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TroutWarrior t1_jbn8cpg wrote

Canada still waiting on their Figure Skating medals . . .

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FungusFly t1_jbomwk6 wrote

I wonder if Russia has tried giving performance enhancing supplements to its military. It always helped their athletes, temporarily anyway.

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ChrisInBaltimore t1_jbnqt8p wrote

This feels really hollow while tons of Russians play in the NHL. I understand and agree with the sentiment, but Canada can’t pick and choose.

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vslsls t1_jbntosp wrote

Russians in NHL don't represent their country unlike athletes in Olympics.

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Ray_Pingeau t1_jboh5ac wrote

They have and would continue to do so if Bettman let the players go back to the Olympics

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besieged_mind t1_jbnz4ff wrote

Most of the athletes anywhere from represent themselves. Yes, they are proud of representing their country and people but they also do for themselves.

People forget that in most of the Olympic sports the Games are an ultimate sports competition. You can hardly find a sport or a competition where Olympics aren't the most important for an athlete as such - football as a sport in whole, NBA > Olympics, and that's basically that. In every other case for an individual sport, athletes practice very hard and very intense for that once in 4 years competition and can realistically hope for no more than 2 in their lifetime. That's their dream, something they give their life for and practice very, very hard.

I can understand for this initiative to come from some politicians but from fellow athletes... that's just cruelty as such. Bad people.

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JeffFromSchool t1_jbo5jxp wrote

NHL players give way more of a shit about getting their name on the Stanley Cup than winning an Olympic gold...

They didn't even put up a big fight when the NHL decided they aren't stopping the season for the Olympics anymore.

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Waterwoogem t1_jbovpnb wrote

In general yes. But those that show skill in early stages do try for the Trifecta: World Championship Gold(whether through Jr or not), Stanley Cup and Olympic Gold.

Certainly a lot harder with the rule change

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Contundo t1_jbo7jcd wrote

That’s largely because hockey isn’t a large sport across the world. When it comes to many other sports, olympics is the highest level.

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JeffFromSchool t1_jbo9bfz wrote

It's certainly bigger than basketball... Which is another that the players care less for the Olympics than their own league.

All of North America and most of Europe play hockey. That's already like 80% of the top medalling countries at the Olympics

If it's a major US sport (half of which are featured in the Olympics), the Olympics aren't the highest stage.

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PoliteIndecency t1_jboho82 wrote

I'm a rabid hockey fan and I can tell you right now basketball is bigger than hockey on the world stage.

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stephenlipic t1_jboly4e wrote

I think they meant global player base not necessarily financial backing which is what I’m thinking you’re talking about.

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Contundo t1_jbob76r wrote

You’re just picking sports that is big in North America. And somewhat in Europe. Athletics sports is where it’s at in Olympics. Basketball and hockey is fluff.

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JeffFromSchool t1_jbodnlq wrote

The ratings for each competition don't agree with you lmao

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dragunityag t1_jboe9ji wrote

And we all know the Olympics is about curling anyways.

I don't know how watching people sweep ice can be so damn captivating but I know I'll watch it anytime I see it on.

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Waterwoogem t1_jbow0vu wrote

Those 2am Live Curling Matchups just hit different.

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Contundo t1_jboe7l0 wrote

Ratings don’t reflect how high level the sport in Olympics is.

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JeffFromSchool t1_jboewbc wrote

You were talking about which sport are fluff and which are "where it's at". Ratings are a pretty good indication of which sports more people care about

The Olympics doesn't care about the "athletic" sports as you think they do. Don't they regularly think about getting rid of wrestling, which is probably the most quintessential Olympic sport?

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Contundo t1_jbofm83 wrote

You’re the one who started with popularity. No one in basketball and hockey cares much about basketball and hockey olympics. They could stop being Olympic sports and no one would give a shit. Unlike 400m which actually matters to the athletes.

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vslsls t1_jbo3r85 wrote

There are more important things in life besides sports. They'll live unlike some Ukrainians.

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besieged_mind t1_jbrjnrv wrote

I agree. Lives of some Ukrainians are not going to be saved this way. One life is not going to be saved.

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MFoy t1_jbomdya wrote

The NHL can't legally kick all of the Russians out of the league, it would be a massive violation of US labor law.

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[deleted] t1_jboyowu wrote

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[deleted] t1_jbp2zd6 wrote

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Winter-Protection594 t1_jbowlwq wrote

I fail to see how Russians in hockey benefits Canada? Is no Russians were in the NHL, that would literally just open up more spots for talented Canadians.

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Strat0BlasterX t1_jbp06es wrote

Or players from other countries….

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Winter-Protection594 t1_jbp31r1 wrote

Yes, that would be true. But the comment I replied to specifically mentioned Canadian, so I specifically mentioned Canadians.

I’m sure your country is great at hockey, but wasn’t mentioned in the original comment.

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kingnoodle30 t1_jbqvipq wrote

I’m sure there’s some good old boy type Canadian hockey fans who want this.

So many feel like the All Time Goal record MUST belong to a Canadian, not a Russian.

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PrepubescentGhost t1_jbnuo48 wrote

It also feels really hollow, when people act like Russia is the only country right now that is doing something atrocious.

I fail to see how banning Russian athletes from competition is going to in any way "teach Russia a lesson" - but, OK, if we're going to go that route then what about, say, China? Aren't the atrocities being carried out by that country worthy of this same kind of outcry?

I mean, let's say they're banned from competition. Are we to view this as some kind of compassionate, righteous victory for humanity, some triumph for the downtrodden... while representatives for China (to use that other, earlier example) play on?

What about that part of humanity? What of all the other downtrodden?

If we're going to apply this sort of thing to representatives for one, the same considerations should go for all others.

I'm all for calling out Russia. But, just Russia? For a global competition?

Something's missing.

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ChrisInBaltimore t1_jbnzwt7 wrote

Few things:

  1. It is 2023. I think any “civilized” nation involved in anything that even smells like Genocide should be held accountable and yes banning from international sport may be one avenue to holding them accountable.

  2. My point was more that this is a bit hypocritical of Canadians. They want Russians banned but then 15k+ fans are cheering as Russians score goals and chasing scoring titles.

  3. I don’t know that barring anyone is the right move, at the same time. We have a lot of Russian players in the NHL that probably plan to never return to Russia. Banning them does seem like the wrong move and it’s a slippery slope. Again just calling out the hypocrisy here.

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[deleted] t1_jbo64xx wrote

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[deleted] t1_jbo6ph7 wrote

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AWiscool t1_jbosjmn wrote

If Russia is banned from participating because they illegally started military operations against another country than we should also ban the US, half of Africa, almost all of the middle east and half of southern/central Asia.

See map of ongoing conflicts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ongoing_armed_conflicts#/media/File:Ongoing_conflicts_around_the_world.svg

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ParaMike46 t1_jbnkxhk wrote

Are they not blocked already? I can’t believe we even have to discuss this.

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srcoffee t1_jbpjl5r wrote

Russia is blocked from participating as a country. But athletes from Russia compete in the Olympics under the name “Olympic Athletes from Russia” and its a fares. The “OAR” even went as far as winning the gold medal in ice hockey in 2018.

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middleagedstudent t1_jboi06m wrote

I'm all for it if we block Americans and Chinese too.

There's a reason the Pentagon isn't helping with the war crimes stuff the Biden admin is trying to speak of.

They do the same shit elsehere. What you see in Ukraine is what the west did in so many places. Iraq, Libya and what not.

They just use the media better 😂😂. Hypocrisy at its finest.

It'll ebemtualym catch up as we see how divided countries is becoming. Just like Rome or other empires, everybody falls eventually.

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jnemesh t1_jbqhj1h wrote

None of them can pass a drug test anyway.

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TheJasonaut t1_jbp2wg8 wrote

Comments in r/sports often make make me question my fandom sometimes.

This seems like an obvious call to me. I'd feel for the athletes that don't support the war, but if you are having a giant get-together of the world's best athletes, seems like the bare minimum requirement for a country to get in, don't currently be murdering innocent people in a baseless, unprovoked war.

If you want to include the US if they are ever doing that (or any other country) cool. Yes it's mostly a symbolic gesture, but, you know, that's actually important too.

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Willheimer t1_jbo7rsj wrote

The Olympics is supposed to bring nations together in the spirit of celebrating athletic achievement. That spirit still underlies it BUT is buried deep under IOC corruption and national sports programs cheating (doping, judging scandals, etc) and bribery by countries to host obscenely expensive and socio/enviro/economically questionable extravaganzas of one-upmanship.

The Olympics are dead. Their ratings drop every occurrence. The world cups compete with them for the real fans of individual events.

Any athlete calling for a boycott of another nations athlete is just virtue signaling while ignoring the rot that has existed for decades.

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gbsurfer t1_jbq4ps7 wrote

About 5% of the NHL is Russian. If you want to ban Olympic athletes, you need to ban all athletes from international competitions

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KingofdeSnails t1_jbsnq69 wrote

The whataboutism laced copium in this thread is preem tier

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merinid t1_jbnkzy8 wrote

Stupid times require stupid solutions

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beeafletcherberry t1_jbowvtx wrote

Block all Russians from competing,AND kick all Russian Nationals out of the NHL. Russian tennis players should not be competing on the world stage either

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Mr1ntexxx t1_jbpba8t wrote

What the actual fuck lol. You people are so propagandized it's ridiculous

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beeafletcherberry t1_jbqg5qw wrote

I expected disagreement with people. This isn’t the first time I’ve posted this sentiment. I also expect the kind of undereducated response I got from you. Let’s go slow. What is the problem with my take? Give me your argument

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pingusuperfan t1_jboxh4h wrote

They didn’t block Americans during the Iraq war, this feels a little hypocritical

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atjones111 t1_jbo9emy wrote

Such a strange sentiment to have as an athlete, like bruh you want to be banned from competing in something you put your life into just because of your governments actions foh, what about every country Canada blindly follows america into invading. Anti Russian propaganda is successful

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danny-thedude t1_jboa0i1 wrote

True. Any retaliation like this always hurts more common people. Putin doesn't give a shit.

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atjones111 t1_jboc7qr wrote

Any Russian athlete who was “pro west” certainly won’t be if they are banned from competing

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whiskeyisthesafeword t1_jbor3or wrote

Russia invades another country and you called the negative sentiment propaganda. Absolutely brain dead take

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atjones111 t1_jbp4hk7 wrote

Because it is, it’s getting you to turn on the Russian people when they aren’t the problem it’s Putin and the oligarchs who enable him, turn on your brain and think for a few moments

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Boggie135 t1_jbpequ0 wrote

This is nothing new, countries like South Africa was banned from the Olympics because of Apartheid

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Doraellen t1_jbsf3ti wrote

So let them defect and represent other countries.

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atjones111 t1_jbtdoao wrote

Other countries russophobia won’t allow it, and Russia won’t let them leave sooo, you can’t just defect to another country you have to visas asylum etc, it’s not as simple as fly to America

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Doraellen t1_jbu9s24 wrote

International athletes already have lots of opportunities to leave the country for competitions, they just have to stay once they are there. Happened literally dozens of times during the Cold War. As for visas, the US has given EB-1s to lots of athletes from other places. I'm a figure skating fan and due to the scarcity of male partners in dance and pairs, it is very common for US ladies to find partners abroad and bring them over with the EB-1. In years past, Russia didn't even quibble or try to prevent skaters from leaving, as they view individuals as disposable and easily replaced. There are more reasons than war for some athletes to want to leave Russia!

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FrogMonkee t1_jbodte8 wrote

Ban Americans from the Olympics too

Take away Michael Phelps's medals so we don't have to hear about that shit anymore either

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923kjd t1_jbosmyn wrote

Russia CANNOT take part in the Olympics, nor in fact any facet of civilized global life until they show complete contrition and take full responsibility for their actions in Ukraine and elsewhere. This must include reparations in full for the destruction they have caused. This will not happen in a single generation. Until then, fuck them one and all. And for Christ’s sake kick them the hell out of the UN altogether. Never mind the Security Council. Do it right fucking now!

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Picolete t1_jbnushi wrote

Shouldn't they block Americans too, as their country is always invading another nation?

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JeffFromSchool t1_jbo74xw wrote

Then you'd have to block the entire Western World, and many parts of the Eastern world, too, because we've always had everyone's backing.

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a_canadian_abroad t1_jbolwa1 wrote

I’m not opposed to many of The United States’ interventions abroad but your statement is not nuanced at all. Many countries opposed the invasion of Iraq, the Vietnam War and the numerous coups and proxy wars in Latin America (El Salvador, Nicaragua, Chile, etc.)

American foreign policy has a checkered past and any attempt to characterize it as all good or all bad is a gross oversimplification. As is saying there was universal support for any one of their military actions since 1945.

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JeffFromSchool t1_jbomiat wrote

Many countries did, but many countries didn't.

While we haven't always had everyone's backing, we've always had someone's backing. The US's foreign policy history is certainly checkered, but every single country can find themselves somewhere in one of the black squares, too. Some, many more than one square. That's my point.

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a_canadian_abroad t1_jbomli8 wrote

Agreed.

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JeffFromSchool t1_jbomsds wrote

And while we're here pointing fingers, Canada is on quite a few of those black squares, and has greatly benefited from the ones that it isn't on.

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a_canadian_abroad t1_jboonei wrote

Canada has had a few dark spots in its history. Of particular note is our history with the First Nations, as every country in the Americas treated indigenous people very poorly indeed.

Canada has certainly benefited from friendly relations with The United States and it’s my hope that both our countries continue to benefit from that relationship.

By and large, however, Canada has not been a terribly aggressive actor on the international stage. Certainly not compared to The United States’ history of overthrowing democracies that don’t toe their line or having inconvenient leaders killed. Or even the Canadian mistreatment of First Nations, as bad as it was, can not compare to the barbarity of the trail of tears and the American “Indian” Wars.

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a_canadian_abroad t1_jboovhj wrote

I don’t think the “who has the least guilt for international atrocity” fight is a fight an American is going to win against a Canadian.

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JeffFromSchool t1_jbopopy wrote

That's not the game we're playing. The game we're playing is "don't be a hypocrite". Canada is complicate in more of the US's foreign policy blunders than a lot of other countries.

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JeffFromSchool t1_jbor6zy wrote

Dude, by the time Canada came around, the United States had already had it's Civil War, abolished slavery and had expanded out to California. You weren't even around to get involved in any of that.

You were settled by western Europeans, too. You'd have been right by our side if you didn't show up to the party so late. What Canada did to the First Nations was all it could do at that point in history. Given the chance, no doubt it would have been worse.

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a_canadian_abroad t1_jbovvaa wrote

Canada and the us were settled at the same time. Jamestown and Quebec City were the first two permanent European settlements in North America. And settled within months of each other. The history of Europeans in Canada didn’t begin in 1867 just like the history of Europeans in the united states doesn’t begin in 1776.

Before the 20th century the United States was almost completely isolationist. This discussion was about international conflicts. Since the Spanish American war the United States has become involved with a large number of foreign conflicts, some have benefited the world, the Second World War, the Korean War, (both of which Canada also fought in). More recently, the Bosnian conflict, the Grenadian conflict, Rwanda and other have all been defensible if not outright boons to freedom, democracy and good government.

There have been others, named above in previous comments where the unites states has pursued self interest to the detriment of human rights, democracy, and common decency. Can you name a single conflict in which Canada has done the same?

To your last point, if only countries without any marks on their records can comment on the records of others, by what right do you judge Russian foreign policy?

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JeffFromSchool t1_jbp19eq wrote

>Canada and the us were settled at the same time. Jamestown and Quebec City were the first two permanent European settlements in North America. And settled within months of each other. The history of Europeans in Canada didn’t begin in 1867 just like the history of Europeans in the united states doesn’t begin in 1776.

Right, but everything until 1867 is generally shrugged off as "done by the French/British settlers, not us". Hell, that might as well have been the Canadian governments official slogan until the 21st century.

>There have been others, named above in previous comments where the unites states has pursued self interest to the detriment of human rights, democracy, and common decency. Can you name a single conflict in which Canada has done the same?

Yes. To use your examples above, Vietnam (through logistical support) and Afghanistan. After all, Canadian snipers didn't get a reputation as among the world's best in the modern age by staying in Canada and shooting paper targets.

Also, I'm very curious to hear why you have such a high opinion of the Korean War and not the Vietnam war, considering the many parallels between them.

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a_canadian_abroad t1_jbp237a wrote

The Korean War was undertaken by the United Nations. There WAS an international consensus there.

That may be your perspective on the Canadian attitude to its history but I’m here to tell you that my teachers as a kid couldn’t shut up about Cartier, Champlain and Cabot. They would go on and on about McKenzie and Hudson and the Hudson’s bay company. To their credit, I learned from fairly early on about smallpox blankets and residential schools.

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JeffFromSchool t1_jbp2xd2 wrote

The only reason the Korean War was undertaken by the UN and not Vietnam is because during Korea, the USSR was boycotting the UN for recognizing Taiwan as the true China immediately after the communist government took over and didn't have veto power in the Security Council. They were an active member of the security council during Vietnam and would have vetoed any resolution that didn't support the Viet Minh.

If that's literally your only reason, I think you might want to look back and re-examine that "international consensus"

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thomasrat1 t1_jbp03jb wrote

Terrible idea, the Olympics are supposed to bring us all together.

You don’t really need brought together unless you’re having problems.

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Boggie135 t1_jbpe738 wrote

South Africa was banned from the Olympics during apartheid

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felipecarz t1_jbomqpv wrote

I hope the situation in Ukraine is not being taken advantage of just to get rid of some good and undeniably talented competition

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t-bonestallone t1_jbmdkw0 wrote

Canada putting their foot down. Late and soft as usual.

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thekeezler t1_jbn6unx wrote

What’s everyone else doing?

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Seantwist9 t1_jbnqpq4 wrote

The right thing, letting them compete

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mutantsofthemonster t1_jbntwfm wrote

”Canada was among 35 countries that released a joint statement in February calling on the IOC to clarify the definition of "neutrality" and pledging their support for banning Russians and Belarusians from international competitions.”

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Quakarot t1_jbnugga wrote

Also Russians are particularly infamous for doping

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