The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday banned Russia from participating in the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea because of what is being described as an intricate doping scheme.
IOC commissioner on Russia Olympic ban: "We have never seen such manipulation and cheating" before. It caused "unprecedented damage to Olympism and sport"https://t.co/xPoauPmYpa pic.twitter.com/aiaZMQOsE1
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) December 5, 2017
And the Twitterverse had an absolute blast with it.
Obviously, the link between Russia and President Donald Trump, currently under investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller, was some of the focus.
BREAKING: Russia banned from the 2018 Winter Olympics, although they will still be participating in the 2018 U.S. Elections pic.twitter.com/HmsTTailVI
— The Daily Edge (@TheDailyEdge) December 5, 2017
Now that Russia is banned from the 2018 Winter Olympics you think we can also ban them from the 2018 US Midterm Elections?
— Mr. Newberger (@jeremynewberger) December 5, 2017
Trump about to announce the treatment of Russia has been very unfair and they’re having their own 2018 winter olympics at Mar a lago
— Desus MF Nice💯 (@desusnice) December 5, 2017
https://twitter.com/jules_su/status/938126114475724800
But there was a lot more to the responses, too.
Russia has been barred from participating in the 2018 Winter Olympics. pic.twitter.com/XyUZArYq9O
— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) December 5, 2017
https://twitter.com/richardhine/status/938120327191777281
The idea that Russia’s (or anybody’s) soccer team couldn’t have doped because they haven’t been successful is one of the dumber things I’ve heard in a long time.
— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) December 5, 2017
so close. russia getting banned from the sochi olympics would’ve been the funniest thing of all time
— Jon Bois (@jon_bois) December 5, 2017
No Russian women's national team for the 2018 Olympics would be a huge loss for hockey. Real contenders for bronze this year (would be Russia's first Olympic women's hockey medal).
Russia finished in 5th at the 2017 Women's World Championships and 3rd at the 2016 WWC.— Mike Murphy (@DigDeepBSB) December 5, 2017
https://twitter.com/JoePack/status/938135068609933312
https://twitter.com/Call_Me_Vaepsae/status/938135068324884482
https://twitter.com/costa1360/status/938135036557115392
Luckily for athletes not involved in the scandal, they can still compete in the Olympics, just under the Olympic flag itself.
How goes your day, Mr. Putin?