Russian Figure Skater tests positive for drugs - delays ceremony for team medals

[soogar]

Heck, I would totally understand thinking T&M wuzrobbed (I kinda think that). But where’s the tantrum? Everyone is happy.

I think the Russian pairs all understood that if all skated clean, the Chinese pair would win since it was held in China. Moskvina mentioned that in an interview.

 

[soogar]

T/M were happy to finally! win an Olympic medal.
M/G will be in good position to win the OGM in 2026.

T&M have a team silver. Maybe they will hang around for another Olympics. It seems like everyone is getting an OGM on their third (or in Alyona's case, 5th) try. Though Alyona was realistically a favorite only 3 times.

 

[CantALoop]

I'm very sad for the US and Japanese skaters that missed having a medal ceremony at the Olympics. For some of them that would have undoubtedly have been the biggest thing in their careers. This whole situation is so unfair to them.

If I was in charge of the USFS, I would have a special part of the 2023 Nationals gala to hold a medal ceremony for the US Olympic Team Event medalists. I would invite the entire Japanese and Canadian teams as well (even if they don't get upgraded to bronze, heck, US Nats has a 4th place spot on the podium).

Everyone gets the pomp and circumstance - flowers, medals draped around the neck, and I know the crowd would go crazy for all teams. I'd even play all three countries' anthems as well because they all deserved that moment, regardless of the color of their medal.

 

[euterpe]

So T/M now have two medals: silver (individual) and ? (team)

Not sure they'll hang around for another 4 years: she is 27 and he is 28. 31 and 32 are doable, but the competition at home isn't going to get any easier.

 

[wickedwitch]

If I was in charge of the USFS, I would have a special part of the 2023 Nationals gala to hold a medal ceremony for the US Olympic Team Event medalists. I would invite the entire Japanese and Canadian teams as well (even if they don't get upgraded to bronze, heck, US Nats has a 4th place spot on the podium).

Everyone gets the pomp and circumstance - flowers, medals draped around the neck, and I know the crowd would go crazy for all teams. I'd even play all three countries' anthems as well because they all deserved that moment, regardless of the color of their medal.

I would absolutely not do that. Anything that's part of Nationals risks being overshadowed by the actual competition. They deserve a separate ceremony where they can be the #1 focus.

 

[Karina1974]

Compare the reaction of Mishina and Galliamov, who were thought to be gold medal favorites and won bronze.

Gee thanks for the spoiler alert (not!). Some of us haven't even watched the competition yet.

 

[tony]

Gee thanks for the spoiler alert (not!). Some of us haven't even watched the competition yet.

Why would you go on FSU and read any thread during the Olympics (especially when the thread is about an incident at the Olympics) if you haven't watched yet?

I learned the hard way even with my phone. Turned it on after an exam and the CNN or ESPN push alert was part of the women's final result.

 

[Karina1974]

Why would you go on FSU and read any thread during the Olympics if you haven't watched yet?

I would think discussing actual results would be limited to the event forums before the competition actually airs. And not everyone is going to get up at 4 or 5 AM EST to stream the event. I sure as hell am not going to. I've just been watching the primetime TV broadcasts, which for pairs is later on tonight.

 

[Debbie S]

I would absolutely not do that. Anything that's part of Nationals risks being overshadowed by the actual competition. They deserve a separate ceremony where they can be the #1 focus.

I think something like that would be more likely to overshadow Nats than the other way around. In any event, by the time you get to the gala, everyone is in a celebratory mood (or not, I guess, depending on how their favorites did...) so something like that would work. The skaters deserve to have an audience cheering for them, so that would seem like a likely place. Actually, if it's going to involve skaters from multiple countries, the Worlds gala might be the best place, except that would mean retired skaters might have to travel a long distance.

There really are no good solutions. Nothing is going to replace the Oly medal ceremony. But I hope that it can be in some sort of public setting, with fans and families there.

 

[once_upon]

Anyone who thinks they should be able to stay spoiler free and still interact with the world is simply not in reality.

You would need to stay off ANY skating forum, Facebook, Twitter, Tik-Tok, Snapshot, Instagram, Messenger, any online news service, any television, phone, texts, etc.

Probably the only way you can avoid being spoiled is to sit in a room reading a hands on paper book with noise canceling head phones and barricade the door.

 

[Alilou]

I would think discussing actual results would be limited to the event forums before the competition actually airs. And not everyone is going to get up at 4 or 5 AM EST to stream the event. I sure as hell am not going to. I've just been watching the primetime TV broadcasts, which for pairs is later on tonight.

1. It's not.
2. This is an international forum. Most of us wouldn't know, or care, when it's being aired in the US.

 

[Rukia]

2. This is an international forum. Most of us wouldn't know, or care, when it being aired in the US.

Not only do we in the US demand events be scheduled at good times for us, but we also demand everyone wait until everyone has watched it. I'm pretty sure it's in our constitution or something.

 

[thvu]

Gee thanks for the spoiler alert (not!). Some of us haven't even watched the competition yet.

Aww, you want sympathy when you show none of that to children. How sad.

 

[Karen-W]

I think something like that would be more likely to overshadow Nats than the other way around. In any event, by the time you get to the gala, everyone is in a celebratory mood (or not, I guess, depending on how their favorites did...) so something like that would work. The skaters deserve to have an audience cheering for them, so that would seem like a likely place. Actually, if it's going to involve skaters from multiple countries, the Worlds gala might be the best place, except that would mean retired skaters might have to travel a long distance.

There really are no good solutions. Nothing is going to replace the Oly medal ceremony. But I hope that it can be in some sort of public setting, with fans and families there.

I doubt it will be resolved by Worlds. My bet is the IOC/ISU are going to decide to have this last medal ceremony at next season's Cup of China. Failing that, if USA, JPN, & CAN wind up being the medalists then possibly next year's 4CCs since that would eliminate any awkward protests from any Russian team members.

 

[Lemonade20]

I think you can acknowledge that these girls have been through a ridiculous amount of emotional upheaval in the past few weeks and still think Sasha's behavior was unsportsmanlike. The two don't have to be mutually exclusive. That bubble they were in did not help anyone in this situation. To be isolated from loved ones and be under constant pressure is not easy. I empathize with everything they were all going through, but I still think Sasha was lacking in sportsmanship.

Imagine seeing your training mate go through the most horrific few weeks of her life, fall off the podium and have an emotional breakdown at the Olympics with the world watching, and instead of going up to her to offer comfort, you stand directly behind her and have a breakdown of your own because you didn't win. Sasha smelled blood in the water and became upset when someone else beat her to the bait. It came across as being incredibly insensitive.

To Sasha's credit, after her initial outburst behind Kamila, she tried to hide and have a moment to herself. Unfortunately Olympic protocols trumped having a moment to yourself and mourning a dream lost. I think someone from her team should have asked for a few minutes and let her have the emotional release she clearly needed in privacy. JMO

Perfectly said. People keep forgetting that Sasha's been in a bubble since arriving, and not having her dogs and the whole scandal is just adding fuel on fire. I know her response seems unsportsmanlike, but I can hardly blame her. 17, 25, even 35. Anyone would have a hard time keeping their s*** together going through all of that. I hope she goes to Worlds and grabs the gold.

 

[once_upon]

Not only do we in the US demand events be scheduled at good times for us, but we also demand everyone wait until everyone has watched it. I'm pretty sure it's in our constitution or something.

But whose time zone, work schedule? The individual states have rights too?

That's sarcasm for those in the back of the room

 

[Debbie S]

I doubt it will be resolved by Worlds. My bet is the IOC/ISU are going to decide to have this last medal ceremony at next season's Cup of China. Failing that, if USA, JPN, & CAN wind up being the medalists then possibly next year's 4CCs since that would eliminate any awkward protests from any Russian team members.

Well, yes, I didn't mean this year's Worlds.

 

[Rukia]

But whose time zone, work schedule? The individual states have rights too?

That's sarcasm for those in the back of the room

Central time zone (the best time) zone obviously

 

[text_skate]

I think the IOC should invite all TE medalists to the opening cermony in Paris and award them the medals (could be months, years until Valieva's case is closed).
IOC sould do this every Olympics with all athletes who were robbed due to doping and moved up in the placements. Some get their medals 8 years later, in most cases unceremonously.

 

[MacMadame]

So T/M now have two medals: silver (individual) and ? (team)

Not sure they'll hang around for another 4 years: she is 27 and he is 28. 31 and 32 are doable, but the competition at home isn't going to get any easier.

Also, they don't seem to like competing and there are plenty of opportunities to be a Pro in Russia (and Europe?)

I would think discussing actual results would be limited to the event forums before the competition actually airs. And not everyone is going to get up at 4 or 5 AM EST to stream the event. I sure as hell am not going to. I've just been watching the primetime TV broadcasts, which for pairs is later on tonight.

WTF? The competition aired live on Peacock. If you don't want to watch it then, that's on you not the rest of us.

 

[Spikefan]

I think the IOC should invite all TE medalists to the opening cermony in Paris and award them the medals (could be months, years until Valieva's case is closed).
IOC sould do this every Olympics with all athletes who were robbed due to doping and moved up in the placements. Some get their medals 8 years later, in most cases unceremonously.

All expenses paid by the doper’s federation.

 

[Xela M]

So T/M now have two medals: silver (individual) and ? (team)

Why would they have two medals? They didn't skate in the team event. M&G did both parts

 

[Barbara Manatee]

Why would they have two medals? They didn't skate in the team event. M&G did both parts

They have a team silver from 2018.

 

[allezfred]

If I was in charge of the USFS, I would have a special part of the 2023 Nationals gala to hold a medal ceremony for the US Olympic Team Event medalists.

The IOC and the ISU would never agree to that.

What they have done for athletics in the past is hold ceremonies at World championships. I imagine that is what will happen if the medals are reallocated.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

T/M have two medals. A silver from the 2022 individual and a silver from the 2018 team. To my knowledge the 2018 team medal is not a question mark.

 

[Karen-W]

The IOC and the ISU would never agree to that.

What they have done for athletics in the past is hold ceremonies at World championships. I imagine that is what will happen if the medals are reallocated.

Makes sense. It doesn't really matter whether the medals are reallocated or not, all of the medalists deserve their ceremony.

 

[Carolla5501]

While I won’t be at US nationals next year, I certainly hope that they have an award ceremony for the skaters in the team event there. They should make a big deal out of it and do the best they can to make up for the fact that they skaters were screwed by the system


And if the IOC doesnt like it they can take it to court. But the real truth, the IOC is not gonna bite the NBC hand that feeds them. So if NBC says they want a celebration The IOC will remember “cash OK we’re happy”


And why do we have any reason to believe this will have been ironed out in a month for worlds? . This will take months of Russia pretending that they did nothing wrong because mother Russia us persecuted by the west .

 

[overedge]

Here's the IOC's "medal reallocation process". https://olympics.com/athlete365/wha...llocation/olympic-medal-reallocation-process/

The following six options are proposed to each athlete who can then choose their preference:

1. The next Olympic Games (for reallocations from PyeongChang 2018 onwards).
2. The Youth Olympic Games.
3. The IOC headquarters or Olympic Museum.
4. At a National Olympic Committee function.
5. At an International Federation event or function.
6. To have a private ceremony.

Once their decision is confirmed, the IOC works with the National Olympic Committees of each athlete with the aim of completing the ceremony within 12 months, unless the athlete chooses to have the reallocation at the next Olympic Games.

 

[Allskate]

And why do we have any reason to believe this will have been ironed out in a month for worlds? . This will take months of Russia pretending that they did nothing wrong because mother Russia us persecuted by the west .

Russia may want to resolve this sooner while the sympathy for Valieva is still fresh and she is still under 16? But, I'm not betting on it being resolved by Worlds.

 

[pachelbel]

The IOC and the ISU would never agree to that.

What they have done for athletics in the past is hold ceremonies at World championships. I imagine that is what will happen if the medals are reallocated.

Why not? The IOC allowed USAG to reward the American women the 2000 Olympic bronze medals that were stripped from China during the 2010 National Championships.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIWlxvJC7Rw

Did something change?