On Tuesday, December 5, 2017 the IOC officially banned Russia from competing at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic games. In previous blog posts in July 2016, I recapped some of the history of Russian doping over the past few years. The Russian Track and Field team is still banned from international competition by the IAAF and has been since November 2015. During the 2014 Sochi games, several Russian winter Olympic athletes cheated when they falsely competed as clean athletes because the Russian government devised a scheme to exchange positive doping samples with clean ones. The Russian Anti Doping Agency was discredited as they did not report these tainted samples from these athletes.
Over the past several months, investigations of Russian systematic state sponsored doping have mostly concluded. As of this posting, 43 athletes have been banned from the Sochi Olympics (some for life) and 13 Russian medals have been stripped. Vitaly Mutko, who was the Russian Sports Minister during the Sochi games was fined 15 million dollars and banned for life and the Russian Olympic Committee has been suspended. Russian government officials (including Vladimir Putin) deny any state sponsored doping to date. Several Russian athletes who were banned have appealed the IOC's decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. That decision is pending.
The IOC has ruled that Russian athletes can compete as "Olympic Athletes from Russia". They cannot compete under the Russian flag. If these athletes win a medal, the Russian anthem will not be played. The uniforms the Russians wear has to be different from the uniforms they would wear if they were competing under the Russian flag. This includes having the smaller size word "Russia" underneath the words Olympic Athlete From. The term "OAR" must be used and can have only have one or two colors while the Russian flag has three colors. Over 200 athletes could compete under OAR but the IOC will screen them based on their doping history.
The IOC could lift the ban on Russia by the closing ceremony of the Pyeongchang games on February 25, 2018 if they adhere to IOC conditions. If the ban is lifted, OAR athletes could march under their own flag at the closing ceremony.
An updated medal count from the Sochi games would have the USA leading the medal count with 28 total medals and Russia would be in fifth place with 20 total medals. The 13 Russian medals that were stripped have yet to be re-allocated to other nations.
Sunday, December 24, 2017
Saturday, December 23, 2017
Olympic and athlete updates
USA Men's 110M hurdler David Oliver has announced his retirement. Oliver won the bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing games but did not qualify for the USA track and field team in 2012 and 2016. Oliver is now the Howard University Track and Field Director.
USA men's diver David Boudia has decided to return to competition with the goal to qualify for his fourth Olympics, the 2020 Tokyo games. Boudia did not compete in 2017 and there was talk of retirement but Boudia decided to return to competition instead. Boudia won gold in platform diving at the 2012 London games and bronze at the 2016 Rio games.
USA women's soccer goalie Hope Solo has settled her grievance with USA soccer. Terms were not available. At the 2016 Rio games Solo said the Swedish team played like cowards. In response USA soccer suspended Solo for six months and terminated her contract. Sweden beat the USA on penalty kicks at the 2016 Rio Games.
The USOC has expressed interest in bidding on the 2026 or 2030 winter Olympic games. Salt Lake City, Utah, Denver, Colorado and Reno/Lake Tahoe, Nevada are interested in bidding. The last US city to host winter games was Salt Lake City in 2002.
USA women's gymnasts, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas and McKayla Maroney have each admitted being sexual abuse victims of USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. Nassar served as team doctor of USA Gymnastics for 20 years. Nassar was fired in 2015 when allegations of sexual abuse surfaced. He was arrested on child pornography charges in December 2016 and was sentenced to 60 years in prison in December 2017. Nassar has had hundreds of complaints about abuse over the past few years. The latest development is that USA Gymnastics paid 1.25 million dollars to McKayla Maroney in December 2016 to keep quiet about sexual abuse. Maroney came forward this week and filed a lawsuit against the USOC, and USA Gymnastics to void the nondisclosure and non-disparagement clauses of the agreement. Maroney came forward on Twitter in October 2017 and admitted she was sexually abused by Nassar starting at age 13 until she left the sport of Gymnastics after the London games in 2012. Kerry Perry is now the new USA Gymnastics President and CEO, replacing Steve Penny who resigned in March 2017 over complaints by gymnasts that were not properly handled.
The IOC suspended the Brazil Olympic Committee and its President Carlos Nuzman in October 2017. Nuzman was arrested following and investigation into vote buying in order to land the 2016 Rio Games. Nuzman was also removed from the oversight of the 2020 Tokyo games as well. IOC member and former Namibian Track star Frank Fredericks was also suspended for taking an illegal payment related to the awarding of the 2016 Rio games.
USA women's sprinter Carmelita Jeter, nicknamed "the fastest woman alive" has announced her retirement. Jeter has the second fastest time of all time - 10.64 seconds in the women's 100M dash. Jeter withdrew before the 2016 USA National Track and Field Championships due to injury. Jeter and her USA women's 4 by 100M relay team set a world record of 40.82 seconds in winning gold at the 2012 London games.
USA women's Figure Skater Gracie Gold will miss the 2018 USA National Figure Skating Championships and the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics due to an eating disorder, depression and anxiety. In September 2017, Gold announced she was taking a leave of absence from competition to be treated for these conditions. Gold finished fourth at the 2014 Sochi games but won bronze in the team competition. Gold's last competition was a sixth place finish at the USA National Figure Skating Championships in January 2017.
The Turkish weightlifter nicknamed "Pocket Hercules" has died on November 18, 2017 at age 50 due to complications of liver failure. Niam Suleymanoglu won gold in the weightlifting Clean and Jerk at the 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympic games.
The USA Women's and Men's Curling Olympic Trials were held in November 2017. The USA women's Curling team that qualified for the 2018 Pyeongchang games are: Nina Roth, Tabitha Peterson, Alieen Greving and Becca Hamilton. The USA men's Olympic Curling team are: John Shuster, Tyler George, Matt Hamilton and John Landsteiner.
2012 South African Olympic 400 runner Oscar Pistorius had his sentence increased to 13 years and five months by the South African Supreme Court for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013. Pistorius originally had a lighter sentence of six years and was considered lenient by South African standards. Pistorius was supposed to be paroled by 2019, now he wont be paroled until 2023. My blog post in February 2013 deals with the history of Pistorius since he was first arrested for murder in 2013.
USA Beach volleyball Olympic medalist April Ross has a new partner for 2018 in Alix Klineman. Ross was teamed with Lauren Fendrick for the 2017 beach volleyball season and won silver with Fendrick at the Beach Volleyball World Championships. Kerri Walsh Jennings teamed with April Ross to win bronze at the 2016 Rio games.
The AVP released their 2018 tour schedule:
May 3-6 - Huntington Beach, CA
May 17-20 - Austin, TX
June 7-10 - New York City, NY
June 21-24 - Seattle, WA
July 5-8 - San Francisco, CA
July 26-29 - Hermosa Beach, CA
August 16-19 - Manhattan Beach, CA
Aug. 30-Sept. 2 - Chicago, IL
The USA short track speed skating Olympic Trials were held in Kearns, Utah from December 15-17, 2017. John Henry Krueger qualifies for the 2018 Pyeongchang games in the men's 1500 while Lana Gehring qualified in the women's 1500. JR Celski and Aaron Tran qualified in the men's 500 and Maame Biney qualified in the women's 500. Jessica Kooreman qualified in the women's 1000. Thomas Hong and Ryan Pivirotto qualified in the men's 1000.
Jamie Anderson qualified for the 2018 Pyeongchang games in women's Slopestyle/Big Air. Anderson won gold for the USA at the 2014 Sochi games in Slopestyle. Chris Corning qualified in Slopestyle/Big Air for the USA men. Faye Gulini and Lindsey Jacobellis qualified for the USA in women's Snowboard Cross.
Chloe Kim qualified for the 2018 USA women's Olympic halfpipe team. Jake Pates qualified for the USA men's 2018 Olympic halfpipe team.
Lowell Bailey, Tim Burke, Sean Doherty, Susan Dunklee and Clare Egan qualified for the 2018 USA Olympic team in the Biathlon.
The USA 2018 Olympic Luge team was chosen. Making the team in singles are Erin Hamlin, Emily Sweeney, Summer Britcher, Tucker West, Chris Mazdzer and Taylor Morris. Matt Mortensen/Jayson Terdiman and Justin Krewson/Andrew Sherk qualified in doubles.
American 800 and 1500 runner Andrew Wheating has announced his retirement. Wheating made the US Olympic Track and Field team in 2008 and 2012 and was named to the USA World Track and Field team in 2011. Injuries slowed his career and in 2016 Wheating did not make the US Olympic Track and Field team.
USA men's diver David Boudia has decided to return to competition with the goal to qualify for his fourth Olympics, the 2020 Tokyo games. Boudia did not compete in 2017 and there was talk of retirement but Boudia decided to return to competition instead. Boudia won gold in platform diving at the 2012 London games and bronze at the 2016 Rio games.
USA women's soccer goalie Hope Solo has settled her grievance with USA soccer. Terms were not available. At the 2016 Rio games Solo said the Swedish team played like cowards. In response USA soccer suspended Solo for six months and terminated her contract. Sweden beat the USA on penalty kicks at the 2016 Rio Games.
The USOC has expressed interest in bidding on the 2026 or 2030 winter Olympic games. Salt Lake City, Utah, Denver, Colorado and Reno/Lake Tahoe, Nevada are interested in bidding. The last US city to host winter games was Salt Lake City in 2002.
USA women's gymnasts, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas and McKayla Maroney have each admitted being sexual abuse victims of USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. Nassar served as team doctor of USA Gymnastics for 20 years. Nassar was fired in 2015 when allegations of sexual abuse surfaced. He was arrested on child pornography charges in December 2016 and was sentenced to 60 years in prison in December 2017. Nassar has had hundreds of complaints about abuse over the past few years. The latest development is that USA Gymnastics paid 1.25 million dollars to McKayla Maroney in December 2016 to keep quiet about sexual abuse. Maroney came forward this week and filed a lawsuit against the USOC, and USA Gymnastics to void the nondisclosure and non-disparagement clauses of the agreement. Maroney came forward on Twitter in October 2017 and admitted she was sexually abused by Nassar starting at age 13 until she left the sport of Gymnastics after the London games in 2012. Kerry Perry is now the new USA Gymnastics President and CEO, replacing Steve Penny who resigned in March 2017 over complaints by gymnasts that were not properly handled.
The IOC suspended the Brazil Olympic Committee and its President Carlos Nuzman in October 2017. Nuzman was arrested following and investigation into vote buying in order to land the 2016 Rio Games. Nuzman was also removed from the oversight of the 2020 Tokyo games as well. IOC member and former Namibian Track star Frank Fredericks was also suspended for taking an illegal payment related to the awarding of the 2016 Rio games.
USA women's sprinter Carmelita Jeter, nicknamed "the fastest woman alive" has announced her retirement. Jeter has the second fastest time of all time - 10.64 seconds in the women's 100M dash. Jeter withdrew before the 2016 USA National Track and Field Championships due to injury. Jeter and her USA women's 4 by 100M relay team set a world record of 40.82 seconds in winning gold at the 2012 London games.
USA women's Figure Skater Gracie Gold will miss the 2018 USA National Figure Skating Championships and the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics due to an eating disorder, depression and anxiety. In September 2017, Gold announced she was taking a leave of absence from competition to be treated for these conditions. Gold finished fourth at the 2014 Sochi games but won bronze in the team competition. Gold's last competition was a sixth place finish at the USA National Figure Skating Championships in January 2017.
The Turkish weightlifter nicknamed "Pocket Hercules" has died on November 18, 2017 at age 50 due to complications of liver failure. Niam Suleymanoglu won gold in the weightlifting Clean and Jerk at the 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympic games.
The USA Women's and Men's Curling Olympic Trials were held in November 2017. The USA women's Curling team that qualified for the 2018 Pyeongchang games are: Nina Roth, Tabitha Peterson, Alieen Greving and Becca Hamilton. The USA men's Olympic Curling team are: John Shuster, Tyler George, Matt Hamilton and John Landsteiner.
2012 South African Olympic 400 runner Oscar Pistorius had his sentence increased to 13 years and five months by the South African Supreme Court for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013. Pistorius originally had a lighter sentence of six years and was considered lenient by South African standards. Pistorius was supposed to be paroled by 2019, now he wont be paroled until 2023. My blog post in February 2013 deals with the history of Pistorius since he was first arrested for murder in 2013.
USA Beach volleyball Olympic medalist April Ross has a new partner for 2018 in Alix Klineman. Ross was teamed with Lauren Fendrick for the 2017 beach volleyball season and won silver with Fendrick at the Beach Volleyball World Championships. Kerri Walsh Jennings teamed with April Ross to win bronze at the 2016 Rio games.
The AVP released their 2018 tour schedule:
May 3-6 - Huntington Beach, CA
May 17-20 - Austin, TX
June 7-10 - New York City, NY
June 21-24 - Seattle, WA
July 5-8 - San Francisco, CA
July 26-29 - Hermosa Beach, CA
August 16-19 - Manhattan Beach, CA
Aug. 30-Sept. 2 - Chicago, IL
The USA short track speed skating Olympic Trials were held in Kearns, Utah from December 15-17, 2017. John Henry Krueger qualifies for the 2018 Pyeongchang games in the men's 1500 while Lana Gehring qualified in the women's 1500. JR Celski and Aaron Tran qualified in the men's 500 and Maame Biney qualified in the women's 500. Jessica Kooreman qualified in the women's 1000. Thomas Hong and Ryan Pivirotto qualified in the men's 1000.
Jamie Anderson qualified for the 2018 Pyeongchang games in women's Slopestyle/Big Air. Anderson won gold for the USA at the 2014 Sochi games in Slopestyle. Chris Corning qualified in Slopestyle/Big Air for the USA men. Faye Gulini and Lindsey Jacobellis qualified for the USA in women's Snowboard Cross.
Chloe Kim qualified for the 2018 USA women's Olympic halfpipe team. Jake Pates qualified for the USA men's 2018 Olympic halfpipe team.
Lowell Bailey, Tim Burke, Sean Doherty, Susan Dunklee and Clare Egan qualified for the 2018 USA Olympic team in the Biathlon.
The USA 2018 Olympic Luge team was chosen. Making the team in singles are Erin Hamlin, Emily Sweeney, Summer Britcher, Tucker West, Chris Mazdzer and Taylor Morris. Matt Mortensen/Jayson Terdiman and Justin Krewson/Andrew Sherk qualified in doubles.
American 800 and 1500 runner Andrew Wheating has announced his retirement. Wheating made the US Olympic Track and Field team in 2008 and 2012 and was named to the USA World Track and Field team in 2011. Injuries slowed his career and in 2016 Wheating did not make the US Olympic Track and Field team.
Sunday, December 10, 2017
P & G USA Gymnastics Championships/ World Gymnastics Championships results
The P & G USA Gymnastics Championships were held in Anaheim, CA from August 17-20, 2017.
USA Women's All Around
Ragan Smith - gold - 115.250
Jordan Chiles- silver - 111.850
Riley McCusker - bronze - 111.650
Trinity Thomas - 4th - 111.350
Margzetta Frazier - 5th - 110.900
Morgan Hurd - 6th - 109.750
USA Men's All Around
Yul Moldauer - gold - 171.600
Allan Bower - silver - 170.600
Donnell Whittenburg - bronze - 169.700
The World Artistic Gymnastics Championships were held at Montreal, Canada from October 2-8, 2017.
Final medal standings
China 3 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze - 6 total
Russia 1 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze - 6 total
USA 1 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze - 5 total
Japan 3 gold, 0 silver, 1 bronze - 4 total
Women's All Around results
Morgan Hurd - USA - gold - 55.232
Elsabeth Black - Canada - silver - 55.132
Elena Eremina - Russia - bronze - 54.799
Men's All Around results
Ruoteng Xiao - China - gold - 86.933
Chaopan Lin - China - silver - 86.448
Kenzo Shirai - Japan - bronze - 86.431
Yul Moldauer - USA - 7th - 84.998
Individual Apparatus Finals - USA results
Women's Vault
Jade Carey - USA - silver - 14.766
Women's Uneven Bars
Ashton Locklear - USA - 8th - 12.766
Women's Balance Beam
Morgan Hurd - USA - silver - 13.400
Women's Floor Exercise
Jade Carey - USA - silver - 14.200
Men's Floor Exercise
Donnell Whittenburg - USA - 6th - 14.166
Men's Pommel Horse
Alex Naddour - USA - 4th - 14.750
USA Women's All Around
Ragan Smith - gold - 115.250
Jordan Chiles- silver - 111.850
Riley McCusker - bronze - 111.650
Trinity Thomas - 4th - 111.350
Margzetta Frazier - 5th - 110.900
Morgan Hurd - 6th - 109.750
USA Men's All Around
Yul Moldauer - gold - 171.600
Allan Bower - silver - 170.600
Donnell Whittenburg - bronze - 169.700
The World Artistic Gymnastics Championships were held at Montreal, Canada from October 2-8, 2017.
Final medal standings
China 3 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze - 6 total
Russia 1 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze - 6 total
USA 1 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze - 5 total
Japan 3 gold, 0 silver, 1 bronze - 4 total
Women's All Around results
Morgan Hurd - USA - gold - 55.232
Elsabeth Black - Canada - silver - 55.132
Elena Eremina - Russia - bronze - 54.799
Men's All Around results
Ruoteng Xiao - China - gold - 86.933
Chaopan Lin - China - silver - 86.448
Kenzo Shirai - Japan - bronze - 86.431
Yul Moldauer - USA - 7th - 84.998
Individual Apparatus Finals - USA results
Women's Vault
Jade Carey - USA - silver - 14.766
Women's Uneven Bars
Ashton Locklear - USA - 8th - 12.766
Women's Balance Beam
Morgan Hurd - USA - silver - 13.400
Women's Floor Exercise
Jade Carey - USA - silver - 14.200
Men's Floor Exercise
Donnell Whittenburg - USA - 6th - 14.166
Men's Pommel Horse
Alex Naddour - USA - 4th - 14.750
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