The Olympics, long revered as the place where top athletes battle to claim the title of being the best in the world at their sport, with medals awarded to reflect the years of dedicated training, effort, and sacrifice made by those who triumph.
As Olympic athletes represent the pinnacle of skill in a sporting field their achievements are treasured, not just by themselves and their families, but by the entire nation they represent. Consequently, news that their wins were influenced by chemicals is a huge shock and disappointment to millions of people.
Eastern European focus
Former Olympic athletes, largely from Russian, and neighboring countries, in track & field and weightlifting teams, have just faced this situation after urine samples from the summer Olympics of 2008 and 2012 were re-tested
Surprise medal winners
The shocking results have rewritten history, demoting around 40 athletes and triggering surprise retrospective medal placings for those further down the original finish line. These numbers are forecast to grow as pharmaceutical consulting work continues.
Opportunities lost
Such findings strain the credibility and reputation of the Olympic Committee and negatively impact the lives of many innocent people. Winning an Olympic medal is a huge achievement which creates a positive effect on your life. It would be naïve to assume those who lost at the time, to competitors using artificial stimulants as aids to success, can reap quite the same benefits from a belated Olympic medal placing. As amateurs many sacrificed careers, family and social life to focus on representing their country, only to, unfairly we know now, miss out on the lucrative sponsorship deals that medals attract. Even team sports such as football that have recently been included in the Olympic events can be subject to performance-enhancing drugs although the individuals tend to think more about the effects on the rest of their team members compared to those in solo sports. The team community feeling ranges from all wearing the same Nike Football Kits from places like https://www.kitking.co.uk/brand/nike to training sessions, right through to supporting one another on the pitch.
Steroids found
Perhaps some will claim they unwittingly ingested a banned substance while taking some form of legal medicine for an everyday illness like a cold, a situation where contacting a pharmaceutical services provider beforehand would be wise. However, most results concern the presence of anabolic steroids, making it unlikely such arguments will be relevant to these cases.
As the results of the previous two winter Olympics come under scrutiny it could soon be a case of an entire nation being banned from competing. Such actions are uncomfortable and unenviable for committee staff, but it’s acknowledged as essential for the on-going integrity of the games.
