Olympic athlete and coach apologize after being busted for drunken joyride

At the most recent Winter Olympics hosted in South Korea, a Canadian athlete, his wife, and one of the Canadian National Team coaches were all detained for diving into an unoccupied vehicle while drunk and then taking it for a joy ride.

According to information released by Olympic officials, the three individuals had been drinking at the conclusion of the freestyle skiing competitions. Dave Duncan of Canada had completed his final run and was out enjoying himself with his wife and one of his coaches, with the drinking starting early in the day.

After walking out of one of the taverns set up in the Olympic village, they found a pink Hummer SUV idling by the entrance. Deciding it would be fun to slide behind the wheel of this strange vehicle and take it for a quick cruise around the Olympic village, that’s exactly what happened.

It didn’t take long for Olympic village police officials to catch Duncan and his party, and when he was pulled over and found to have “stolen” the vehicle, they decided to give him a field sobriety test. The Canadian coach was the actual driver behind the wheel of the vehicle. It was found that the driver had a blood alcohol level of 0.16 (according to the CBC), with the legal limit allowed in South Korea being just 0.05.

The Olympic coach was charged with drunk driving, while Dave Duncan and his wife – including the driver – were all charged with stealing that vehicle.

Duncan had finished eighth in the freestyle ski cross competition, topping his 24th Pl. finish at the previous Olympic Winter games in Sochi, Russia. Duncan has been a major fixture in the world of competitive freestyle skiing, capturing bronze and silver medals in national championship and world championship of the in 2010 and 2012.

The Olympic coach, a Mr. Willy Raine, had been in Olympic skier himself. He competed in the 1992 Winter Olympic games and had been coaching in the sport for more than 15 years.

All three of these individuals were released the same day that they were booked, according to DUI Attorney Sacramento. Police concluded their investigation in no time at all, thanks to cooperation from all three suspects, and the results of this investigation will be forwarded over to South Korean prosecutors.

These kinds of situations pop up at almost every Olympic event, including both the summer and the winter Olympic games. If history is any precedent, all involved parties are only going to have to pay a small fine – and none of them had any difficulty leaving the country, according to San Jose DUI Attorney. They all flew back to Canada shortly after the event had concluded without issue whatsoever.

The head of the Canadian Olympic Committee spoke out about the event, stating how deeply disappointed he was in the behavior of these three individuals. All athletes and coaches sign an agreement to behave according to the code of conduct and values established by the Olympic committee, something that these three obviously did not live up to.

Lamine Diack, Corruption, And The International Olympic Committee

One thing is for certain: Regardless of what happens with the Lamine Diack scandal, and no matter how many lawsuits are filed by Sacramento Motorcycle Accident Lawyers, there is no question that the sport of athletics will endure. While the sport is as prone to corruption as any other, it is important to remember that no one individual defines an entire sport.  In the same way that baseball continues to be enormously popular, even in the face of steroids scandals rocking specific players, one can expect athletics and the International Association of Athletics Federations to continue, regardless of whether or not former IAAF President Lamine Diack is indeed guilty of corruption.

 And when it comes to answering that question, a little background on the case is going to prove to be absolutely essential.

 A Look At Lamine Diack

Lamine Diack served as the President of the IAAF from 1999 to 2015. Had the champion long jumper managed to avoid scandal, it is not difficult to imagine that he would be serving in that capacity in the present. Unfortunately, the man who once held the French/West African long jumper record from 1957 to 1960 has been connected to a number of scandals. The most damming accusation would have to involve the notion that Diack repeatedly used his position of power within the IAAF and International Olympic Committee (IOC) for illegal gains.

Beyond his connection to the doping of Russian athletes, Diack has been accused of using his power to create an informal, powerful, and wholly illegal governing body within the actual IAAF. Critics point to the fact that during his many years as IAAF President, Diack installed one of his sons as an IAAF employee, positioned another son in the capacity of consultant, and allowed one of his friends to become a legal advisor to the position of President. A report from the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Independent Commission investigation makes it abundantly clear that Diack used his power to establish and nurture an extraordinary degree of corruption within the IAAF. Diack has been accused of engaging fraudulent, extortive practices through the informal shadow organization he created during his four tenures as IAAF President.

It is difficult to argue with the intense specifics of the report. The accusations proved potent enough to lead to Diack and several other key IAAF figures being arrested in November of 2015. According to Santa Cruz DUI Lawyer, probable cause is the standard that must be shown for an arrest to occur, and this is no low barrier, according to Redding Personal Injury Lawyers. Although Diack was released shortly after his arrest, it was just commonsense that his time with the IAAF would come to an end. The IOC gave him a provisional suspension shortly after his arrest and release. Almost immediately after that, Diack resigned from his position.

 What’s Next For Lamine Diack?

At this point, it is pretty clear that Diack is no stranger to controversy. The arrest stemmed from accusations that Diack had accepted payments from the Russian Athletics Federation, in exchange for deferring sanctions against Russian athletes accused of doping. The accusations originally came from the ARD/WDR. They quickly gained enough traction to launch a full investigation, which continues to this day.

This is not the only incident Lamine Diack has been connected to. He has also had to deal with claims that he received numerous bribes from the bankrupted sports marketing company known as International Sport and Leisure. It is believed Diack accepted these bribes in the early 1990s, in exchange for giving the International Sports and Leisure special considerations in their desire to obtain a marketing contract with the IAAF. Diack in turn shot back at the claims, explaining that he had received the money from supporters, who wished to help him in the aftermath of his house burning down.

What’s next for Lamine Diack? We shall have to wait and see. For now, he remains a figure of considerable controversy.

All About Track And Field

Times may change, but the basic appeal of track and field endures. Track and field remains a formidable test of wills and endurance for those athletes who participate. For those who watch these athletes, track and field continues to be a thrilling spectator event. The history of track and field is a long one. It covers centuries, hundreds of extraordinary athletes, some of the most devoted fans of any sport, and so much more. Track and field in its current form refers to something that has changed to one degree or another through the decades. Advancements in technology have led to not only better training methods, but substances that draw controversy for the potential to give an athlete an unfair advantage.

Through all of this, the basic appeal of the sport remains the same.

 A Serious Look At Track And Field

 

Also known as athletics in various parts of the world, track and field refers to athletic contests for both males and females. These contests include running, jumping for both height/distance, or throwing for distance with an implement of standardized design. Track and field competitions are usually referred to as meets, and they generally take place outside. Running events often occur across a portion of land that covers either 400 meters or 440 yards. All of the events associated with track and field are generally held on the same day, and in the same general area. In the event of winter or bad weather, it is not unreasonable to find a track and field event being held in the indoors. Outdoor track season in the U.S. runs from March to June. In Europe and Asia, the outdoor track season can run from March to September. The firing of a gun usually signifies the start of an event.

The history of track and field is a long, somewhat complex story. In ancient times, such as in ancient Greece, track and field events were often held at the same time as religious festivals. It makes sense that the history of track and field can be traced back to times/places like Rome around 200 B.C., Northern Europe during the Middle Ages, or in Celtic societies from around the same time. After all, running, jumping, and throwing are not only natural forms of expressing ourselves, but they are universal forms of expression, as well. Track and field events began to gain momentum as their own entity in the 19th century. The creation of the National Olympic Association in 1865 is a hallmark of the development of track and field as it is recognized today.

The Greatest Track And Field Athletes Ever

 

The first U.S. track and field event was held in 1876. While many fine athletes in this era competed, the sport remained closed off to women and others for a number of years. For example, it wasn’t until the 1920s that women began to compete in events throughout the world. The sport continued to grow and develop as the 20th century rolled along, gaining considerable global attention and respect through the 60s and 70s. The 1980s in particular were an extremely popular decade for track and field. Fans consisted of individuals from all walks of life. They were people who appreciated the straightforward, intense challenge of running, jumping, and throwing better than a wide field of competitors. Through the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s, the sport has continued to garner attention and respect all over the world, as many agree.

To be sure, the sport has also built many an icon. Carl Lewis, Jesse Owens, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Usain Bolt, Jim Ryun, Bruce Jenner, Jim Thorpe, Wilma Rudolph, and countless others have propelled the sport to what it is today.