Media Watch - Sochi Scrutinized; Tokyo's Road to 2020; Armstrong's Fraud

2014 Winter Olympics

Vestnik Kavkaza reports: "The Georgian authorities continue sending ambiguous signals about their Olympic team's participation in the 2014 Sochi Games." Georgian Foreign minister Maya Pandzhikidze previously announced the country would not boycott the Winter Olympics as "a sign of sincere striving for improvement of relations with [its] northern neighbor." However, the "Olympic peace" might be over.

The Huffington Post discusses actor Ian McKellan’s response to Russia’s gay propaganda ban: "As a gay man it is absolutely appalling that this law has been passed which would inhibit me and any gay athletes that would go to Russia to be simply themselves." Mckellan is one of many "stars sounding off" on Russia’s anti-gay law. He adds, "The Olympics is a very special event...If we were to not hold the games because of the internal politics of the country in question, the problem is they would never take place."

WND reports that Russian officials are raising "major alarms over the number of Islamists from the North Caucasus now getting urban warfare experience in Syria." The Winter Olympics are less than five months away and the Kremlin "fears bloodshed."

SI.com reports on social media’s reaction to Hockey Canada’s third jersey reveal which "continues a run of unsightly uniform designs for Sochi."

The Vancouver Sun also covers the "Twittersphere’s" reaction to Team Canada’s third unofficial jersey design. Team Canada's men's hockey jerseys were previously and inadvertently revealed "via a Getty Images upload." Social media notes the design’s "unfortunate political connotations."

BBC Sport features short-track speedskater Elise Christie who reportedly will not "settle for Sochi bronze" at the upcoming Winter Olympics.

Tokyo’s Road Ahead

In a special to CNN, Takanori Sonoda explores whether Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe can "tap into Japan’s Olympic unity." On September 7, the IOC chose Tokyo, Japan to host the 2020 Summer Olympics. The announcement received a broad reception, but also "highlighted a number of major challenges facing Japan’s government." Sonoda lists the Fukushima crisis and Japan’s economy as issues Abe and the government will need to overcome in preparation for the 2020 Games.

Besides "fury" expressed by residents in Japan’s northeast coastal region over Tokyo’s bid for the 2020 Olympics, the Global Times reports that "few voices doubt the potential benefit brought by the Games."

The IOC’s head of events and hospitality Panos Tzivanidis shares his thoughts on Tokyo 2020 in "60 seconds" with Conference and Incentive Travel’s Alison Ledger.

Doping in Sport

The Wall Street Journal’s Reed Albergotti answers this question for readers: "How does cheating in a French bike race constitute fraud against Uncle Sam?" According to Albergotti, a "quirky wartime statute" could be a "thorn" in disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong’s side.

USA Today writer Brent Schrotenboer covers Armstrong’s original defense against claims that he defrauded the federal government. Armstrong essentially argued that the "government should have known he was doping all along." He also argued the "government wanted a winner" and "got what it bargained for." On Monday, the federal government "fired back."

A CBC Sports video explores whether Ben Johnson is a "victim or villain." The Canadian track star was stripped of his 1988 Olympic gold medal for doping. Johnson has become a "poster boy for doping in sport over the past 25 years."

Compiled byNicole Bennett.

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