In the Olympics, winning and representing your country is a big accomplishment, but what if you cannot represent your country? Russia has to stop cheating because it is not fair for the other Russian athletes who are innocent. Russia cheated lots of times over the years at the Olympics. Because of this, all the other athletes who are good cannot win for their country. Lots of the athletes cheated by using drugs for muscle and speed. Yet, this is not fair for the other Russian athletes who were clean.
Russia was caught cheating at the Olympics in 2008, 2010, 2019, and 2022. Most of the athletes cheated and won around 46 medals and same as other Russia-related teams. Then, the 46 medals were taken away from Russia once they were found out. Then, Russia was banned as a team to compete in the Olympics. They cheated four times at the Olympics all by using drugs. Russia has the most players who have been caught with drugs with more than 150 athletes. The amount they were using and caught with caused the ban of Russia. Some were able to win but got caught later on.
But how do the athletes hide the cheating and keep it a secret? They used drugs like trimetazidine and erythropoietinthat help them run, be strong, and other things. Russia had stopped drug-testing data to hide a drug program for more than 1,000 athletes. Some of Russia’s Secret Service in the Olympics helped and intimidated other lab workers to cover up positive drug tests. Russian athletes used different identities to avoid positive testing. All of this was Russia’s cheating scheme. Clean Russian athletes are affected by this and miss out on the pride and joy of being able to represent and win for their country. Most Russian athletes with the cheating scheme back then got caught and were punished. One example is Darya Klishina who was a long jumper. She was one Russian athlete who didn’t cheat, was good at what she did, and has won some championships. In 2016, she had to compete but with a neutral flag, not from a country. It must have been bad or maybe embarrassing to compete with a neutral flag and not your own while the other competitors did. She is one of the good athletes who have been affected by the ban of Russia in the Olympics, and her work and skill will pay off because eventually she will win. It is sad that Russia cheated throughout the years and now this is affecting other athletes who are clean with not being able to represent their country. This cheating needs to be stopped, so that all athletes can represent their country. It’s only fair.
