Athletes Commend IBSF For Stripping Sochi of Hosting Duties

(ATR) Two-time Olympic medalist Elana Meyers Taylor tells Around the Rings that the bobsleigh and skeleton federation made the correct decision moving the 2017 world championships from Sochi.

The decision announced Tuesday by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF), followed increasing demands by athletes to hold the championships, scheduled for Feb. 13-26, outside of Russia. The IBSF says another location will be announced in the coming days.

"The biggest thing is having an environment and having a world championships where all the athletes felt safe, and unfortunately that wasn’t the case in Sochi," Meyers Taylor, a silver medalist in Sochi 2014, told ATR.

The decision was made in light of numerous allegations on doping abuse and manipulations in Russian sport – including that samples from 12 Russian medalists at Sochi 2014 had been tampered with – mentioned in Friday’s McLaren Report.

"From what we know based upon the McLaren Report, we could not know 100 percent and no could assure me 100 percent that we would be safe as far as doping, sample tampering, food tampering or anything like that," Meyers Taylor said.

Meyers Taylor and U.S. teammates, including well-known track and field stars Lolo Jones and Lauryn Williams, took to Twitter to protest the staging of the world championships on the Russian Olympic track. The Latvian and South Korean federations also issued statements advising they would boycott if the event was not relocated from Russia.

"Hopefully, it shows that we (the athletes) do have a voice and what we say matters," Meyers Taylor said, speaking on behalf of her fellow athletes.

"Refusing to attend might have more weight than we thought it would. It just shows how dire that we really felt something needed to be changed," said the 32-year-old bobsledder. "To have it actually happen is a huge step."

Meyers Taylor noted that a boycott of the entire U.S. team would likely not have happened if the championship remained in Russia. Lower ranked athletes would have been offered the opportunity to compete and she believes some would have taken it.

"We were never in the situation where it was going to be a complete boycott," Meyers Taylor added.

The two-time Olympic bobsled medalist also praised IBSF president Ivo Ferriani and the federation for what was likely a painstaking decision.

"A huge credit to the IBSF on that move and that regard – I really believe it was a move for the athletes," Meyers Taylor said. "We all know how doping is handled universally is kind of a mess right now and this is not just a Russia issue.

"With the political environment, and all the accusations and stuff flying back and forth between Trump and Putin, it really heightens the environment.

"As athletes we don’t really want to get caught up in the politics, but we know it has to happen for our sport to function, so the fact that the IBSF really made a stand for clean athletes really says a lot."

New Venue for World Championship?

Speculation is that the upcoming world championships will be moved to a German track, perhaps to Koenigssee.

Some athletes have expressed desire to see Lake Placid and Lillehammer considered.

The Russian Bobsleigh Federation (RBF) intends to discuss with IBSF compensation for relocating the 2017 World Championship from the Olympic resort city of Sochi, RBF President and Sochi double gold medalist Alexander Zubkov told the Russian news agency TASS on Wednesday.

"The preparations for the World Championship were underway in line with the schedule and the boycott of a single country could not have possibly brought such drastic changes," Zubkov told TASS.

"However, when one refusal followed the other and so on, the international federation had to convene its Executive Committee for a session and it made the decision to relocate the championship.

"As for the possible compensation for our preparations for the world championship, we are currently reviewing our agreement with the IBSF and will be then discussing this issue," he added.

Women’s Four-Person Bobsleigh in 2022?

At this weekend’s Lake Placid World Cup, Meyers Taylor will not only race in the two-woman event, but also drive a heavy four-man sled against the boys. Elana’s husband, Nicholas Taylor, will be part of her crew.

It will mark the third time that the two-time Olympic pilot has raced against the men at a World Cup race.

There is hope that a ladies four-person event will be added to the Beijing 2022 program, however Meyers Taylor is realistic about a decision come 2018.

"We need to get our numbers up [countries competing] in women’s two-man and right now, it does not look good for inclusion for 2022, but we’re still going to push and drive for it. I strongly believe it will happen one day."

Written by Brian Pinelli

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