Russian Doping Rate Skyrockets
Some Russian athletes may be looking for an artificial boost ahead of February’s Winter Olympics.
Russia’s national anti-doping agency, according to R-Sport, says the number of suspected doping cases over the first nine months of this year is nearly double that of a year ago.
Officials say increased testing has led to the higher number of positives.
"From the start of the year, sanctions for various breaches have been applied to 88 athletes," said RUSADA in a statement on its website. "More than 80 further cases are in the investigation and judgment stages."
Competitions covered by testing include Olympic test events, August’s IAAF World Championships in Moscow, and the World University Games in Kazan.
Georgia NGOs Push for Boycott
Non-governmental organizations in Georgia are citing a border dispute with Russia in their calls for the former Soviet republic to boycott Sochi 2014.
Nino Lomjaria of the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy says Russian troops are "putting up barbed wire across villages, splitting them in parts at the South Ossetian border."
"Boycotting the Olympics gives Georgia a perfect opportunity all over again to show what Russia is doing here," Lomjaria told Bloomberg.
About 5,000 people have signed the petition, which will be sent to the prime minister and the Olympic committee.
Second Phase of Ticket Sales
Those who missed out on purchasing tickets to the upcoming Winter Olympics are being given another chance as Sochi 2014 has revealed plans for the second phase of ticket sales.
According to a release from Sochi 2014, tickets are available for all events, as well as the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. Russian residents can purchase through the Games’ website, while foreign supporters can contact their local national Olympic committee or an authorized ticket reseller.
"I am very excited that Russian fans will get to experience the spirit of the Olympic Games first hand and lend their invaluable support to the athletes from around the world," said ice hockey star Alexander Ovechkin, a Sochi 2014 ambassador.
Ticket prices remain the same. For certain events with a high ticket demand, like ice hockey, figure skating, and the Opening Ceremony, there is a limit of four tickets per person. Most events have a limit of eight tickets per person.
Live Sites Announced for Winter Games
Winter Olympics supporters in 16 cities across Russia will be able to watch the Games at Live Site venues.
The venues, according to R-Sport, will include big screens, stages, music, contests, and other live entertainment for those unable to travel to Sochi.
Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, and Novosibirsk are among the cities that will host Live Sites in addition to Sochi.
Similar projects have occurred at several Olympic sites going back to Sydney in 2000. The main site in London’s Hyde Park received 75,000 visitors a day last year, while Vancouver’s site at the last Winter Games drew 35,000 fans a day.
Reported by Nick Devlin
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