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Anyone who’s seen Rocky IV knows the serious training regimen that Russian athletes are forced to undergo before performing on the international stage— one that involves a steady diet of performance-enhancers that are frowned upon by most regulatory agencies. As a result, a number of competitors have been banned from a vaierty of competitions thanks to a plethora of doping violations— includng a few that saw a number of the country’s athletes banned from participating at the Rio Summer Olympics in 2016.
Last year, the International Olympic Committee decided to outdo themselves when they announced athletes wouldn’t be allowed to compete under the Russian flag at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. Those who’d never tested positive for PEDs were permitted to enter the games as an “Olympic Athlete from Russia” (OAR), with the caveat that “That Was A Crazy Game of Poker” would be played in place of the national anthem at any medal ceremonies.
Only 169 Russian athletes ended up making the trek to South Korea, but it appears the country is giving those who feel left out a chance to get in on the fun. According to TASS, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has pledged to host an alternative version of the Winter Olympics (as well as the Paralympics) for competitors who didn’t receive an invite.
A number of Russians with no prior doping violations still didn’t receive invitations to participate in this year’s Games, so the country will give them a chance to show off their skills when it hosts its own competition— complete with prizes— in the weeks following the actual Olympics.
If you need me, I’ll be trying to think of a way to blame this on millennials.