4 Answers

  1. Remember the movie “The Fifteen-Year-Old Captain”?�

    • Why does a dog bark?

    • You should ask the dog about this.

    I do not know why he started acting like this. He's been fighting doping hard lately, and he shows it. But just as the love boat of a relationship is broken by everyday life, so here are the sports paths-the roads lead Fourcade not quite there. And, getting lost in this thicket of the forest, he begins to make unintelligible emotional movements.

  2. I think all this is a search for motivation for yourself, an attempt to “warm up”. It's no secret that Fourcade is the strongest in his best form, and has already won everything that is possible and impossible. It remains only to set records and look for incentives to achieve new success in the near-biathlon plane.

  3. Here it is important to correctly imagine the sequence of events. I fix them as a spectator, let those who are closer to this kitchen correct them.

    A) Fourcade becomes the undisputed leader of the world biathlon (he almost won the current World Cup ahead of schedule).

    B) A doping scandal is breaking out around the Russian national team. In a very interesting way, it flares up: the McLaren report mentions the number “31” – so many Russian biathletes are suspected of using doping and falsifying doping samples. This is more than all the current members of the men's and women's national teams combined, which causes a wave of confusion in the media and in biathlon circles. Later it is clarified that the number of 31 included those who have long finished their career, and those who performed only at the domestic level, and how many active collections there are in it is a terrible secret; maybe there is no one at all. But, like any refutation or clarification, this detail attracts much less attention than the first shock wave. Indignation can't be extinguished. Given that the surnames of the suspects are still unknown, all Russians are under suspicion, and the attitude towards them in the biathlon world is changing accordingly. Fourcade, as the leader of the world biathlon, is the most active advocate for the purity of the sport – and most actively outraged by this situation. In a human way, it can be understood: any professional will be against crooks in his profession.

    C) The names of the suspects are still not named, meanwhile, the European Biathlon Championship begins, which is marked by the return to service of two of our athletes who were disqualified for serious doping( EPO): Alexander Loginov served 2 years, Irina Starykh-3. At the championship, both Loginov and Starykh are stronger than others: each has 4 medals, including 2 gold. They are both selected for the World Cup squad.

    D) The names of the suspects are still unknown as the World Cup begins. Against the background of all the nervous and so completely incomprehensible situation with Russian doping, it suddenly turns out that two athletes with a high-profile doping history have appeared in the Russian national team. Yes, Loginov and Starykh have formally served their sentences and are eligible for a comeback. But the fact that this is happening right here and now seems like an intentional challenge. Already before the first race, the situation is heating up.

    E) At the race itself on February 9, the following events occur (here, too, the order is important):

    • During the relay, Fourcade collides with Loginov, and Loginov falls. Whether Fourcade hit him intentionally or accidentally is not entirely clear; it is only clear that Fourcade did not gain anything from this, only lost a little (that is, if he hit Loginov intentionally, then even deliberately slowed down for this).

    • At the finish, fighting Shipulin for silver, Fourcade blocked his ski track: the course is quite rough, but not out of the ordinary. This happens quite regularly in the fight for medals, including among women (not so long ago, in the same situation, Pidgrushnaya cut Dahlmeier, and public opinion defended the Ukrainian).

    • At the award ceremony, Shipulin and Loginov refused to shake hands with Fourcade.

    • In response, Fourcade defiantly left the podium, but was returned there by persuasion of biathlon officials.

    As you can see, this is not just Fourcade's behavior here: to begin with, the media and WADA deliberately inflame the situation, escalating suspense around the topic of Russian doping and not giving enough information. In the absence of explanations, when everyone suspects everyone, sooner or later the nerves of Fourcade, our guys, and everyone else begin to give way. The situation is further aggravated by the fact that our side does not respond to suspicions with an objective investigation and an open search for the real culprits – moreover, the inclusion of Loginov and Starykh in the national team against this background looks like a challenge: as if it was done on purpose, to spite the enemies. An angry reaction in response is quite natural.

  4. I have several options. First, he might have freaked out. This happens to athletes, especially when they follow a chain. I said something about Loginov, got a stream of insults and started up. Secondly, he could have done so with the expectation that the scandal would attract an additional audience to the World Cup. And this is a fact. Now men's races will be watched even by those to whom the word “biathlon” means nothing. The third option is that he is so intolerant of doping that he feels a personal dislike for everyone who was somehow connected with doping. Well, straight, “can't eat”, as in “Mimino”. This, however, is unlikely. His physical attack on Loginov is not clear to me. Firstly, Loginov is definitely not a competitor to him right now, and secondly, he lost more from this attack than he won, got into the fight, missed a free starting corridor where he could accelerate.�

    Also, great professionals don't necessarily have to be great people.

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