IOC/Olympics - Russia

[Blue in Munich]

So if a UK athlete gets caught doping then the whole of the U.K. Olympians are banned ? Is that what you mean

Yes that's exactly what I mean. When an athlete competes as an individual, he/she gets banned. When they are part of a national team, the national federation is responsible for testing them and passing them as clean.

Its harsh but it sends an unambiguous message to each of the countries. Test your athletes regularly to ensure they behave AND they will also be tested at every international meet.

Isn't the testing of the Athletes down to each individual sports body though as opposed to the nation - hence they are the ones that give out the ban ? And most sports are testing constantly with some on a weekly basis

But banning every single UK Olympian because one person fails a test ? Thats going beyond unfair

So you're opposed to banning every UK athlete because one person fails a test, yet happy to ban all Russian athletes, including those who haven't failed a test, because the State has supposedly conducted a doping campaign? Dangerously close to treating people differently on the the grounds of nationality isn't it, something I'm sure you've railed against before? Or just plain old double standards? Or simply a case of trolling? Either way I'm done.

 

[bladeplayer]

The individual athletes who are innocent are representing a state that promoted the crime. As harsh as it is I feel those athletes should be banned from international competition until such time as Russia is (consistently) proven to be operating a clean policy.

Equally, where athletes are found to be taking banned substances without the knowledge of the state federation the state should still be banned. It's up to the individual states to ensure their athletes comply.

like

 

[BesCumber]

The majority of Russian sports men and women come under the umbrella of the armed forces so I doubt many two fingers are stuck up.

Exactly the point i was trying to make. Them that do are very brave individuals, who have now been tarred by the same brush, as Mr Simpson so eloquently points out. :thup: