The Great Olympic Doping Scandal

Russia says complied with WADA norms, open for cooperation on doping: https://t.co/up6yYydtD9 pic.twitter.com/7wpjA8ZoX3

— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) November 10, 2015

With calls by WADA to ban Russian athletes from the 2016 Olympics, because of widespread doping of their athletes in the 2012 Olympics, Russia has responded that it followed the norms.

Whatever the truth or otherwise of this, it ought to be remembered that the calls for banning Russia come at a time when the USA and Russia are squaring up to each other in the Middle East and in Ukraine. The USA has sought to isolate Russia diplomatically and financially from global affairs, yet has thus far failed.

A cynic might opine that this is but the latest attempt by the USA, albeit by the backdoor, to bring Russia to heel. After all, it's not as though Russia is the only country that has doped athletes and sportsmen!

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The Chicago Sell Off

Chicago Mayor, Richard M. Daley, has promised taxpayers that they would not end up footing the bill for the 2016 Olympics (were Chicago to win the right to host the games).

How can he keep his word, given that those cities that host the Olympics tend to make huge losses?

Simple, Chicago has been secretly drafting a plan to sell public assets to help fund the Games and will use the money raised to cover up to $500M in losses.

The United States Olympic Committee had demanded financial assurances that Chicago can pay for the games. As such Chicago has developed plans for the sale of public air rights over near-downtown property.

On April 14, the U.S. Olympic Committee selected Chicago to represent the U.S. in the bid for the 2016 Olympics. The final choice of host city will be made by the International Olympic Committee in October 2009.