Topic: Greece Going To Olympic Games!!!

[Shaun Le Conte]

If any preference is going to be given for anything, it should be tied to the strength and transparency of the nation's OOC program. But, really the slots should be equally divided among nations with remainders divided with a lottery or something.

To put a country's anti-doping program as the #1 criteria for an Olympic selection process to me seems to elevate anti-doping even above the sport itself.

I believe the current system of awarding spots based on ranking of performance is the best system available. Considering the current scarcity of available spots and the demand by countries to send as many representatives as possible, there definitely needs to be some way to award representation. The IWF could do as you suggest and distribute them equally among nations, however there are 167 nations affiliated to the IWF. Shared equally, there'd only be 1 lifter per country. If we reduce the spread and say, count only those countries who participate in world championships (approximately 70 countries in 2007, though there would likely be more participants under different circumstances),  then there would be between 2 and 3 lifters per nation. An alternative would be some form of proportional representation based on national population, but is this what people want the Olympics to become? Is it an ultimate sporting event, or a group hug on a global scale?

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

To put a country's anti-doping program as the #1 criteria for an Olympic selection process to me seems to elevate anti-doping even above the sport itself.

There is no sport without a level playing field, only a mirage. As for the numbers, I don't know all the details to dispute them but principle should come first. It is also possible that many countries would not utilize their slots and those unused slots could also be redistributed in an equatable fashion. As far as the Olympic ideal, in my mind it was supposed to be about peaceful participation and competition among nations- not winning at any cost (stealing/war). I also believe a more equatable approach would only increase our leverage for getting more slots from the IOC whereas now there is little motivation for them to do so. But, I doubt anything will change. I pretty much assume these doping bribes are being used to line the pockets of some suits somewhere and/or provide executive perks, at least in part. Doping is obviously highly profitable for the IWF.

[AlekoKouva]

I dont think you understood me....greece didnt get caught using steroids when winning the slots...therefore they werent using them...in fact they got mitrou and sambanis to lift again to help them win spots...

[AlekoKouva]

obviously im gonna defend them..but that doesnt change the fact they got caught...

[John Way]

"at least there will be a new greek federation led by dimas" maybe he can recruit some "greek" russian - albanians with a work ethic (dimas, sabanis, kakhi, mitrou, leonidis etc etc, who knows

so did dimas ever get tested for "the clear" or did that start 2004??