics she sought to blame other people on at least 2 occasions also.

Spent more time crying or sliding or her ass.

The narrative on BBC was cringe. It's obvious that Clare Balding fancies her!

Well of course she does well outside of the Olympics so the BBC and British media are going to build her up big as a great medal hope.

Some of the decisions in the short track are questionable, yesterday was a team relay South Korea girl feel over and took Canada out who took Italy out but it was China and Canada teams who got the pen

citytillidie

citytillidie wrote: »

Well of course she does well outside of the Olympics so the BBC and British media are going to build her up big as a great medal hope.

Some of the decisions in the short track are questionable, yesterday was a team relay South Korea girl feel over and took Canada out who took Italy out but it was China and Canada teams who got the pen

would agree re speed skating but the law of averages must surely come into things at some point to point to a pattern of bad tactics and cracking in the case of Christie. She seems too mentally brittle to handle the Olympics.
Apprently some Dutch skater/ commentator said that she skies like an out-of-control windmill.

huge crash in the ski cross on the big last jump just before the finish line.

https://twitter.com/Dani___Alves/status/966175968560910336

seemed to an above normal amount of crashes - not sure what the verdict is on the course.
amazing event to watch - those guys really push it on the jumps to try to gain ground.

Skid X

Ski Cross looks like a great spectator event - Lots going on, crashes, speed, jumps, floodlights, proper racing (not just time trials like the regular downhill ski-ing).

Skid X

Skid X wrote: »

Ski Cross looks like a great spectator event - Lots going on, crashes, speed, jumps, floodlights, proper racing (not just time trials like the regular downhill ski-ing).

one of the most exciting events at the winter olympics for sure. there is also snowboard cross but it's just not quite as exciting.

Joe_ Public

Can see the attraction of the cross events but the commentators are way too excitable, everything is incredible and unbelievable every second of the way. Same for the pipe events. Puts me right off them.

And whatever the rights and wrongs of Elise Christie’s skating technique, feel terribly sorry for her on a human level. Elite sport should be hard and unforgiving but I never imagined it could be that cruel. After she crashed in the 1000 there was a guy sticking a camera into her face while she was being loaded onto a stretcher, I thought she didn’t deserve that anyway.

DickSwiveller

Do any Irish athletes take part in the winter Olympics?

Joe_ Public

There was an Irish team of 5 athletes, they are all finished at this stage.

DickSwiveller

DickSwiveller wrote: »

Do any Irish athletes take part in the winter Olympics?

yes there are some representatives as mentioned above.
generally they are people of some Irish heritage who want to have an Olympics experience but wouldn't make the national team of where they live and who have no chance of a medal. If they had a chance of a medal they would be on the national team of their residence.

ironically with the Olympics (happens in the Summer Olympics also but to a great extent in the Winter Olympics) not all the top people by ranking in a sport discipline would not be there. but it is about country representation after all.

e.g. take the Austrian ski team - they can only have 4 skiers in an alpine ski event whereas it's pretty safe to say that the number 5 who would not be there is probably ranked higher than a lot of people from the minor countries.

the one time that Ireland nearly got a medal it was in the skeleton when the fabulously named Clifton Hugh Lancelot de Verdon Wrottesley came fourth. this was the year of the reintroduction of the event after over 50 years so Clifton saw an opportunity and cleverly trained for it.

Cork Boy 53

Joe_ Public wrote: »

There was an Irish team of 5 athletes, they are all finished at this stage.

I think there is still one Irishman due to take part in the 50 km cross country ski race at the weekend.

Joe_ Public

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Can see the attraction of the cross events but the commentators are way too excitable, everything is incredible and unbelievable every second of the way. Same for the pipe events. Puts me right off them.

And whatever the rights and wrongs of Elise Christie’s skating technique, feel terribly sorry for her on a human level. Elite sport should be hard and unforgiving but I never imagined it could be that cruel. After she crashed in the 1000 there was a guy sticking a camera into her face while she was being loaded onto a stretcher, I thought she didn’t deserve that anyway.

I could feel sorry for her but the way that she came out (or Clare Balding wishes ) and blamed other people a couple of times in interviews when she was disqualified or crashed (with no penalty on the supposed athlete at fault) put me right off her.

DickSwiveller

glasso wrote: »

yes there are some representatives as mentioned above.
generally they are people of some Irish heritage who want to have an Olympics experience but wouldn't make the national team of where they live and who have no chance of a medal. If they had a chance of a medal they would be on the national team of their residence.

ironically with the Olympics (happens in the Summer Olympics also but to a great extent in the Winter Olympics) not all the top people by ranking in a sport discipline would not be there. but it is about country representation after all.

e.g. take the Austrian ski team - they can only have 4 skiers in an alpine ski event whereas it's pretty safe to say that the number 5 who would not be there is probably ranked higher than a lot of people from the minor countries.

the one time that Ireland nearly got a medal it was in the skeleton when the fabulously named Clifton Hugh Lancelot de Verdon Wrottesley came fourth. this was the year of the reintroduction of the event after over 50 years so Clifton saw an opportunity and cleverly trained for it.

Thanks for the explanation. That is some name!

Cork Boy 53

glasso wrote: »

I could feel sorry for her but the way that she came out (or Clare Balding wishes ) and blamed other people a couple of times in interviews when she was disqualified or crashed (with no penalty on the supposed athlete at fault) put me right off her.

Didn`t someone on the BBC panel suggest that Christie could switch sports to long track skating or maybe track cycling?

DickSwiveller

DickSwiveller wrote: »

Thanks for the explanation. That is some name!

actually his full title is ....

Clifton Hugh Lancelot de Verdon Wrottesley, 14th Baronet, 6th Baron Wrottesley.

Has the education history to go with it!

Eton College, Edinburgh University and Sandhurst

And despite his upbringing he wasn't loaded really and had to raise money to support himself for his Olympics effort. Apparently when he went to Pat Hickey he was told that they should be going to him for money and didn't give him anything!
No doubt Pat has enjoyed quite a few jaunts over to the Winter Olympics along with some other Irish blazers.

Cork Boy 53

Cork Boy 53 wrote: »

Didn`t someone on the BBC panel suggest that Christie could switch sports to long track skating or maybe track cycling?

Long track skating might suit her better than track cycling I would say due to lower contact ratio.

Joe_ Public

glasso wrote: »

I could feel sorry for her but the way that she came out (or Clare Balding wishes ) and blamed other people a couple of times in interviews when she was disqualified or crashed (with no penalty on the supposed athlete at fault) put me right off her.

Maybe when some time passes and she has time and space to reflect, she’ll come to a different conclusion? I have to say I thought 2 of those collisions were unlucky for her but what do I know about it anyway? Tough and very admirable sport.