Thetownend.com

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/36855244

Russia have failed to overturn the athlete ban for the Olympics next month.

I'd love for the World Cup to be taken away from them too... just as another blow.

Good.

Interesting, what happens if they win a gold?  Will there be no anthem?

Now the IOC can now ban the rest of them from Rio, and make them the pariahs of international sport.

it'll be the IOC anthem

That's what I was thinking, cheers.

Shame. The Russian anthem is one of my faves....makes me think of the comrades who sacrificed themselves in the Great Patriotic War, fighting fascism.

One of the early Athletics World Championships had no national anthems, maybe 1983.
IOC anthem played for everyone.

Thought it was quite refreshing at the time.

Some decent tunes out there, but the lyrics are invariably crap.

I have a feeling Russia will not take this lying down and there could be repercussions other than in sport on this.

It will further stoke the persecution complex that the Russian government likes to push and is grapsed by certain athletes for instance Yelena Isinbayeva (the pole vaulter) has already suggested that the ruling was a blatant political order. 

Russian policitcal shoulder chip interface situation again.

I think Russia should be allowed to compete, and in fact that athletes should be able to do and take whatever the hell they want.

I'd love to see someone run 100 metres in 8 seconds.

Maybe they should joust...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36852985

Sad state of affairs, but they are all on drugs. Show me someone who isn't and I'll show you a courageous 41st place.. Might as well let them all.

You still would though  ;)

Tend to agree these days. Just let athletes do whatever the hell they want to their own bodies. Fastest, Strongest, Highest man wins. The only way you get a true level playing field.

Unfortunately it doesn't work....there's plenty of evidence that drug use has later in life deleterious health effects, so rightly people should have the right to opt out. Maybe a drug and clean separate Games could happen.

But most athletes are taking some sort of supplement, substance or drug, banned or otherwise. Training to be a sprinter, or a boxer, or a cyclist, or a gymnast or whatever at an elite level will more often than not have deleterious long-term effects. If a competitor chooses to gamble with their long-term health in the chase for victory, so be it. Ultimately they all do.

I'm sure true...but young ultra competitive people  will be reckless, it's up to the authorities to set the limits as to what supplements etc are acceptable and at what levels etc.

If they choose to ignore these recommendations then they should be rightly called out for it. The problem with the whole Russian thing is that being State sponsored takes freedom away from the athlete.

curious about the "all drugs allowed" games proponents....what would it be like if there were not even any need to pretend not to take drugs?

Genetically modified, mutant freaks...redundant masking agent workers picketing outside the stadia...

It may be sport Jim but not as we know it.

I notice that they have confirmed that another 40+ retrospective dope tests from 2008 and 2012 Olympics have flagged up doping, are they ever going to name those involved?

I like the idea of keeping samples, and then busting people retrospectively when the testing catches up....there's a lot of lucre to made from advertising/sponsorship etc if a few people have to pay back down the line for historic doping it might make a few think twice.

Life is a minestrone or dreadlock holiday?

I agree.
Sport is more about politics to them (hence the win at all costs mentality), and this will add to Putin's Millwall style "no one likes us we don't care " strategy.
And will get him even more backing within Russia when he decides to take back another bit of the old Soviet Union.

What I meant to add was - but I would still ban them.

I reckon we have about 5 years left of sport worth watching before undetectable gene doping is widespread.
So would prefer to come down hard on cheats while we still can

A bit of a bold statement don't you think?

But it's a great Hollywood blockbuster waiting to be made.