In 2016, Canadian professor McLaren, together with a defector, exposed Russian sports in the systematic use of doping at the direction of the leadership.

His reports served as the basis for taking away some of the medals from Russia for the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, to limit the participation of Russian athletes in the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Then the flywheel was launched, and at subsequent games in Korea, Japan and China, Russia was allowed as an unknown thing - without a flag and an anthem.

After February 24, 2022, the doping story suddenly disappeared.

Not long before that, international sports officials with or without crocodile tears (like IOC President Thomas Bach) hoofed the Russian figure skater Valieva to their heart's content.

Although figure skating is not exactly the kind of sport where doping can even give a momentary result.

But after February 24 - how cut off.

Not because officials were ashamed of the doping persecution (although bias and injustice were over the roof: some could do everything, others nothing), but because they found a new, much more universal basis for canceling Russian sports.

Still, doping proceedings are of a quasi-legal nature.

There is little of normal legal proceedings in them, but there is something - the preparation of the prosecution, the determination of the term of punishment, the possibility of appeal.

One should not exaggerate the fairness and impartiality of this court - but at least something.

Whereas now the abolition of Russian sports is extrajudicial and indefinite.

Since Russia has been declared (it's not very clear who declared it, but it doesn't matter) an aggressor country that invaded defenseless peaceful Ukraine, Russian athletes are now banned.

Both at the level of sports federations and at the level of the IOC.

There are exceptions to this practice (for example, tennis), but they are very rare.

And against the backdrop of universal justified indignation against Russia and its athletes, McLaren grumbled: “The way they are treated is unfair.

Athletes did not start the conflict and are not responsible for its course.

Those are two good reasons to let them compete again.”

Saul turned to Paul.

Previously, he himself furiously drove Russian athletes, but now he decided that this was too much.

There are various explanations for this unexpected behavior.

Others believe that "suddenly the Lord awakened the fierce conscience of McLaren."

Spiritual transformation can happen to anyone, why not with a Canadian professor.

Some add to this that the professor is old, finishing his eighth decade, that is, grandfather is old, he doesn’t care and he can afford to speak as he is.

True, there is Biden's grandfather and Pelosi's grandmother, who behave differently, well, old men and old women are different.

There are no general rules here.

But there is another consideration.

Perhaps McLaren is gray, but his mind hasn’t been eaten by the devil.

The anti-doping struggle presupposes the existence of an object of this struggle.

And Russia was ideal in this regard, since our functionaries and athletes really wanted to remain in the international sports movement.

And from those who want to stay in it, you can twist the ropes.

And do it on an ongoing basis.

Whereas the current policy of the IOC is

"It hurts and it's nice,

As if I had done a heavy duty,

As if a healing knife cut me off

The suffering member

puts an end to this game of ice-to-fry, fry-to-ice.

Russia is no longer in sports, which means there is no need for anti-doping functionaries.

Disons le mot: the heyday of this struggle was explained by the desire to sniff Russia.

But if Russia has been cancelled, who is to be touched now?

It remains only to go to the factory to work.

Or retire.

And this applies not only to anti-doping.

An enormously overgrown cadre of international sports bureaucracy parasitized, and deliciously parasitized, on the international sport that was popular.

If now it is decided to censor the Olympic ranks, leaving only those who are unconditionally trustworthy in them, then you are welcome.

But how interesting will it be?

And to what extent will this justify the exorbitant staffing of the IOC, WADA, etc.?

To serve the competition of Belgian athletes with Estonian, such a great psyurni is not needed.

And these are not abstract considerations.

The Paris Games of 2024, on which Macron had such great hopes, threaten to turn into a bleak spectacle.

Russia, most likely, will not be there, and it is not a fact that China will be.

Cancellation culture is what it is.

Perhaps it would be better not to gather at all - as they did not gather for the games in 1916, as well as in 1940 and 1944.

People who do not love Russia in the least, but who are endowed with some mental abilities, understand this.

Hence the unexpected demarches of Savlov, who turned into Pavlov.

The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editors.