Islamophobia threatens global peace and coexistence, not just Muslims, says MWL chief at UN    Power bank likely caused South Korea plane fire, investigators say    Gold prices hit $3,000 for the first time as investors push the panic button    Hungary drops veto and agrees to prolong EU sanctions on Russian individuals    China hits out at 'threats of force' on Iran as Trump pushes for new nuclear deal    Makkah Lanterns Festival returns for the eighth year as part of Ramadan activities    Crown Prince receives Yazeed Al-Rajhi after historic Dakar Rally 2025 victory    SR17 million fines slapped on 16 individuals and companies convicted of violating Capital Market Law    Saudi Arabia welcomes border agreement between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan    Saudi ambassadors take oath before Crown Prince    16 endangered species released into AlUla's Protected Areas    Saudi Crown Prince reaffirms support for a political solution to Ukraine crisis in call with Putin Putin praises Saudi Arabia's constructive role and mediation efforts    NCM forecast: Thunderstorms to hit most Saudi regions until Monday    Saleh Al-Shehri's late penalty rescues Al Ittihad against Al Riyadh    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Man lives for 100 days with titanium heart in successful new trial    Argentinian court begins trial of seven healthcare professionals over Maradona's death    Al Hilal crushes Pakhtakor to storm into AFC Champions League quarter-finals    Singer Wheesung who wooed Korea with his ballads, found dead at 43    Prince Frederik of Luxembourg dies from rare disease    Real-life shipwreck story wins major book award    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Russian athletics back in the dock
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 17 - 06 - 2016

When it comes to sport, Russia does not do itself any favors it seems. While its neo-Nazi football thugs are being deported from France for violence during Euro 2016 and expulsion hangs over the Russian team if there is any further stadium violence, it appears that Moscow's athletics officials have been obstructing an international doping investigation.
There is now a very real chance that Russia may not be able to send any teams to the 2016 Rio Olympics. The World Anti-Doping Agency was following up clear evidence of the state-sponsored use of performance-enhancing drugs by Russian competitors. Athletics officials had admitted that there had been a problem and promised to cooperate with WADA while they worked to clean up the sport. No one with a genuine interest in athletics and the magnificent spectacle of the Olympics really wanted to see the Russians kept out of the competition. But at the same time, no one wanted to allow cheats from any country - Kenya is also one of the sporting nations implicated in the use of banned substances - to take part in the Rio Games.
It was, therefore, hoped that following the suspension last November of Russian athletes from international competition, vigorous strides would be made in identifying the team managers, trainers and athletes involved in the use of performance-boosting drugs and throwing them out of the sport. WADA officials were promised full cooperation. They had six months in which to check out Russia's drive to cleanse its athletics. It was always a big ask but WADA bosses calculated that with the promised cooperation and access, they could do the work.
This week they dropped a bombshell when they announced that far from being helped by Russian athletics authorities, they had been actively obstructed. The all-important testing of athletes, both random and during competitions had turned into a farce. Tests were refused or cancelled and in one case a competitor actually ran off the field to avoid being checked. Some specimens were tampered with and a significant proportion of those that did make it to WADA laboratories tested positive for banned substances.
Assuming the WADA report is completely accurate - there are already murmurings in Moscow that its contents are politically motivated - it is a sorry indictment of Russian sport. It demonstrates one of two things - either the Russian sports authorities hold the world's athletics regulators in complete contempt or the doping of Russian athletes had become so prevalent and cheating had become so ingrained in athletics, that it was simply impossible to literally clean out the athletes' systems. Either way the result is calamitous for international athletics in general and the Rio Olympics in particular.
It is almost as if Putin's Russia is willing on itself the anger and condemnation of the international community. By abandoning free markets, murdering political opponents and challenging world peace by invading Ukraine and sponsoring the bloody Assad regime and its Iranian mentor, the Kremlin is isolating itself and its people. Faced with international sanctions, it has adopted a siege mentality. Putin argues that it is the victim merely defending itself from persistent US-led aggression. This argument would carry more weight if the Russian government nevertheless demonstrated its willingness to abide by international norms. Among these would be not sending its athletes to international competitions doped to the eyeballs with performance


Clic here to read the story from its source.