A boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics would not bring home two Canadian men detained in China for more than two years or force a change to China`s human rights record but would only punish athletes, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) said on Thursday. 
 
With the Feb. 4-20 Beijing Winter Games scheduled to start in exactly one year, the COC put out an op-ed confirming a commitment to take part in the 2022 Games as calls grow to boycott the event or have it moved from China. 
 
"My regular communication with athletes is via athletes commissions and we have had a few conversations on this topic but I must confess they don`t last very long," COC chief executive officer David Shoemaker told Reuters. 
 
"Our Canadian athletes are very much looking forward to the next two Olympic Games in Tokyo and Beijing. 
 
"Calls for boycotts aren`t new. Having said that, we do have a heightened level of concern." 
 
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) echoed a similar position on Wednesday saying they oppose boycotts because "they have been shown to negatively impact athletes while not effectively addressing global issues". 
 
A group of U.S. Senators, however, have a very different view, introducing a resolution calling on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to move the Beijing Olympics following the U.S.’ designation the Chinese government was perpetrating a genocide by repressing Uighur Muslims in its Xinjiang region. 
 
GET TOUGH 
 
Canada`s participation at the Beijing Games has been further put in the spotlight by China`s detention of businessman Michael Spavor and former diplomat Michael Kovrig in what Canada views as retribution for the arrest of Huawei Technologies Co Ltd Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou on a U.S. warrant. 
 
As Kovrig and Spavor languish in prison, calls for the Canadian government to get tough with China have grown. 
 
A July poll found more than half of Canadians believe Ottawa should take more aggressive action to persuade Beijing to release the two men who face spying charges. 
 
The COC underlined that it supports that effort but not at the expense of athletes, who too often have been the pawns in geo-political disputes. 
 
"We referenced the two Michaels in our op ed and we have had conversations with the government and directly with the Canadian ambassador to China," said Shoemaker. 
 
"We understand all of the issues of concern to Canadians in China and they are being addressed by the Canadian government as the highest priority. 
 
"It is our view that this is where we should place our trust and confidence and the Canadian Olympic Committee and Paralympic Committee focus should be on delivering inspiring teams." 
 
PAST BOYCOTTS 
 
The IOC is no stranger to boycotts or the threat of one. 
 
The U.S. led a boycott of the 1980 Moscow Summer Games over the Soviet Union`s presence in Afghanistan. 
 
Four years later in a tit-for-tat response the Soviet Union led a boycott of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. 
 
Canada`s senior IOC member Dick Pound says in both instances nothing was accomplished. 
 
"If the Canadian government is mad at the Chinese government, it knows how to get that message to them," Pound told Reuters. "There are all kinds of recognised international measures available. 
 
"In 1980, the Canadian government leaned all over the COC and, over my dead body, capitulated, and it turned out the boycott was the only significant measure they took. 
 
"They know it is an ineffective gesture." 
 
 
 
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto. Editing by Ken Ferris) 
&nbsp;

A boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics would not bring home two Canadian men detained in China for more than two years or force a change to China`s human rights record but would only punish athletes, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) said on Thursday.

A boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics would not bring home two Canadian men detained in China for more than two years or force a change to China`s human rights record but would only punish athletes, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) said on Thursday. With the Feb. 4-20 Beijing Winter Games scheduled to start in exactly one year, the COC put out an op-ed confirming a commitment to take part in the 2022 Games as calls grow to boycott the event or have it moved from China. "My regular communication with athletes is via athletes commissions and we have had a few conversations on this topic but I must confess they don`t last very long," COC chief executive officer David Shoemaker told Reuters. "Our Canadian athletes are very much looking forward to the next two Olympic Games in Tokyo and Beijing. "Calls for boycotts aren`t new. Having said that, we do have a heightened level of concern." The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) echoed a similar position on Wednesday saying they oppose boycotts because "they have been shown to negatively impact athletes while not effectively addressing global issues". A group of U.S. Senators, however, have a very different view, introducing a resolution calling on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to move the Beijing Olympics following the U.S.’ designation the Chinese government was perpetrating a genocide by repressing Uighur Muslims in its Xinjiang region. GET TOUGH Canada`s participation at the Beijing Games has been further put in the spotlight by China`s detention of businessman Michael Spavor and former diplomat Michael Kovrig in what Canada views as retribution for the arrest of Huawei Technologies Co Ltd Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou on a U.S. warrant. As Kovrig and Spavor languish in prison, calls for the Canadian government to get tough with China have grown. A July poll found more than half of Canadians believe Ottawa should take more aggressive action to persuade Beijing to release the two men who face spying charges. The COC underlined that it supports that effort but not at the expense of athletes, who too often have been the pawns in geo-political disputes. "We referenced the two Michaels in our op ed and we have had conversations with the government and directly with the Canadian ambassador to China," said Shoemaker. "We understand all of the issues of concern to Canadians in China and they are being addressed by the Canadian government as the highest priority. "It is our view that this is where we should place our trust and confidence and the Canadian Olympic Committee and Paralympic Committee focus should be on delivering inspiring teams." PAST BOYCOTTS The IOC is no stranger to boycotts or the threat of one. The U.S. led a boycott of the 1980 Moscow Summer Games over the Soviet Union`s presence in Afghanistan. Four years later in a tit-for-tat response the Soviet Union led a boycott of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Canada`s senior IOC member Dick Pound says in both instances nothing was accomplished. "If the Canadian government is mad at the Chinese government, it knows how to get that message to them," Pound told Reuters. "There are all kinds of recognised international measures available. "In 1980, the Canadian government leaned all over the COC and, over my dead body, capitulated, and it turned out the boycott was the only significant measure they took. "They know it is an ineffective gesture." (Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto. Editing by Ken Ferris)

Beijing boycott not the answer says Canadian Olympic Committee

Indian sport achieved its biggest success at the Olympics when Abhinav Bindra ended decades of cynicism by shooting down the 10m air rifle gold in 2008. Bindra was India's first and only individual Olympic champion but that win in Beijing was built on the back of crushing defeat at the Athens games 4 years previously. Bindra opens up on his journey to the Olympic gold with sports editor Digvijay Singh Deo and details the attention to detail that saw him turn self-doubt into his biggest triumph on the world stage

Wion Broadband Olympic Edition: One in a billion Abhinav Bindra's golden moment in 2008

There was a wave of optimism surrounding Indian Boxing ahead of the 2008 Olympics. Akhil Kumar was a strong medal contender but while he and Jitender Kumar lost in the medal rounds, Vijender Singh took centre stage as he won a Bronze in the Men’s 75kg event. Singh had taken up the sport to secure a government job, his medal at Beijing made him one of India’s most loved icons.

WION Broadband Olympics Edition: Bhiwani boy becomes a global star

Sushil Kumar and Vijender Singh won their Olympic medals in Beijing within a few hours of each other. Both were sons of the soil and both had to endure hardships growing up. The Olympic medal changed their lives in Beijing and both admit that it also opened a pathway for many more promising sportspersons from similar backgrounds to follow in their footsteps.

WION Broadband Olympics Edition: 3 medals that changed the sporting ecosystem

Jamaica&#39;s Usain Bolt has lost one of his nine Olympic gold medals and his perfect triple treble of Games&#39; sprint victories after team mate Nesta Carter was found guilty of doping at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Carter was found to have taken the prohibited substance methylhexaneamine, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said, meaning Jamaica&#39;s 4x100 metres relay team must give back their gold medals.

Bolt is considered one of the greatest sprinters of all time, having won an unprecedented treble of consecutive golds in the 100m, 200m and 4x100 relay in three straight Olympics.&nbsp;

&quot;It&#39;s heartbreaking (the positive test) because over the years you&#39;ve worked hard to accumulate gold medals and work hard to be a champion... but it&#39;s just one of those things,&quot; Bolt said.

&quot;Things happen in life, so when it&#39;s confirmed or whatever, if I need to give back my gold medal I&#39;d have to give it back, it&#39;s not a problem for me.&quot; Trinidad and Tobago are set to be promoted to gold in the Beijing 4x100, in which Jamaica set a then world record, with Japan moving up to silver and fourth-placed Brazil earning bronze.

A reallocation of medals is subject to any further results from the IOC anti-doping retesting programme.

First-leg specialist Carter has been a vital member of Jamaica&#39;s dominant squad, helping the Caribbean island win gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and the 2011, 2013 and 2015 world championships. Carter returned a positive result in re-tests of samples from the Beijing Olympics for the prohibited stimulant methylhexaneamine, the IOC said.

Asafa Powell, who has himself served a six-month doping ban, and Michael Frater completed the Jamaica sprint team at the 2008 race. Nesta was unavailable to comment on Wednesday&#39;s IOC announcement, while Powell and Crater declined to comment.

&quot;The Jamaican team is disqualified from the men&rsquo;s 4x100m relay event. The corresponding medals, medallist pins and diplomas are withdrawn and shall be returned,&quot; the IOC said.

&quot;The (international athletics&#39; federation) IAAF is requested to modify the results of the above-mentioned event accordingly and to consider any further action within its own competence.&quot;

Methylhexanamine has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code prohibited list since 2004 although it was reclassified on the 2011 list as a &quot;specified substance&quot;. 
The IOC programme of revisiting samples uses developments in testing techniques to find traces of drugs that were undetectable in 2008 or at the London 2012 Games.

More than 100 athletes have so far tested positive in re-tests from the Beijing and the London Olympics.

(Reuters)

Nesta Carter was found to have taken a prohibited substance, meaning Jamaica's relay team must return their gold medal

Jamaica's Usain Bolt has lost one of his nine Olympic gold medals and his perfect triple treble of Games' sprint victories after team mate Nesta Carter was found guilty of doping at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Carter was found to have taken the prohibited substance methylhexaneamine, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said, meaning Jamaica's 4x100 metres relay team must give back their gold medals. Bolt is considered one of the greatest sprinters of all time, having won an unprecedented treble of consecutive golds in the 100m, 200m and 4x100 relay in three straight Olympics. "It's heartbreaking (the positive test) because over the years you've worked hard to accumulate gold medals and work hard to be a champion... but it's just one of those things," Bolt said. "Things happen in life, so when it's confirmed or whatever, if I need to give back my gold medal I'd have to give it back, it's not a problem for me." Trinidad and Tobago are set to be promoted to gold in the Beijing 4x100, in which Jamaica set a then world record, with Japan moving up to silver and fourth-placed Brazil earning bronze. A reallocation of medals is subject to any further results from the IOC anti-doping retesting programme. First-leg specialist Carter has been a vital member of Jamaica's dominant squad, helping the Caribbean island win gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and the 2011, 2013 and 2015 world championships. Carter returned a positive result in re-tests of samples from the Beijing Olympics for the prohibited stimulant methylhexaneamine, the IOC said. Asafa Powell, who has himself served a six-month doping ban, and Michael Frater completed the Jamaica sprint team at the 2008 race. Nesta was unavailable to comment on Wednesday's IOC announcement, while Powell and Crater declined to comment. "The Jamaican team is disqualified from the men’s 4x100m relay event. The corresponding medals, medallist pins and diplomas are withdrawn and shall be returned," the IOC said. "The (international athletics' federation) IAAF is requested to modify the results of the above-mentioned event accordingly and to consider any further action within its own competence." Methylhexanamine has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code prohibited list since 2004 although it was reclassified on the 2011 list as a "specified substance". The IOC programme of revisiting samples uses developments in testing techniques to find traces of drugs that were undetectable in 2008 or at the London 2012 Games. More than 100 athletes have so far tested positive in re-tests from the Beijing and the London Olympics. (Reuters)

Usain Bolt loses relay gold after Jamaica's Carter fails drug test

Eleven weightlifters, including six medallists, produced positive samples in the second wave of doping retests from the 2012 London Olympics, the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) said yesterday. 
 
Russia&#39;s five-times European champion Nataliya Zabolotnaya was among three silver medallists from the London Games to fail tests along with compatriots Alexandr Ivanov and Svetlana Tzarukaeva. 
 
Zabolotnaya finished second in the women&rsquo;s -75kg event in London, repeating her silver-medal performance in Athens eight years earlier. 
 
Ivanov was world champion in 2010 and 2013 in the -94kg category, while Tzarukaeva won the world title in 2011 in the 63kg event. 
 
Other London medallists to fail tests included Iryna Kulesha of Belarus, Armenia&rsquo;s Hripsime Khurshudyan and Moldova&rsquo;s Cristina Iovu. 
 
The IWF said the 11 athletes have all been provisionally suspended. 
 
All the athletes who tested positive were found to have used the banned anabolic steroid Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone. 
 
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Friday that 45 athletes had failed dope tests after their samples from the 2008 Beijing Olympics and London 2012 were reanalysed. 
 
The second wave of retests included 138 samples from London 2012, involving athletes from two sports and nine countries. The London 2012 retests produced 15 failures. 
 
(Reuters)

All the athletes who tested positive were found to have used a banned anabolic steroid

Eleven weightlifters, including six medallists, produced positive samples in the second wave of doping retests from the 2012 London Olympics, the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) said yesterday. Russia's five-times European champion Nataliya Zabolotnaya was among three silver medallists from the London Games to fail tests along with compatriots Alexandr Ivanov and Svetlana Tzarukaeva. Zabolotnaya finished second in the women’s -75kg event in London, repeating her silver-medal performance in Athens eight years earlier. Ivanov was world champion in 2010 and 2013 in the -94kg category, while Tzarukaeva won the world title in 2011 in the 63kg event. Other London medallists to fail tests included Iryna Kulesha of Belarus, Armenia’s Hripsime Khurshudyan and Moldova’s Cristina Iovu. The IWF said the 11 athletes have all been provisionally suspended. All the athletes who tested positive were found to have used the banned anabolic steroid Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Friday that 45 athletes had failed dope tests after their samples from the 2008 Beijing Olympics and London 2012 were reanalysed. The second wave of retests included 138 samples from London 2012, involving athletes from two sports and nine countries. The London 2012 retests produced 15 failures. (Reuters)

Eleven London 2012 weightlifters test positive for doping, temporarily suspended