Last week, Rose House hosted a viewing of the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in the dining hall. I highly enjoyed the event, watching with other Rose Scholars and cheering when countries we identified with came into the arena (such as Australia, where I studied abroad last semester). However, although the games themselves identify a time in which people and countries can come together, like myself and my fellow Rose House residents, not everyone was allowed to participate in the excitement.

It is fairly common knowledge that as punishment for Russia’s doping scandal, the country of Russia was not permitted to compete at the Winter Olympics. Instead, members of Russia’s Olympic team instead were identified under “Olympic Athletes from Russia”, and a volunteer carried an Olympic flag rather than a Russian Olympian with Russia’s flag when the athletes walked into the Opening Ceremonies. In addition to these restrictions, not all of the Olympians were permitted to participate in the games, including 47 athletes and coaches whose petition to participate in the Olympics was rejected just hours before the Opening Ceremony began.

Although I can understand the need for regulation, as Russia should be punished for using the doping program, I don’t quite agree with the need to restrict certain athletes from participating, especially since the athletes who petitioned and were denied didn’t seem to be involved in the program. I appreciate that some Russian athletes have been permitted to participate in the Winter Olympics, but if the athletes themselves are not at fault, they should be allowed to participate as well.

While I will continue to enjoy the events of this year’s Winter Olympics with all the athletes involved, I hope that the Russian athletes denied participation will gain the opportunity participate in the next Winter Olympics.

nytimes.com/2018/02/08/sports/olympics/cas-russia-doping.html

http://tass.com/sport/989294