Remember the massive scandal that tore the world asunder during the 2022 Olympic Games when Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva was caught doping?
Of course you do. There's no way you could have missed my Pullitzer-deserving posts that are still held up today as the greatest examples of longform journ*lism to ever grace this planet.
[Effortpost] Figure Skating Scandal Part II: A big win for the drug legalization movement
[Effortpost] Olympic Figure Skating Part III: Conclusion - Meltdowns on Ice
DΓ©nouement
Despite being caught red handed (red urined?), Valieva was not simply stripped of her title. Russia and its eurocrat minions insisted that nobody rush to judgment. Perhaps she accidentally drank from the same glass as her grandfather who has a prescription for doping drugs? (Yes, that was unironically their excuse.) So everyone was left in limbo with her competitors not allowed to receive their medals.
Let's not blame Valieva too much. When you're 15 and the KGB tells you to take a pill you're probably going to take it.
Finally after 2 years of sitting on their asses, the international Court for Arbitration of Sport has ruled that cheating is actually against the rules so she doesn't get any medals. This bumps up her Russian rivals Anna Shcherbakova and Alexandra Trusova to gold and silver respectively in the ladies' event. Kaori Sakamoto, a favorite of all true fans worldwide, picks up the bronze.
Sakamoto deserved it.
But Kamila wasn't just competing for herself. She also represented Russia in the team event that includes ladies, men, pairs, and ice dancing. With her scores thrown out the result is a decisive win by Team USA, the most crushing victory ever delivered in human history since Hannibal smashed the Romans at Cannae.
Hannibal was a great general but I never heard of him landing a quad in competition. Just saying.
Japan will take silver. The International Skating Union put out a curious statement saying Russia still gets bronze even after Valieva's scores are thrown out. The Canadians are understandably furious as Russian cheating should completely disqualify the whole team. It's amazing how much the ISU is still a joke after all this.
Team USA
Suggested soundtrack for this section.
Nathan Chen
Johnny Weir once accidentally called him "Nathan Quad" because you can't talk about him without mentioning his flawless quad jumps that brought the men's game to a whole new level. But he was also a master of every facet of the sport.
Vincent Zhou
Not just a kid with quads, he brought artistry that I don't believe we've ever seen from a man. If his program to Don McLean's "Vincent" didn't move you then you have no soul.
Karen Chen
I must admit some bias as she is perhaps the most beautiful thing I've ever seen on ice. A skater with the grace that only comes from the heart, not obscure heart medications.
Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier
Our pairs. After skating with others they found each other, and eternal glory, at Beijing 2022.
Ice Dancers
There were also ice dancers on the team, but I don't consider ice dancing a real sport. It's a Cold War communist conspiracy just like ribbon gymnastics. I'll just say that our people beat the Russians at their own game.
Reactions
The face of evil.
That vile witch Eteri put out a statement throwing Kamila under the bus, pretending that this 15 year old girl was the mastermind of the doping plot. Eteri even has the gall to act like somehow she's the victim in all this.
This is a more bitter loss to him than the catastrophe at Kyiv.
The Russian people are no doubt facing shock and grief as they find that no amount of cheating, lying, or brute force can triumph over America and the Free World.
They should have been paying attention back in the '80s. They might have learned a very simple truth:
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
When exactly did the Olympics become something only europoors care about?
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
IMO many people only care about the medal count and will just watch clips and as someone else said NBC's coverage isn't very good here in the US.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Nah young girls deff. idolized skaters like Yamaguchi back in the day. I doubt little girls now even know the name of one skater now. The popularity has deff. crashed.
I know for me I got frustrated watching artistic performances tanked in the scores in favor of point stacking.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Yeah they tried to deal with cheating judges by making the scores more objective. But unfortunately it led to a lot of skating back and forth just doing lots of quads.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
Tonya Harding has a few movies and that one skater got an Arthur episode. It's all been downhill from then.
They should probably add American Football or something to spice it up.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
More options
Context
More options
Context
When NBC decided the event was inherently foid brained and stopped covering it as a sporting event and turned it into a series of tear jerker Instagram videos .
https://www.vox.com/2016/8/11/12433144/nbc-olympics-bad
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBC_Olympic_broadcasts
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
Good question. It has declined in popularity rapidly in the last 20 years or so in most of the world.
I think it's because the Russians were cheating so goddarn much both using performance enhancing drugs and bribed judges. So the winners were always these freakish 16 year old Russian girls who could do big jumps but not much else.
The average person watching doesn't consciously notice this but when the performances are less artistic and nobody from your country ever wins, you gradually lose interest.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
I just never got the appeal of women and effeminate men prancing around doing various activities. They should add football and basketball, so it's entertaining to watch
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Olympic basketball gave us one of the all time great moments in ref ball
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1972_Olympic_men%27s_basketball_final#:~:text=Many%20American%20viewers%20assumed%20the,anniversary%20of%20the%20Soviet%20Union.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
i still can't believe that happened
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
More options
Context
bare knuckle boxing with zero doping or size restrictions
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
they should add basketball huh...
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Spotted the europoor
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
what
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
More options
Context
More options
Context
More options
Context
Bring back combat sports. I want to see Olympic Jousting, Dueling, Melee, Boar Hunting, War Games etc...
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
And the Assault from American Gladiators.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
More options
Context
More options
Context
More options
Context