russian invaders are losing at the frontline.
But at least they captured another Washing Machine.
But at least they captured another Washing Machine.
The thing is all sport has a regulatory body. In motorsport its the FIA, in olympics its the IOC. This regulatory body has authority over partcipants willing to compete under events it held and they have the power to force participants to respect whatever deems as law. Any sort of defianxce means sanctions.
In this case the IOC just show how helpless it is against popular opinion in only one part of the world. That Olga Kharlan lady refuses to shake hands ? Pftt, get the fuck out of the sport entirely. That's how regulatory body works. That's how it works everywhere.
She is well within her rights to refuse a handshake....or boycott in first place. I have no issue with her decision.
I would likely do the same if my country were in a war with another and the other athlete/competitor had kin involved in the war that has spilled blood of my countryfolk in ongoing or recent war of relevance to me.
Same for other countryfolk of mine doing the same...I would support them under the circumstance known to them and me....but again IOC is to uphold everything consistently and give none of us special favours on this. Other countries simply dont understand what we understand on wars/conflicts concerning us, they are closer to us.....and their wars are closer to them.
Why are we pitting one as exceptional over another?
i.e I would do so knowing I am not going to get any favour from IOC, infact taking the hit there (that everyone else does) would be something I already weighed in. i.e that would be full part of my protest....I take the hit to make a full stand on some issue....war or otherwise if it is important to me.
That every country on this matter is treated absolutely equally by the international body and with consistent deference to precedence.... that has set the rules and conventions that everyone agreed to before competing....knowing the penalties of disobeying (however justified they are personally)....is important thing in end.
So now that its thrown away makes IOC another shallow flimsy body in the end to me. All their previous penalty impositions on same matter are thrown into dustbin by them by this....but there will be no corrective action that can be taken on those.
Double standards, hypocrisy here with some group of countries (i.e western in this case) being more equal than others attracts my distaste and ire towards IOC and any other making specific exceptions selectively for them.
But there is a growing maelstrom of double standards impacting Western countries increasingly, this side of pond (US, Canada) I am increasingly familiar with. So in a sense I know where this is bleeding over from into so called international institutions/bodies as well even more so than before.
If its a personal choice no problem, its the IOC as the Olympic governing body that I find problematic
In the past people are sent home for refusing handshake with participants from enemy country.
El Shehaby, who was sent home by his own team, lost the fight on Friday and was reprimanded by the IOC for his actions.The athlete said he did not want to shake hands with an Israeli, nor was he obliged to do so under judo rules, but the IOC said his behavior went against the rules and spirit of the Olympic Games and the rules of fair play.“The Disciplinary Commission (DC) considered that his behavior at the end of the competition was contrary to the rules of fair play and against the spirit of friendship embodied in the Olympic Values,” the IOC said.
Egyptian judoka sent home over handshake refusal with Israeli
Egyptian judoka Islam El Shehaby has been sent home from the Rio Olympics after refusing to shake the hand of Israeli Or Sasson following the end of their bout, the International Olympic Committee said on Monday.www.reuters.com
In the case of Ukraine, the IOC backed down from its earlier DQ, just hours after it was issued (although it was later stated that next year she will be granted place).
From my perspective this looks like favoritrism, just because Ukraine is in Europe and people are symphatizing with them. No one ever talked about for example why the Egyptians or Arabs in general refuses to shake hands with an Israeli (a clear enemy country and entity for the whole Arab world).
You could see the vast difference in tone when it comes to Olga from this statement:
The IOC said Thursday that sports governing bodies should show “sensitivity” on issues involving Ukrainians and neutral athletes from Russia – an apparent suggestion that the FIE made an error.One day later, Bach wrote to Kharlan acknowledging a “roller coaster of emotions and feelings” she must have.Reading this and what comes in my mind is, OH! only Ukrainian athletes has a "roller coaster of emotions and feeling" and not lets say people from the Arab world which have to share their lands with settlers from Europe.
Olga Khrarlan refuses shaking hands ? no problem, but the OIC should made it clear it will not have them tolerated in any of its events. Ever.
What would you have Biden do, declare war on Russia by launching 500 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Russian positions, sending hundreds of strike fighters to carpet bomb them with further hundreds JASSMs, then follow it up by dropping thousands of JDAMS, Paveways and other guided bombs on the front? Then give Ukraine 1000 Bradleys, 1000 Strykers and 1000 Abrams and tell them to advance at will? It's not realistic.
Even T1 from RAF of UK could be utilized.He didn’t have to declare war on Russia, but he could have given Ukraine a few dozen F-16s, as well as a few hundred JASSMs, JDAMS, ATACMS and Tomahawks.
It is a shame that to this day Ukraine only has a few cruise missiles from the UK, while the US has yet to deliver any. They should have been given cruise missiles long time ago in order to be able to strike the Russian fleet in Sevastopol and the Kerch bridge.
An increase in missiles and long range firepower would have greatly improved Ukrainian morale and would have reduced losses.
The absence of a capable air force greatly reduces the offensive capability of the Ukrainians, and allowing the Russians to safely deploy Helicopters to destroy Ukrainian tanks and IFVs makes the offensive a lot less effective and increases casualties.
It is obvious that Ukraine doesn’t have the full capability to conduct the offensive in a way that reduces losses. The US would never storm a defended position like that, without air superiority and a massive destruction of defences through long range strikes first.
The fact that they encouraged Ukrainians to attack like that shows a total disregard for the life of their soldies, which is disgusting.
Why are they still holding off from sending cruise missiles and ATACMS, and why does it take so much time to start training on F-16s?
Utilized as what ? in CAS the JDAM's have not yet proven themselves, in A2A mission it will be laughtered going face to face with Russian MiG-31s and Su-35s as T1 doesn't have the ability to fire BVR, in SEAD/DEAD mission its not useful as well.Even T1 from RAF of UK could be utilized.
Again, there is no reality in which Ukraine was going to achieve the type of air superiority that the United States has had during it's modern armoured invasions. A couple dozens F-16's was / is not achieving air superiority with Russian S-300 and S-400 systems all over the Russian rear and hundreds of VKS aircraft available in support. The idea of a couple of F-16 squadrons being able to cleanse the skies, run significant SEAD missions and simultaneously perform CAS, is completely ignoring the complexity of the situation in Southern Ukraine. F-16s are not F-22s (nor eould Ukraine even grt the newest block F-16s) with AWACS support. Russia has peer aircraft, with peer weapon suites.He didn’t have to declare war on Russia, but he could have given Ukraine a few dozen F-16s, as well as a few hundred JASSMs, JDAMS, ATACMS and Tomahawks.
It is a shame that to this day Ukraine only has a few cruise missiles from the UK, while the US has yet to deliver any. They should have been given cruise missiles long time ago in order to be able to strike the Russian fleet in Sevastopol and the Kerch bridge.
An increase in missiles and long range firepower would have greatly improved Ukrainian morale and would have reduced losses.
The absence of a capable air force greatly reduces the offensive capability of the Ukrainians, and allowing the Russians to safely deploy Helicopters to destroy Ukrainian tanks and IFVs makes the offensive a lot less effective and increases casualties.
It is obvious that Ukraine doesn’t have the full capability to conduct the offensive in a way that reduces losses. The US would never storm a defended position like that, without air superiority and a massive destruction of defences through long range strikes first.
The fact that they encouraged Ukrainians to attack like that shows a total disregard for the life of their soldies, which is disgusting.
Why are they still holding off from sending cruise missiles and ATACMS, and why does it take so much time to start training on F-16s?
If ukraine had 50 more fighter of any sort even if they were flying low and somewhat away from frontline with cheaper cruise missiles and some air to air, anti radiation missiles they could still be a significant boost to ukraine. You need a good bit of everything. Purely land based army can only do so much. F16 can immediately use a wider range of western munitions so that's just extraAgain, there is no reality in which Ukraine was going to achieve the type of air superiority that the United States has had during it's modern armoured invasions. A couple dozens F-16's was / is not achieving air superiority with Russian S-300 and S-400 systems all over the Russian rear and hundreds of VKS aircraft available in support. The idea of a couple of F-16 squadrons being able to cleanse the skies, run significant SEAD missions and simultaneously perform CAS, is completely ignoring the complexity of the situation in Southern Ukraine. F-16s are not F-22s (nor eould Ukraine even grt the newest block F-16s) with AWACS support. Russia has peer aircraft, with peer weapon suites.
A mechanized counter attack in Ukraine was always going to be bloody.