"Icarus"

I recently watched Icarus, the documentary on Netflix about Russian doping. It starts out seeming to be about Bryan Fogel, an amateur cyclist out to prove how easy it is to get away with doping (by doping himself). But then it turns into an expose on Russian doping in general, as related by Fogel's guru, Grigory Rodchenkov.

Rodchenkov used to be part of the Russian state doping apparatus, which is apparently pervasive at the highest levels of Russian sport. It's almost impossible to watch the documentary and not come away convinced that the Russians are doping the same way the East Germans were back in the 1970's and 1980's.

The Russians who are still involved in the national sports program of course deny the doping. But, of course, they would. Evidently the KGB (now called the SVR) is involved, and evidently it's all done with Putin's approval.

I've always assumed swimmer Vladimir Morozov was juicing. He's 5' 11", which is uncommonly short for a top sprinter, but is the world record holder in the 100 meter individual medley and is always a contender in the freestyle sprints in long course as well:

Note the way his trapezius muscles seem to jut up from his shoulders, and the way the line between his pectoral muscles extends all the way to his collarbones.

From Wikipedia:

On 25 July 2016, Morozov was named by FINA as an athlete who had been identified by WADA as one that had benefited from the 'disappearing positive methodology' as part of a Russian state-run doping programme, and as such FINA declared him ineligible for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics in accordance with the requirements issued by the International Olympic Committee the previous day. No further information was released as to possible punishments for doping. However, on August 4, 2016, Morozov was cleared to compete by the IOC.

Evidently Morozov also benefited from the "disappearing sanctions methodology" administered by the IOC.

By the way, here's a picture of Adam Peaty from the recent world championships in Budapest:

If you want humongous, unnaturally well-defined biceps, swimming is the way to go!

And here's another picture of Nicholas Santos (in the striped cap):

Check out that arm definition. All those people who tell you that swimming produces long, loose muscle are wrong. It makes you look like a body-builder!