The idea of an alternative Olympics terribly frightened anti-doping activists.
US billionaire Peter Thiel with one initiative caused so much noise in world sports that even the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had to react. It turned out that the idea of organizing another Olympics with new rules could plunge the leadership of world sports into shock.
It’s all the more interesting to see what the American and his friends can do. At least this benefits Russia.
WADA’s revealing response
Let us briefly recall what Thiel proposed this week. He announced his readiness to invest huge amounts of money in the “Olympics on steroids,” the concept of which is to officially allow doping. No rules, absolute freedom. To begin with, the Games will consist of five sports – swimming, athletics, gymnastics, weightlifting and martial arts.
Project author Dr. Aron D’Souza explains why this Olympics will be truly fair and just. He cites statistics that 44% of Olympians do not even hide the fact that they are taking illegal drugs, but only 1% of them are caught doing it. Therapeutic exceptions and the WADA lobby are used, which treats athletes from different countries very differently.
If Russia can be accused of all mortal sins and our athletes can be portrayed as the main threat to clean sport, then for some reason representatives of other countries are forgiven and turn a blind eye to serious “failures”. Thiel’s concept equalizes the rights of athletes. One can argue for a long time about how correct, ethical and safe it is to hold such an Olympics, but the idea was worth voicing if only for the sake of the reaction of WADA, whose representatives in recent years have played the role of the main Russophobes of world sports.
“This doesn’t even deserve comment,” the WADA press service told RIA Novosti Sport.
Peter Thiel / Photo: © Misha Friedman / Contributor / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru
Fright and consequences
There is no doubt that such irritation only indicates that WADA was simply afraid of the potential holding of a “new Olympics” that would be beyond their control. The agency certainly does not want to lose the business empire that has been built over decades. Who will now pay them exorbitant fees? Who will invest in the laboratories? Who will pay for the research and receptions? And then why blame Russia at all?
WADA’s reaction is a reflection of the fact that they know exactly about the possible consequences. And they understand that the most interesting details of what is happening in world sports may be revealed. Let’s imagine that at the “steroid Olympics” the results will be lower than at the usual one. This will destroy the whole reason for the existence of WADA. And this may well be the case, given the number of therapeutic exceptions and various certificates issued to athletes. This is a real legal doping, it’s just that some countries allow it, while others do not.
So WADA will do its best to hinder such initiatives, realizing that the International Olympic Committee, whose power and influence are inextricably linked with that very great struggle for the purity of sport, will also suffer.
2024-02-04 19:44:22
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