This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/11/world/europe/russia-olympics-doping.html

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
In Russia, Doping Accusations Are Taken in Stride In Russia, Doping Accusations Are Taken in Stride
(about 14 hours later)
MOSCOW — The sweeping accusations that a Kremlin-backed program facilitated doping by elite Russian track-and-field athletes in the Olympics and other top sports events earned a collective shrug Tuesday from the Russian public and even, to some extent, from the officials who oversaw the debacle. MOSCOW — The sweeping accusations that a Kremlin-backed program facilitated doping by elite Russian track-and-field athletes in the Olympics and other top sports events earned a collective shrug Tuesday from the Russian public and even, to some extent, from the officials who oversaw the debacle.
Was there public outrage over the destruction of positive drug tests, the intimidation of laboratory technicians by secret agents and the extortion of the athletes by the officials in charge who wanted to cover up the test results? Almost none. Were there questions about the capability of President Vladimir V. Putin to run a clean, competent administration? Even fewer.Was there public outrage over the destruction of positive drug tests, the intimidation of laboratory technicians by secret agents and the extortion of the athletes by the officials in charge who wanted to cover up the test results? Almost none. Were there questions about the capability of President Vladimir V. Putin to run a clean, competent administration? Even fewer.
And this was just the latest in a series of nasty shocks to Russia, some of them direct results of Mr. Putin’s actions.And this was just the latest in a series of nasty shocks to Russia, some of them direct results of Mr. Putin’s actions.
Choked by low oil prices and Western sanctions imposed after the invasions of Crimea and Ukraine, the economy is shrinking. The ruble has lost more than half its value, inflation is at 11.2 percent, and a much-vaunted national project to create local substitutes for banned Western imports seems to have produced mostly stuff like dubious cheese made from palm oil.Choked by low oil prices and Western sanctions imposed after the invasions of Crimea and Ukraine, the economy is shrinking. The ruble has lost more than half its value, inflation is at 11.2 percent, and a much-vaunted national project to create local substitutes for banned Western imports seems to have produced mostly stuff like dubious cheese made from palm oil.
And last week, a Russian charter flight plummeted into the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, killing all 224 people on board, in what British and American intelligence agencies suspect may have been a terrorist attack in response to the Kremlin’s military intervention in Syria. And last week, a Russian charter flight plummeted into the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, killing all 224 people on board, in what British and American intelligence agencies suspect was a terrorist attack in response to the Kremlin’s military intervention in Syria.
Yet, the basic reaction is to shrug and point a finger elsewhere, preferably at the West. Yet the basic reaction is to shrug and point a finger elsewhere, preferably at the West.
“The West is envious that our athletes achieve good results, so they pushed forward the doping claims,” said Boris Ivanov, a rail-thin retired construction engineer, without a trace of irony. “Everybody takes dope! Americans and other nations, all of them!” “The West is envious that our athletes achieve good results, so they pushed forward the doping claims,” Boris Ivanov, a rail-thin retired construction engineer, said without a trace of irony. “Everybody takes dope! Americans and other nations, all of them!”
Russia was singled out, he said, because the Americans run most such organizations and “they want to attack Russia.”Russia was singled out, he said, because the Americans run most such organizations and “they want to attack Russia.”
As in Soviet times, sports remains a government affair and another facet of global prestige, so any blow to the image of the athletes is also a blow to the Kremlin. Mr. Putin announced that he would meet with senior athletic officials on Wednesday.As in Soviet times, sports remains a government affair and another facet of global prestige, so any blow to the image of the athletes is also a blow to the Kremlin. Mr. Putin announced that he would meet with senior athletic officials on Wednesday.
After initial outrage over the accusations, the official Russian reaction was somewhat more circumspect, with officials promising to investigate and to take steps to correct the situation (something they promised back in 2013, before the Sochi Olympics, where the Russian antidoping agency was the lead tester).After initial outrage over the accusations, the official Russian reaction was somewhat more circumspect, with officials promising to investigate and to take steps to correct the situation (something they promised back in 2013, before the Sochi Olympics, where the Russian antidoping agency was the lead tester).
Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, the director of the Moscow lab accused of malfeasance, whom the report suggested be replaced, resigned. But Russian officials still minimized the import of what experts call one of the most damning public reports in the history of sports — “worse than we thought,” said a co-author and doping expert, Dick Pound. Grigory Rodchenkov, the director of the Moscow lab accused of malfeasance, whom the report suggested be replaced, resigned. But Russian officials still minimized the import of what experts call one of the most damning public reports in the history of sports — “worse than we thought,” said a co-author and doping expert, Dick Pound.
“Believe me, there are many similar doping scandals all over the world,” Vitaly Mutko, Russia’s sports minister, said in his initial public reaction, arguing that doping should be considered an international issue, since elite Russian athletes spend some 10 months of the year abroad competing. “Doping is not a problem of Russia.” “Believe me, there are many similar doping scandals all over the world,” Vitaly Mutko, Russia’s sports minister, said in his initial public reaction, arguing that doping should be considered an international issue, since elite Russian athletes spend 10 months of the year abroad competing. “Doping is not a problem of Russia.”
A number of factors contribute to Russians’ readiness to accept such explanations, the primary being the survival instinct. Most of the 140 million Russians struggle just to get by, and do not involve themselves too deeply in larger issues.A number of factors contribute to Russians’ readiness to accept such explanations, the primary being the survival instinct. Most of the 140 million Russians struggle just to get by, and do not involve themselves too deeply in larger issues.
Traditionally, though, the first line of defense against any problem is stoicism. This is especially true since Mr. Putin has painted any current problems as the side-effects of a national effort to “pull Russia off its knees,” where the West is said to have shoved it in the first place. Traditionally, though, the first line of defense against any problem is stoicism. This is especially true since Mr. Putin has painted any current problems as the side effects of a national effort to “pull Russia off its knees,” where the West is said to have shoved it in the first place.
“We have had more difficult times before,” said Viktoria Troschanskaya, a middle-age Russian lawyer wandering through a Moscow park. “We have had more difficult times before,” said Viktoria Troschanskaya, a middle-aged Russian lawyer wandering through a Moscow park.
“Russia is a country that is ready to tolerate pain for the sake of national greatness,” said Natalya V. Zubarevich, a professor who specializes in Russian demographics. “The simple rational explanation — the economy went down, people must be angry — does not work in Russia.”“Russia is a country that is ready to tolerate pain for the sake of national greatness,” said Natalya V. Zubarevich, a professor who specializes in Russian demographics. “The simple rational explanation — the economy went down, people must be angry — does not work in Russia.”
Second, when they look for answers, state-run television tells them exactly what to think. Ever since the March 2014 annexation of Crimea, the mantra has been that Mr. Putin seeks to restore Russia as a great power, a goal the West is determined to thwart. It is a circular argument that magnifies any gains and explains away any setbacks.Second, when they look for answers, state-run television tells them exactly what to think. Ever since the March 2014 annexation of Crimea, the mantra has been that Mr. Putin seeks to restore Russia as a great power, a goal the West is determined to thwart. It is a circular argument that magnifies any gains and explains away any setbacks.
Given that some 90 percent of Russians rely on state-run television as their primary news source, and that for at least 18 months there has been a steady drumbeat of anti-Americanism across all news programs, many people react automatically. Given that 90 percent of Russians rely on state-run television as their primary news source, and that for at least 18 months there has been a steady drumbeat of anti-Americanism across all news programs, many people react automatically.
What the West considers a doping scandal in Russia will most likely “be stretched to be understood as something done for the public good,” said Andrey Babitsky, a former editor of Russian Esquire who recently founded a libertarian website, www.inliberty.ru. What the West considers a doping scandal in Russia will most likely “be stretched to be understood as something done for the public good,” said Andrey Babitsky, a former editor of Russian Esquire and the new editor in chief of a libertarian website, InLiberty.ru.
“We are in a kind of competition, not to say a war with the West,” said Mr. Babitsky, explaining the general reaction, not endorsing it. “Everybody knows that everybody cheats, and if we were caught red-handed, it just means that they cheat better than we do.”“We are in a kind of competition, not to say a war with the West,” said Mr. Babitsky, explaining the general reaction, not endorsing it. “Everybody knows that everybody cheats, and if we were caught red-handed, it just means that they cheat better than we do.”
Finally, Russian officials face little accountability, and Mr. Putin in particular has sought to insulate his loyalists from any public rebuke. There is a dark historical precedent at play. Since Czarist times, Russians have been told that their leader will always protect their best interests and they have been conditioned across centuries never to question that fact. Finally, Russian officials face little accountability, and Mr. Putin in particular has sought to insulate his loyalists from any public rebuke. There is a dark historical precedent at play. Since czarist times, Russians have been told that their leader will always protect their best interests and they have been conditioned across centuries never to question that fact.
As with doping, so with the catastrophic crash of the charter jet.As with doping, so with the catastrophic crash of the charter jet.
Russian officials starting with Mr. Putin expressed dismay that Western governments were quick to point to a terrorist bomb as the likely cause. When Britain canceled all flights and began an emergency airlift home, the initial Russian reaction was that the West was trying to put pressure on Russia over its policy of deploying warplanes in Syria since the end of September to bolster the fortunes of its ally — and Western bête noire — President Bashar al-Assad. Russian officials, starting with Mr. Putin, expressed dismay that Western governments were quick to point to a terrorist bomb as the likely cause. When Britain canceled all flights to and from Sharm el Sheikh, the Egyptian departure point, and began an emergency airlift home, the initial Russian reaction was that the West was trying to put pressure on Russia over its policy of deploying warplanes in Syria since the end of September to bolster the fortunes of its ally — and Western bête noire — President Bashar al-Assad.
No Russian officials acknowledged that Prime Minister David Cameron might face domestic political problems if British citizens were harmed just months after 30 were shot dead in a terrorist attack on a Tunisian beach. Instead, Dmitry Kiselyov, the television anchor who uses his Sunday night news show to set the agenda for the Kremlin, questioned whether the United States and other Western nations might have bought off the terrorist groups so they would attack a Russian jet.No Russian officials acknowledged that Prime Minister David Cameron might face domestic political problems if British citizens were harmed just months after 30 were shot dead in a terrorist attack on a Tunisian beach. Instead, Dmitry Kiselyov, the television anchor who uses his Sunday night news show to set the agenda for the Kremlin, questioned whether the United States and other Western nations might have bought off the terrorist groups so they would attack a Russian jet.
“It is well known that the Americans easily agree with terrorists about their security,” he said. “They pay or they bargain: We close our eyes on something and you don’t touch us. This is a common practice with the Taliban in Afghanistan. Why wouldn’t this practice be replicated with the Islamic State?”“It is well known that the Americans easily agree with terrorists about their security,” he said. “They pay or they bargain: We close our eyes on something and you don’t touch us. This is a common practice with the Taliban in Afghanistan. Why wouldn’t this practice be replicated with the Islamic State?”
Calling it “just a theory,” he said, “Isn’t the explosion on our plane that the Egyptians say is 90 percent certain a product of an agreement not to touch civilian planes of the Western coalition?”Calling it “just a theory,” he said, “Isn’t the explosion on our plane that the Egyptians say is 90 percent certain a product of an agreement not to touch civilian planes of the Western coalition?”
The Russian reaction to moral questions is complicated by their association of national greatness with Stalin, who oversaw Russia’s industrialization and victory in World War II, but during his long rule millions died in prisons, forced collectivization, purges and mass deportations. The Russian reaction to moral questions is complicated by their association of national greatness with Stalin, who oversaw Russia’s industrialization and victory in World War II, but also the death of millions in prisons, forced collectivization, purges and mass deportations.
Russia tends to avoid confronting the crimes committed in tandem with its 20th-century climb to greatness, analysts said, especially since it is trying to regain the same stature. In defending Russian history, given that the government plays down what Stalin did, a doping scandal appears fairly minor in comparison.Russia tends to avoid confronting the crimes committed in tandem with its 20th-century climb to greatness, analysts said, especially since it is trying to regain the same stature. In defending Russian history, given that the government plays down what Stalin did, a doping scandal appears fairly minor in comparison.
Just last week, Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church defended Stalin’s legacy without naming him. “Achievements of one or another state leader who stood at the roots of the country’s revival and modernization should not be called into question, even if that leader is known for villainies,” he said at an opening of a museum exhibition on Russia’s 20th century history that also showed how Stalin decimated the ranks of the clergy.Just last week, Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church defended Stalin’s legacy without naming him. “Achievements of one or another state leader who stood at the roots of the country’s revival and modernization should not be called into question, even if that leader is known for villainies,” he said at an opening of a museum exhibition on Russia’s 20th century history that also showed how Stalin decimated the ranks of the clergy.
At the deepest levels, analysts say, the idea of morality in public policy died out decades ago, if not centuries, under the weight of government repression.At the deepest levels, analysts say, the idea of morality in public policy died out decades ago, if not centuries, under the weight of government repression.
“It is not that Russian people are bad,” Mr. Babitsky said. “It is just that for 100 years they have not seen a politician who lives by any moral standards. When you bring up a moral argument, everybody looks at you as a kind of crazy person, like those people on Times Square shouting about the end of the world.”“It is not that Russian people are bad,” Mr. Babitsky said. “It is just that for 100 years they have not seen a politician who lives by any moral standards. When you bring up a moral argument, everybody looks at you as a kind of crazy person, like those people on Times Square shouting about the end of the world.”