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The Olympic Games will never recover from the stigma if IOC president Thomas Bach doesn’t support banning Russia from Rio.
An independent investigation proved endemic drug cheating, supported by Russia’s Sports Ministry, forced the track and field’s governing body the IAAF to ban Russia from Rio and all international competition as of last year.
Another independent investigation has since found endemic drug cheating across 28 sports in Russia with WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency, calling for Russia’s total ban from Rio.
But Bach is hedging his bets.
He’s loathe to take the only honest step because Russia is a leading Olympic Games country.
Who cares? Russia has been proved to be a nation that doesn’t abide by the rules when it comes to drug cheating, and must pay the penalty.
Typically, President Putin has described the independent findings as “purely political”, and dismissed the drug cheat proof out of hand.
Why are we not surprised?
The Kremlin has chimed in along much the same lines, describing the findings as “political interference creating a dangerous precedent”.
The only reason why Putin and the Kremlin are making a mockery of the situation is because they have been found out, and neither can cop the guilt.
Stuff ’em both, the quicker the Russians are banned the better.
And if FIFA has any balls, they should take the 2018 World Cup off Russia as well.
Then see how the Russians react.
But the only way for the Sports Ministry and the various sports to get the message is to deny Russia any chance of competing in the two biggest sporting events every four years.
There’s absolutely no doubt Putin uses sport internationally as a yardstick of Russia’s power. He compares conquering sporting fields to conquering countries he wants to take over.
And does.
Take the sporting field component out of Putin’s ambitions, and he will be forced to change his attitude, and that can only be for the betterment of the world in general.
So Thomas Bach’s future is now in his own hands.
Ban Russia from Rio and be compared with Jacques Rogge as an outstanding IOC president.
Or let Russia off the hook, and be compared to Juan Antonio Samaranch as one of the worst presidents in Olympic history.