IslesNorway
Registered User
Rodchenkov's alleged mental illness is irrelevant. What's relevant is the fact that this expert witness is the only one to provide any substantial testimony to the IOC, that his story is being accepted uncritically and without any opportunity for Russia to redirect or to provide its own witnesses and expertise. In fact, this is how things are done in all civilized trials. But this matter is too much of a sham to let such due process happen.
Not true. Russia were allowed in Rio because they had not been allowed to properly defend themselves, but this time they have - and they have failed. Their arguments have been heard and found to be unsatisfactory. The evidence is damning and the only Russian athletes who didn't look doped in Sochi were the hockey team...
Russia really should be banned from all sports until they clean up their act properly. The sporting world is poorer without good Russian competing but the world needs to be 100% sure that they are clean or else we are better off without. The fact that they continue in the ways of the Soviets and East Germany speaks volumes about their general attitude.
One can only hope that the IOC will continue to show balls like this and take a good long look at how China runs its system. I will not be surprised if there suddenly appear som great skiers out of nowhere from there for Beijing...