Russia whines about " cowardly" Canada

[Kip Powick]

The next Winter Olympics is shaping up as a Cold War-style battle between Canada and Russia after a blistering editorial in Pravda labeled us as cowardly, incompetent and war criminals.

The editorial, entitled Vancouver: Mutton Dressed as Lamb, goes straight for the eyes from the outset. “Vancouver is not fit to hold the Winter Olympics,” it declares in the opening paragraph.

The screed is short on evidence about the games. Its main athletic complaint is about a short-notice drug test issued to Russian skier, Natalya Korosteleva. It neglects to mention that VANOC organizers have no input into the drug-testing regime of any particular sporting body.

It also impugns us for the decision to give the gold medal in men’s figure skating to American Evan Lysacek over Russian Evgeni Plushenko – as if we had some say in that, either.

The writer, Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey, seems mainly distressed by Canada’s political aims.

“We all know Canada has problems with the future lines drawn on Arctic maps and we all know Canada lives in the shadow of its larger neighbour to the south,” he writes about something we don’t all know.

Had he left it there, we might have shrugged it off. But then it gets personal.

“The abject cruelty shown by Canadian soldiers in international conflicts is scantily referred to, as indeed is the utter incapacity of this county to host a major international event, due to its inferiority complex, born of a trauma being the skinny and weakling bro to a beefy United States and a colonial outpost to the United Kingdom, whose Queen smiles happily from Canadian postage stamps.”

Wow.

“Maybe it is this which makes the Canadians so … retentive, or cowardly.”

Double-wow.

And remember, this was written before Canada found its inner-primate and manhandled Russia in the hockey quarterfinals.

While the British press has been no fan of these games, even they were taken aback by the viciousness of Pravda’s attack.

“Even more diligent critics of Vancouver 2010 have been astonished by the editorial,” the Times of London wrote today.

[conehead]

The 2014 Games: How will Sochi do it?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/streetwise/the-2014-games-how-will-sochi-do-it/article1480663/

[Moon The Loon]

Bancroft-Hinchey

British Marxism is alive and well. Karl Marx is actually buried in the UK. The Olympics have always been about politics. Without them though, and international sport in general, who knows how many squabbles over the past 1/2 century might have been settled by bullets rather than medals.

And 'sides: The Brits are just sore they can't play hockey, to which I offer and suggest they stick to doing what they do best

[dagger]

And 'sides: The Brits are just sore they can't play hockey, to which I offer and suggest they stick to doing what they do best

What sports do the Russians dominate? Vodka drinking? Invading smaller neighbors who want to become democratic free states?

Really, Russia has few lessons to teach and much to learn.

[J.O.]

Take it for what it is folks. Pravda is the publication that espoused the virtues of Lenin and declared victory in Afghanistan. Unless Russia pulls off a miracle in the next 4 years, the games in Sochi will pale by comparison to Vancouver, and the Russians know it. They've just started the wagon circling a little early is all.

[Thebean]

Take it for what it is folks. Pravda is the publication that espoused the virtues of Lenin and declared victory in Afghanistan. Unless Russia pulls off a miracle in the next 4 years, the games in Sochi will pale by comparison to Vancouver, and the Russians know it. They've just started the wagon circling a little early is all.

A neighbour of ours is a Canadian who has made a very good living playing pro hockey in Europe, currently in Germany.

He played in Russia in the past and his stories of what it's like to live and play hockey in Russia were almost beyond belief. Even making mid 6 figures, plus accomodations and a vehicle, to put it mildly, he hated it and would never go back, even though the Russians have to pay a very significant premium to attract foreign players.

According to this fellow, no amount of money makes it worthwhile for a westerner to live in Russia.

[BoomerPete]

A point that I heard elsewhere, which may or may not be true, is that the actual writer of the editorial isn't Russian but, you guessed it, British. Given the way Russia has evolved this could be true. For what it's worth, having spent some time in Russia and having worked with Russian colleagues I have found the individuals I dealt with to be friendly and generous, but I grant that's not the same as working and living in Russia.

In any event, whatever the rest of the world may think, down here on the scene we're having a blast. This is easily the greatest party the nation has every experienced.

Cheers,

Pete

A neighbour of ours is a Canadian who has made a very good living playing pro hockey in Europe, currently in Germany.

He played in Russia in the past and his stories of what it's like to live and play hockey in Russia were almost beyond belief. Even making mid 6 figures, plus accomodations and a vehicle, to put it mildly, he hated it and would never go back, even though the Russians have to pay a very significant premium to attract foreign players.

According to this fellow, no amount of money makes it worthwhile for a westerner to live in Russia.

[Lakelad]

Russian president cancels Vancouver visit

Announcement follows team's poor Olympic results

Thursday, February 25, 2010 - CBC News

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has cancelled his visit to Vancouver to attend the closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics on Sunday evening, CBC News has learned.

The announcement comes as a surprise because Russia is the next host of the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014, and Medvedev had planned to attend.

No official reason for the cancellation was given, but Olympic protocol does not require the president of the next host country to attend the closing ceremonies.

Instead, it is the mayor of the host city that is expected to receive the Olympic flag at the end of the Games.

But the news follows the defeat of the Russian men's hockey team 7-3 by Canada on Wednesday night. It was the first time in history the Russians exited the Olympic tournament without playing for a medal.

Russia has also fared poorly in the medal count at the Vancouver Olympics, holding fifth place behind Canada as of Thursday morning with 13 medals — less than half of their predicted results.

As a result, the team has been under increasing criticism in the Russian media. But even before the Games began, Medvedev was taking the heat for the Russian team.

International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge called out Medvedev for his country's repeated doping violations in cross-country skiing and biathlon.

The suspicions surrounding the Russians, who have had eight biathletes and cross-country skiers banned for doping since the end of the 2009 World Cup season, were raised repeatedly during Rogge's media conference in Vancouver on Feb. 9.

[Don Hudson]

Kip;

Re the editorial, "Wow"...

Nope. "Yawn". My Dad had a favourite saying when something like the Brits' comments came along: "Any fool can criticize, and usually does."

For those who haven't seen it yet, here's what Tom Brokaw, who is in the International Media Center near Pacific Place, had to say. It's a bit syrupy but why not?

[Kip Powick]

Kip;

Re the editorial, "Wow"...

Nope. "Yawn". My Dad had a favourite saying when something like the Brits' comments came along: "Any fool can criticize, and usually does."

For those who haven't seen it yet, here's what Tom Brokaw, who is in the International Media Center near Pacific Place, had to say. It's a bit syrupy but why not?

Yeh, I agree, especially stupid remarks about Canada's Military................ and Tom Brokaw?? Beat ya buddy, it was posted here.

http://theairlinewebsite.com/index.php?showtopic=389456 (you have been away a few days..yes?)

[Don Hudson]

Beat ya buddy, it was posted here.

The Reverse Gordon Sinclair moment!

[Moon The Loon]

A point that I heard elsewhere, which may or may not be true, is that the actual writer of the editorial isn't Russian but, you guessed it, British. Given the way Russia has evolved this could be true. For what it's worth, having spent some time in Russia and having worked with Russian colleagues I have found the individuals I dealt with to be friendly and generous, but I grant that's not the same as working and living in Russia.

In any event, whatever the rest of the world may think, down here on the scene we're having a blast. This is easily the greatest party the nation has every experienced.

Cheers,

Pete

I guess I wasn't clear with my inferrence that the writer was British! Bugger!!

[Kip Powick]

About the author................(Googled his name)

((((((expose starts about 1/4 way down the page....)))))

...............................................................................................................

I’ve done just a little digging, by the way, and was able to discover the following about Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey: He’s a permanent member of Pravda’s editorial staff although, as his name demonstrates, he’s not Russian. In fact, he’s a British songwriter with a degree from Leeds (which clearly makes him qualified to write on all matters political). Although the link for his bio is dead, nothing really dies in cyberpsace, and I was able to find that “USS Clueless” provides extensive quotations from Bancroft-Hinchey’s defunct biographical site:

I incidentally became involved with the world of music and even became one of the leading English song-writers of the 1980s. I took part in three Eurovision contests, released three albums, two maxi-singles and ................................

Link to Google search Article

http://bookwormroom.wordpress.com/2006/08/24/and-you-wonder-why-russia-is-helping-fund-terrorists/

[Mitch Cronin]

To the author:

[Moon The Loon]

Last night, VANOC was supposed to decide who was gonna carry the flag at the closing ceremony tonight. About 5 AM this morning, the TG&M announced one of the young female snowboarders from Vancouver (Maelle Ricker) was selected. Then mid-morning, they announced a skier (I think) from Quebec was the annointed one. Now, it's Joannie Rochette.

WTF is going on here? http://www.ctvolympics.ca/news-centre/newsid=54368.html#joannie+rochette+will+carry+canadian+flag

(I shoulda copied/pasted the links to the earlier stories, but didn't.)

[J.O.]

Sounds like speculation to me. Believe it when the flag enters the stadium.

[Moon The Loon]

Sounds like speculation to me. Believe it when the flag enters the stadium.

No kidding. Maybe it'll be the young fella from Cole Harbour!

[J.O.]

I wonder if we'll see many hockey players at the closing ceremony. I think they'll be heading off pretty quickly to rejoin their NHL teams. And CTV announced a while ago that it will be Joannie Rochette who will carry the flag tonight. CTV Story