American Olympians are considering boycotting a world championship event scheduled to be held in Sochi, Russia, in February, a move that would represent the most provocative gesture yet by athletes dissatisfied with how sports officials have responded to the continuing Russian doping scandal.
American athletes who compete in bobsled and skeleton have circulated memos laying out reasons to avoid participating in the world championships in Sochi, the site of the last Winter Olympics and of elaborate, state-sponsored cheating. The athletes have cited concerns about doping control, personal safety and information security.
The correspondence, some of which was obtained by The New York Times, indicates that the athletes have the support of the United States Olympic Committee, an organization that has not taken a strong public stand on Russia’s systemic doping as it seeks to curry favor with global sports leaders in a bid to hold the 2024 Summer Games in Los Angeles.