olympic games

[sinikettu]

Another article on the subject which backs up my belief the the IOC will probably do all that they can to hide any future drug scandal.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2000/sep20 ... -s28.shtml

According to Andrew Jennings' latest book, The New Lords of the Rings, the IOC has a vested interest in covering up the scale of illegal drug use for fear of scaring away sponsors. Jennings, a long time IOC critic, asserts that drug-taking, which has dogged the Olympics for over 30 years, is rampant, with the “open-cheque books of multi-national corporations enabling the IOC to hold clean athletes in contempt.”

Mark Spitz, one of America's greatest Olympic swimmers, has also spoken out against the IOC declaring that it was “totally aware of all the drugs that are being taken”. “It's all about (television) ratings and the commercial selling of time and about money,” Spitz said.

[otyikondo]

Maybe we should let them all take what they like. It might produce some interesting television and who knows... even lead to some major breakthroughs in pharmaceuticals. If they want to be guinea-pigs and they get satisfaction from doing what they do then let them go ahead. BTW, as far as I could tell, the Tour de France (albeit a joke event) got the same TV coverage this year as any. Eventually some parallel "amateur" sports infrastructure will emerge with its own governing watchdog and the ethos of participation will return. Or not.

"And in Lane 6, last year's World Champion, Iaint Nocheater..."

[ajdias]

According to Andrew Jennings' latest book, The New Lords of the Rings, the IOC has a vested interest in covering up the scale of illegal drug use for fear of scaring away sponsors.

By the same token this guy has all the interest to spread his theory and pull quotes as he pleases for the sake of his book sales.
His theory only holds in the short term. IAC officials might be dumb enough to do it but if they have any sense they~d know that covering it up, as opposed to fighting, will only add to the problem.

If some drugs make the difference in income between 50.000 dollar a year and 5.000.000, the temptation is very big and the doping actors have always one or two steps advance compared to the anti-doping agencies.

Money, isn't all, at least when you're 21 and have a bright future ahead of you. Why would one want to risk a bright career as one of the best runners of his generation for the short term? If he was a few years old and just another top sprinter I would understand that we'd want to do that.
Of course we will probably never know it (does anyone know if the samples are going to be tested in the future?) but I'd bet this to be a case of stretching the line too much rather than greed.

[sinikettu]

Money, isn't all, at least when you're 21 and have a bright future ahead of you. .

I tried to remember his name but sorry cannot, but I know that there was a case of an Athlete in USA who died suddenly at age 22.
Perhaps he was in the NBA..? Any American know who I mean?
He was found to be full of drugs that he had been "testing/experimenting" apparently he was trying and improve his performance.
Also read this..

http://www.suddendeathathletes.org/about_sdia.asp

Edit this news just appeared..
Not only humans ...4 horses fail drugs tests.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympic ... 574220.stm

[Rosamunda]

My suggestion...
If one athlete (or horse) gets caught, the whole country gets sent home.

That would work, wouldn't it?

[ajdias]

I tried to remember his name but sorry cannot, but I know that there was a case of an Athlete in USA who died suddenly at age 22.

My point was that being young and having a bright future ahead of you makes one less likely to use forbidden drugs, not that no 21 year old would do it, or this particular athlete. I am sure that someone will find sa case of a young star lost for drugs, whose name must of us would even remember.

[Johnny_Peebucks]

All I can say about the olympics is I am glad a bunch of "fat people, who only eat fish n chips and watch football" are thrashing the Finns on medals...Finns with their "good food" and "love of sports"...

[pierrot]

All I can say about the olympics is I am glad a bunch of "fat people, who only eat fish n chips and watch football" are thrashing the Finns on medals...Finns with their "good food" and "love of sports"...

besides the minor fact that one country has 10x as many inhabitants as the other, how many medals did the "fat people, who only eat fish n chips and watch football" win in the last winter Olympics? 1 silver medal. And Finland? 6 silver, three bronze.


Then again both countries have sport wise also things in common like not having managed to qualify for the last European Football Championship, Euro 2008.
So neither "good food" nor "fish n chips" seem to help there.

[Johnny_Peebucks]

Er...

Simple reason for Britain not really being big on the Winter Olympics...WE HAVE NO SNOW!!!!!

And if you got asked about 2 times a week if all your people were fat lazy and ate fish and chips while stuffing their own faces with susage and some thing that resembles dog food, and having a higher obessity rate - you would find it quite amusing too.

Finland has 3 medals, UK 40....population approx 10 times the size...shall I do the mathS or do you want to?

(My gf (Finnish) said I bet some retard will mention the population difference - smart kid)

[pierrot]

Er...

Simple reason for Britain not really being big on the Winter Olympics...WE HAVE NO SNOW!!!!!

And Finland has barely 2 months of "summer" between the snow going away and the mosquitoes eating you alive... perfect conditions for sports outside.
Ever thought of that?

And if you got asked about 2 times a week if all your people were fat lazy and ate fish and chips while stuffing their own faces with susage and some thing that resembles dog food, and having a higher obessity rate - you would find it quite amusing too.

So you let your frustration and anger out here. Congratulations.
You should tell that to the people who make these comments, not on some anonymous internet board.

(My gf (Finnish) said I bet some retard will mention the population difference - smart kid)

Come on, let it all out...

[Johnny_Peebucks]

Not letting my frustration out - Find it highly comical when ignorant people get their fires pissed on...As I also found it funny with the Aussie rowers issue...(stupid fools)...for the same reason (fires and p issing)

And as for the weather - Plenty of indoor sports centres here so that wouldn't be a good enough reason to do badly in summer events and with the good food, sisu, and love of sports, hell, I am sure nothing could stop them....And if there is only 2 months (where do you live to get 2 months of non-snowy weather!) of summer then I would expect more than 6 medals in the winter olympics, when a country that has about 1 hour of snow a year can pull off 1 silver....Didn't know wrestling, boxing, shooting, team handball, basketball, gymnastics, swimming, football, volleyball (I could go on and on) was based on weather conditions anyway...Unlike skiing which is.

Keep on fitting in bro' we need more sheep in the world!

Oh - AND I do tell it to the people who make comments...

[silk]

Money, isn't all, at least when you're 21 and have a bright future ahead of you. Why would one want to risk a bright career as one of the best runners of his generation for the short term? If he was a few years old and just another top sprinter I would understand that we'd want to do that.

It is exactly the young, gullible and immature who can easily be manipulated by their coaches and other authorities with prospects of glory and $$$. They believe they are untouchable and can't get caught, and, even more sadly, they think they are immortal and their health will not be affected by drug use.

[Rob A.]

...BTW, as far as I could tell, the Tour de France (albeit a joke event) got the same TV coverage this year as any. Eventually some parallel "amateur" sports infrastructure will emerge with its own governing watchdog and the ethos of participation will return. Or not.

Yeah...tell me about it... I still watch the Tour and I enjoy the spectacle....but as a true test of the abilities of a bunch of "clean" athletes...Are you kidding?? If someone does surprisingly well, I just assume they are "doping", and I'm generally not disappointed...

Though this year the yellow jersey, won by Sastre...seemed to be a "classic" cycling victory, based on team work and strategy... Was "doping" involved??...I like to think not, but who knows!!...

[pierrot]

And to make things ever more funnier: China as it seems now sends 14 years old kids (He Kexin, etc) to the gymnastic competitions and Chinese officials claim they are 16 which is the minimum age to participate... these games get better and better.
The IOC should resign after these games and let some amateurs do their job, it can't get any worse anyway.

[Johnny_Peebucks]

Changing passports is a common thing and always has been and not just in the olympics

I went to a wrestling event with the club I trianed in - can't remember the age catogary, maybe below 16 - Some Mongolian 'kid' cleaned up his division...the kid was obviously like 18 - 20. He was in the weight but he was heavily muscled and his whole physical make up was just wrong. Even his body language.

But what can you do? - if they show their passport and birth cert. and the age is correct on those, how else can you prove someones age?

Sad but true.

Steroids will always be part of the olympics and sports...better to make them legal and accept it.

I think (and from talking to people who compete) the biggest worry for athletes is knowing that even if they don't take them, everyone else is...so they just think "why shouldn't I?". Then they're at least on equal ground.