Dutch gymnast Yuri van Gelder has been expelled from the Olympics for “gravely” violating team rules after leaving team base and getting shitcocked after securing his place in the rings final.
The 33-year-old former rings world champion in 2005 snuck out of Olympic village on Saturday night and returned early Sunday morning after getting bamboozled all night.
Now, this certainly seems like a classic case of the punishment outweighing the crime, especially when you consider that the rings final isn’t set to take place until August 15th, NINE days after Yuri’s drinking binge.
But, according to Stuff, the Dutch team has imposed strict rules for their athletes in Rio. Media reports indicate that, among other rules, they are forbidden to enter Rio for safety reasons and athletes who have completed their events must return home so they don’t distract their teammates still participating.
Dutch team chef de mission Maurits Hendriks said in a statement on Tuesday:
“It’s terrible for Yuri, but this kind of behaviour is unacceptable. In sports terms this is a disaster, but we had no other choice given the violation of our values.” (via)
It should be noted that this is far from Yuri’s first time in the dog house. In 2009, he was reportedly suspended from the Dutch Gymnastics Union for doing cocaine three days before the national championships. In 2010, he withdrew from the World Championships after admitting using cocaine.
Twitter reacted accordingly.
https://twitter.com/creatiffdutch/status/762815463051161602
De Olympische Ringen van Yuri van Gelder. pic.twitter.com/xPoRgYNy4F
— hanlandman (@hanlandman) August 9, 2016
https://twitter.com/HerestheFuture/status/762906780389240832
Exit 》Yuri van Gelder
"Lord of the Drinks"
#TeamNL pic.twitter.com/JmJFf56lhz— Edwin (@Edwin_Thoonen) August 9, 2016
Poor Yuri. You gotta think that at least half these athletes are using some sort of undetected illegal stimulant (*cough cough Russia*), and when a 33-year-old man tries to unwind with a few beers knowing he’s got a week to recover, his own team gets all high and mighty and destroys his dream. Moral fiber doesn’t win medals, Netherlands. That’s why you’ve only won one thus far. Us Americans: 19. Or, in other words, one for every beer Yuri gassed the other night.
[h/t LADbible]