Drug-free Russian athlete branded "Enemy of the People of Russia" after Olympics allows her in

Alessandra Kelley · Jul 15, 2016

Drug-free Russian athlete branded "Enemy of the People of Russia" after Olympics allows her in

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...eutral-flag-at-the-olympics-branded-a-traitor

Russian athlete Darya Klishina has been widely criticised after she agreed to compete under a neutral flag at next month’s Olympics, a move which could make her one of Russia’s only track-and-field athletes not banned due to a national doping scandal.

Social media denounced the long jumper as a “traitor” after she thanked her sponsors and coaches for their support and expressed gratitude to the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) for allowing her to compete.

The IAAF reportedly rejected bids from 67 Russian athletes who applied for individual dispensation to bypass the blanket ban imposed on Russia’s athletics team for massive “state-sponsored” doping, but found that the US-based Klishina could demonstrate she was clean.

Snowstorm · Jul 15, 2016

That's too bad that she's being insulted. An athlete devotes her life to her sport, but apparently she's supposed to just quit her dream because other athletes are caught and banned. Too bad she's not allowed to compete under her Russian flag.

L.C. Blackwell · Jul 17, 2016

I suspect a good part of the real problem is that she's U.S. based, while the other 67, presumably Russian-based athletes, were denied. That would be very touchy, politically.

It is very sad, though, and I hope she won't withdraw or have her performance affected by the stress of so much opposition. And yes, she should be allowed to compete under her own flag.

Alessandra Kelley · Jul 24, 2016

The "Daily Mail", which I do not consider an entirely reliable news source, is claiming that it will be announced today that the entire Russian team will be banned from competing in the Olympics, leaving Ms. Klishina as almost the only Russian involved: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...untry-s-state-sponsored-doping-programme.html

If it were any news source more reliable than the "Daily Mail" I'd consider starting a new thread. As it is, it works as a note on this thread, and underscores how serious the situation seems to be considered.

Drug-free Russian athlete branded "Enemy of the People of Russia" after Olympics allows her in

Alessandra Kelley

Sophipygian

Snowstorm

Baby plot bunneh sniffs out a clue

L.C. Blackwell

Keeper of Fort Blanket

Alessandra Kelley

Sophipygian