Russian Withdrawal:Russia Feeling 'Unappreciated,' Threatens to Withdraw Athletes From Winter Games

http://www.abcnews.go.com ^ | S A L T L A K E C I T Y, Feb. 21 | The Associated Press

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

Russian Withdrawal

Russia Feeling 'Unappreciated,' Threatens to Withdraw Athletes From Winter Games and Athens Olympics

The Associated Press

S A L T   L A K E   C I T Y, Feb. 21 — Russia may leave the Winter Olympics because of decisions against its athletes and may not compete in the 2004 Summer Games if its concerns are not addressed quickly, a Russian Olympic official said today.

Russian Olympic Committee president Leonid Tyagachev said he told IOC President Jacques Rogge that his nation was "greatly unappreciated" in the Olympics and wanted its issues taken seriously.

The Russian's comments came at a news conference hours after one of the nation's top athletes, cross-country skier Larissa Lazutina, was disqualified from the women's 20-kilometer relay because of high levels of hemoglobin found in a pre-race blood test.

"If decisions are not made and issues we raised not resolved, the Russian team will not play hockey, will not run 30 kilometers, will look very negatively on other factors," Tyagachev said.

Tyagachev said there was a 24-hour window to address the situation, and that if Russia left Salt Lake City it probably would not compete in Athens in the next Summer Games.

"Once you leave, it is not easy to come back in," he said.

IOC officials did not immediately return a phone call for comment.

‘We Are Clean’

The Russian men's hockey team is scheduled to play the United States in the semifinals on Friday.

As for Russia's cross-country skier, Tyagachev said that while Lazutina's hemoglobin count was just above the legal limit, she was not guilty of doping.

"We are clean," he said. "We have nothing to hide."

A urine test will determine whether Lazutina's case will be considered a drug positive. Results were expected Friday; she was scheduled to compete in the 30-kilometer classical event Sunday.

Lazutina, who has won two silvers at these games to increase her career medal total to nine, last raced Feb. 15 in the 5-kilometer pursuit.

Her disqualification knocked four-time defending champion Russia out of today's relay event.

Lingering Bitterness Over Skating Flap

But Tyagachev was upset by more than the Lazutina case.

He made repeated references to the figure skating judging dispute, in which Russia's Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze won the pairs' competition but had to share the gold medal with Canada's Jamie Sale and David Pelletier.

"This was a new decision that was practically unprecedented," he said. "We went along with the decision and tried to look at it objectively. … But we have only so much patience."

Tyagachev also referred to what he said were a high number of Russian athletes picked for drug tests and an unspecified ruling by a goal judge in ice hockey.

"I think we are seeing a witch hunt," he said.

Vitaly Smirnov, an IOC vice president from Russia, warned against taking his country's complaints too lightly.

"Without Russia, the Olympic Games will be lost," Smirnov said.

Tyagachev said he would meet with top officials of the International Ice Hockey Federation, the International Skating Union and the international ski federation FIS to discuss his complaints.

[SamAdams76]

The Russians are starting to act like Major League baseball players.

[medved]

Too much hemoglobin??????? What kind of BS is that?

[Dominic Harr]

Early Withdrawl?

How embarrassing.

[Tailback]

This reminds me of the Clinton/McCauliffe tactic of "Accuse your opponent of doing what you do" In other words, the Russians are pissed off that they can't cheat and get away with it anymore. Blood doping and drug tests have caught up with the Russian methods which means they have to compete on a level playing field. They don't like it so they accuse us of cheating. Classic.

[codebreaker]

Ping

[clamper1797]

Listen ... the Olympic judges are the best that anyone could buy .....

[freebilly]

Hey, can I open the door for you? Need a cab or can you drive yourself to the airport?

[Blood of Tyrants]

See ya! Don't let the door hit you on the butt on the way out!

[Tailback]

It's called blood doping. It's when the number of red blood cells is artificially increased to allow for increases in the amount of oxygen transported to the muscles. Very useful for a long distance runner or perhaps a cross country skier, no?

[Mo1]

Russia may leave the Winter Olympics because of decisions against its athletes

BYE

[Askel5]

You have to admit this is pretty funny stuff.

Particularly if they're readying to take us hunting radicals in Georgia while they whine plaintively in Salt Lake for everyone's benefit.

[HockeyPop]

Its a psychological ploy to disrupt the US hockey team's focus while lighting a fire under the Russian team. They ain't goin' nowhere. But if they stay and play, get ready to watch one of the greatest hockey games ever.

[JZoback]

See you later..................just leave the good Volka

[LenS]

I believe that too much hemoglobin is a sign of blood tampering. I recall that cyclists supposedly would put aside blood samples ahead of an event. Then they would reinject additional red (or was it white?) blood cells from those samples to increase their endurance. It supposedly was also done by distance runners. Cross-country skiers would also be likely candidates. Darn, I know that I'm messing up the details.

[MadRobotArtist]

That's it, I'm taking my skates and equipment and going home... What a bunch of pansies... This is exactly why the Russians weren't able to take Afghanistan.

[Cicero]

Extra red cells means more oxygen carried in the blood. This can be done by blood doping or, worse, by getting the athlete pregnant and then aborting the baby.

[Bobby777]

as the Sanford-Townsend band said in the 1970's ... Don't let the screen door hit you, on your way OUT!!!

[nagdt]

"Without Russia, the Olympic Games will be lost"

I'm all for ski jumpers and figure skating, but if the Olympic Games were lost, who would be the biggest loser?