Man Dies After Winning Vodka-Drinking Contest

http://www.reuters.com ^ | Wed November 19, 2003 09:36 AM ET | Reuters 2003

[luv2ndamend]

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A vodka-drinking competition in a southern Russian town ended in tragedy with the winner dead and several runners-up in intensive care. "The competition lasted 30, perhaps 40 minutes and the winner downed three half-liter bottles. He was taken home by taxi but died within 20 minutes," said Roman Popov, a prosecutor pursuing the case in the town of Volgodonsk.

"Five contestants ended up in intensive care. Those not in hospital turned up the next day, ostensibly for another drink."

Popov said the director of the shop organizing this month's contest had been charged with manslaughter. He had offered 10 liters of vodka to the competitor drinking the most in the shortest time.

Russians drink the equivalent of 15 liters of pure alcohol per head annually, one of the highest rates in the world. Some experts estimate one in seven Russians is an alcoholic.

© Reuters 2003. All Rights Reserved.

[TheBigB]

Is there a Darwin Awards, Communist Division category?

[finnman69]

Ok who can run the math and figure the BAC of this guy. Figure he weighed 100kilos and downed 1.5liters of vodka.

[struwwelpeter]

My head hurts just thinking about it.

[Xenalyte]

If an angel smacked me on the nose with a newspaper, you'd better believe I'd change my ways!

[TBall]

I don't understand why God did not give some people the ability to recognize sarcasm.

[irish guard]

I guess I believe in free will and the fact that I can sin....the good God does allow us to sin, so we can learn from it. Obviously these guys didn't learn very well. I know it sounds simple, but I don't believe we are here on earth to live a protected life.

[P.O.E.]

Maybe the Dylan Thomas award?

[bandleader]

I would think that he would go up like flash-paper!

[bandleader]

It seems to me that you have a lot of time on your hands!

[reagan_fanatic]

Couldn't they just wring him out for the next set of contestants?

[keithtoo]

The bottom line is that 3 Liters is 96 oz., or 3 Quarts of booze in 30-40 minutes????

That is pure poison at those levels.

[eastforker]

Anybody got the lyrics handy to Johny Paychecks "the winner".

[luv2ndamend]

Couldn't they just wring him out for the next set of contestants?

I hope that this contest won't happen again!!

[Centurion2000]

I don't understand how a supposedly good God can allow things like this to happen to people.

Taht was probably sarcasm, BUT .. God doesn't stop people from being stupid ;-) ...

[DarthVader]

He won't burn. He will explode!

[MrsEmmaPeel]

God told them not to do it, but did they listen? No!

[keithtoo]

Whoops! He actually drank 3 half-liter bottles which means he drank 48 ox. or 1 1/2 quarts of booze in 30-40 minutes. That's still outrageous.

[MrsEmmaPeel]

And I used to think 2 Martinis in 2 hours was bad.

[AndrewB]

The liver is evil...it must be punished.

[Moosilauke]

So, did everybody have a good time? And were the prizes awarded as advertised? Smells like a reality TV series in the making.