Winter Olympics 2022

I really hope on this occasion it's just an unfortunate mistake/mix up.

She's an extraordinary talent who's clearly worked very hard. You don't get to be that good at 15 years old through doping.

It seems her reputation has already been tarnished and labelled a cheat. Apparently it's a form of heart medication they detected?
 
Anna Gasser <3

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I guess the challenge (like with @RedDevilQuebecois post above) is that a lot of athletes get banned quickly with little/no leeway apparent. This case seems to be different.
There you go. Since yesterday, people have been talking about the example with Sha'Carri Richardson, who was banned from the Tokyo Olympics because she smoked a joint (FML with banning pot, man!). There was just no way for her to appeal, and the US did not defend her while the entire ROC put its weight to support someone who has traces of an illegal substance that has been banned since 2014. The worst in all of this mess is the message it sends to other athletes out there, subscribing to the same rules better than the vast majority.

And by the way, that Canadian sprint canoer who had to defend her own case is Laurence Vincent-Lapointe. You can read the main points of her story on Wikipedia.
 
There you go. Since yesterday, people have been talking about the example with Sha'Carri Richardson, who was banned from the Tokyo Olympics because she smoked a joint (FML with banning pot, man!).
She was caught well before the olympics, and she confirmed the violation herself - so the situation was clear.
 
The situation is pretty clear here too. Unless you actually believe the “it’s my grandpa’s medicine” nonsense.
Nothing is clear here. Not all positive A-samples mean anti-doping violations - spectrum of possibilities is broader than this, and sometimes athletes are fully cleared in the end.

What we definitely see is a fishy situation in which WADA waited 6 weeks for something that must have taken much less time, and it caused a scandal.

What we also see is a situation where WADA and IOC disrespect court decisions (CAS) - while in modern world, the entire system is based upon “the rule of law” (not related to sport, but in general). It is only court that decides whether someone is guilty or not guilty of anything.

So once again, I prefer to avoid labels and wait for investigation and findings. If she is found guilty, strip her off the medals and impose sanctions, but respect CAS - if the court cleared her to participate in the tournament, it was likely not without reason. CAS knows the peculiarities of the anti-doping rules much better than we at this forum, that’s for sure.
 
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It's a messed up situation when we're wondering how to tackle the issue of a child seemingly having failed a drugs test and it basically seems a lose-lose whatever the IOC do. Boot her out now when there seems some, even minor, element of doubt over the testing procedure and it's unfair, particularly on a kid. If she does ultimately get the gold stripped though, assuming she wins, it's a pretty shitty way for the silver medallist to receive the gold, getting in the post with no ceremony.

The people berating her need to take a step back. She's a 15 year old child who was in tears clutching a soft toy after her last performance, not some PED-gobbling mastermind. She's no doubt been horribly advised and/or manipulated.
 
Well, that's that race over for Norway. What a disaster. She was extremely slow, and still missed.

We definitely reach the highs and the lows, it's exciting at least.
 
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Wow, what a finish by Germany. Gold in women cross country team sprint.
Sweden with a silver, Russia bronze
 
Klaebo easily won the finish, needs to be said. Finland and Russia with silver and bronze
 
You guys were wrong, it was Bolshunov and Niskanen who needed to fear Velnes, not the other way around.
 
Gutted I missed both team sprints due to work. But never have I been happier to be wrong! Valnes, you absolute beast!!!

Happy for the German ladies as well. Anyone but Sweden. Always!
 
It's a messed up situation when we're wondering how to tackle the issue of a child seemingly having failed a drugs test and it basically seems a lose-lose whatever the IOC do. Boot her out now when there seems some, even minor, element of doubt over the testing procedure and it's unfair, particularly on a kid. If she does ultimately get the gold stripped though, assuming she wins, it's a pretty shitty way for the silver medallist to receive the gold, getting in the post with no ceremony.

The people berating her need to take a step back. She's a 15 year old child who was in tears clutching a soft toy after her last performance, not some PED-gobbling mastermind. She's no doubt been horribly advised and/or manipulated.

Plus an extremely odd length of time for the test results to get back from the Lab in Sweden. A test that was taken in December got back now? In the meantime she was tested negative before the Olympics. This is child harassment by everyone.
We should wait for the investigation.
 
Gutted I missed both team sprints due to work. But never have I been happier to be wrong! Valnes, you absolute beast!!!

Happy for the German ladies as well. Anyone but Sweden. Always!

I was dreading a win for Sweden once things went wrong for our girls. Admittedly Germany are now closing in on us as far as gold medals go, but I don't think they'll overtake us. We've still got a couple more in us, if we want it.
 
I was dreading a win for Sweden once things went wrong for our girls. Admittedly Germany are now closing in on us as far as gold medals go, but I don't think they'll overtake us. We've still got a couple more in us, if we want it.

Luckily there are only two gold left to be won in bobsleigh! :lol:

Anything other than at least 2 more gold until the end will be hugely disappointing. The record is there for the taking!
30k women (Johaug), 50k men (Klæbo, Holund, Krüger), Nordic Combined relay, 2 x Mass start biathlon (Røiseland, Eckhoff(?), T-bø, Bø, Lægreid). We even have an outside chance at the 1000m speed skating (Lorentzen). That said, Germany can win some of these as well (womens biathlon and the nordic combined relay, at least).
 
With Riiber out of the relay, I'm not sure we're as big favorites anymore. All of Japan, Germany and Austria have really strong teams.
 
It's a messed up situation when we're wondering how to tackle the issue of a child seemingly having failed a drugs test and it basically seems a lose-lose whatever the IOC do. Boot her out now when there seems some, even minor, element of doubt over the testing procedure and it's unfair, particularly on a kid. If she does ultimately get the gold stripped though, assuming she wins, it's a pretty shitty way for the silver medallist to receive the gold, getting in the post with no ceremony.

The people berating her need to take a step back. She's a 15 year old child who was in tears clutching a soft toy after her last performance, not some PED-gobbling mastermind. She's no doubt been horribly advised and/or manipulated.

The point that I already touched yesterday is that athletes are normally put under a ban immediately upon finding out a positive test to an illegal substance. Then the ban stays up at least until they clear their name in front of the authorities of the federation overlooking the discipline - the ISU here. That is what happened to Laurence Vincent-Lapointe (like probably a few others), for whom the ban was only cleared AFTER she won her case at her hearing at the ICF by pointing out that it was an exchange of bodily fluids with her then-boyfriend (who consumed that illegal substance) explains why she had traces.

One thing I just do not understand here is why rules have to be different because Valieva is a child while dozens of athletes had to go in the one-size-fits-all process of being suspended and then defending their respective cases in front of the sports federation authorities. If Valieva got the boot 2 days ago and then gets cleared later, she will have all the chances in the world to compete in Milan 2026 at age 19 and with more than enough maturity to go at the peak of her powers. If Valieva is mentally strong enough, she would definitely be competing in 2026. For the record, Yuna Kim was 19 when she won gold in Vancouver.

Rules have to be black and white and applicable on the same standards to everybody. That is my gripe.
 
The point that I already touched yesterday is that athletes are normally put under a ban immediately upon finding out a positive test to an illegal substance. Then the ban stays up at least until they clear their name in front of the authorities of the federation overlooking the discipline - the ISU here. That is what happened to Laurence Vincent-Lapointe (like probably a few others), for whom the ban was only cleared AFTER she won her case at her hearing at the ICF by pointing out that it was an exchange of bodily fluids with her then-boyfriend (who consumed that illegal substance) explains why she had traces.

One thing I just do not understand here is why rules have to be different because Valieva is a child while dozens of athletes had to go in the one-size-fits-all process of being suspended and then defending the case in front of the federation authorities. If Valieva got the boot and then gets cleared later, she will have all the chances in the world to compete in Milan 2026 at age 19 and with more than enough maturity to go at the peak of her powers. If Valieva is mentally strong enough, she would definitely be competing in 2026. For the record, Yuna Kim was 19 when she won gold in Vancouver.

Rules have to be black and white and applicable on the same standards to everybody. That is my gripe.
I get the gripe about the perception of rules not being applied consistently. The delay in the reporting of the test is very weird though- it seems a bit more convoluted than many other cases, speaking as a layman.

Jesus, the fact it's being reported she had two other (legal) heart meds in her system makes you wonder if she's going to wind up dead from a heart attack by the age she's 40, with the shit they've made her take.
 
One thing I just do not understand here is why rules have to be different because Valieva is a child

That’s CAS’ ruling on the letter of law (of WADA anti-doping regulations). You should address the question “why?” to WADA.

Besides, CAS is not sure there was any violation at all - hence concerns for irreversible harm. In most of the cases there are no doubts, but here too many factors lead to very serious ones
 
For the record, CAS are the same jackasses who have ruled in favor of Manchester City in the case of financial doping they were involved in. No wonder why I totally distrust them.

Besides, CAS is not sure there was any violation at all - hence concerns for irreversible harm. In most of the cases there are no doubts, but here too many factors lead to very serious ones

Again, I don't want anybody to ever sell that load of bollocks in bold ever again. Other athletes always get suspended upon a single positive test at least until they have a proper hearing at the end of the investigation, and only then they can clear their names if they can provide solid arguments to have bans lifted. If she got the boot 2 days ago and then gets cleared later, where is the harm? She would be aged 19 and at the peak of her powers to compete in 2026.
 
But if she was sabotaged or took contaminated product, then she would have missed the olympics for nothing.
And don't you think that about all other athletes are exposed to similar risks as well? In the case involving the Canadian canoer, she was also at risk of missing out the Tokyo Olympics before her hearing went the right way for her.

Valieva should have been suspended and set to have a hearing later just like dozens have done before her. If she and her entourage can win the argument at the hearing (and nowhere else), she would simply be cleared, come back stronger (given that she is mentally strong) and compete in the next 4 years to have another go in Milan. I just don't get the sentiment of pity now from some people just because she's 15.
 
Luckily enough, CAS doesn’t share your opinion.
CAS are corrupt as feck then, just like their ruling on Manchester City.

Still avoiding to answer or debate the question, I see. For the last time I will ask you this: why can Valieva not compete not compete in 4 years - AT AGE 19 BY THEN if she wins her case in the kind of due process that dozens have gone through before her?
 
Still avoiding to answer or debate the question, I see.
I don’t, but what to debate if almost everything is in WADA regulations? If a sportsman is 16+ years old, he is suspended more or less automatically (same automatic suspension happens to a sportsman of any age if a positive probe is taken during the Olympics). If the sportsman is below 16, however, WADA rules are not clear enough, there are no peculiar rules for suspension of protected persons in their regulations, and it’s up to CAS to decide taking all the info into consideration.

And given CAS is a Supreme Court for sports, it’s ruling can not be contested for as long as we want to live in the world where there is a rule of law. Even American President (obviously the most powerful/influential person in the world) cannot contest any ruling of US Supreme Court, for instance
 
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Was always sceptical to the Russians, they have history of doping.
Feels really shit that it's a 15 year old, no way she did that on her own.
 
Watching some of sports and the Canadian athletes I see have French names.
Do most of the athletes come from Quebec or is it just a coincidence that I happen to come across them?
 
Watching some of sports and the Canadian athletes I see have French names.
Do most of the athletes come from Quebec or is it just a coincidence that I happen to come across them?

Not only from Quebec though. There is also a decent representation of people with some French descent from Ontario (Jaime Bourbonnais - Mississauga; Sarah Fillier - Georgetown; Emma Maltais - Burlington), the Maritimes (Jill Saulnier - Halifax), and Manitoba (Jocelyne Larocque - Winnipeg) in the women's hockey team for example. Of course Quebec has a very strong representation on Team Canada, but all provinces deliver loads of talent.

Great wins for Canada in women's ice hockey (gold) and ski cross (silver for Marielle Thompson) today thus far. Speaking of hockey, Marie-Philip Poulin has to be the best clutch player I have ever seen for men or women alike. Whenever the stakes are high, she always stamps her mark on those matches - 7 goals in 4 Olympic gold medal games, including 3 GWGs in those!
 
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I've not followed the curling as much as I have in previous olympics, but I don't get what happened on the final stone of the first end in our men's semi final. We had the last stone, the US had one in the house, and we cleared it hard but hit on the side and so the end was blanked? Given how accurate these guys are why would they have played the stone at such a pace, surely it was simple to hit and leave yourself scoring?
 
I've not followed the curling as much as I have in previous olympics, but I don't get what happened on the final stone of the first end in our men's semi final. We had the last stone, the US had one in the house, and we cleared it hard but hit on the side and so the end was blanked? Given how accurate these guys are why would they have played the stone at such a pace, surely it was simple to hit and leave yourself scoring?

1 point when you have the final stone is useless. If you blank you keep the final stone in the next end.
 
That was pretty crazy move by the US team to give away the chance to tie just to retain the hammer in the final end. Didn’t work out for them in the end unsurprisingly