The Winter Olympics Virus, Day -3

• Take this with massive amounts of sodium chloride, as I found this on a virulently right-wing economic blog I read and the source is The Epoch Times:  There is a report out there that a Canadian and an American ethicist have both said that China's repressive Communist policies are going to open the door for the Chinese Communist Party to collect the DNA samples from Olympic-champion athletes, especially from countries like the United States.  Only posting this here from the "You'd Be Thinking I Was Making This Up" Department otherwise!!   
• Even though previous announcements have indicated no fans will be allowed at the Beijing Games, a late plan is being supported by the IOC to have sporting venues have up to 30% attendance.
• Julie-Ann Rivers-Cochran of the sexual-assault survivors group The Army of Survivors, believes the proposed IOC meeting with Peng Shuai may further endanger Shuai with the Chinese Communist Party, and hence she Rivers-Cochran cannot support it.
• The President of the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee, Tony Estanguet, will not be attending the Beijing Games -- for the same reason they should not be held:  COVID.
• Speaking of COVID:  Three-time American Olympic medalist Elana Meyers Taylor has tested positive while in China.  She's in isolation and still hopes to compete.
• Russia has now had to replace two members of it's sledding team as a result of COVID protocols.
• Over 100 positive cases affiliated to the Games have been reported just Friday through Sunday.
• It appears we may be headed for another figure-skating judging debacle:  A Chinese judge, banned in 2018 for giving Chinese skaters preferential marks, has been reinstated and will judge at the Beijing Games.  Between COVID and this kind of stuff, do not underestimate the possibility China either stuns everybody and tops the table or comes quite close!   
• Seyed Sattar Seyd, who was scheduled to carry the flag for Iran on Friday, is out of the Games entirely -- yep, you guessed it, COVID.
• COVID has isolated has Zan Kosir, three-time snowboarding medalist, scheduled to do the same for Slovenia.  He's still hoping for the two negative tests required to compete.
• Jim Forbes, 1972 USA Olympic basketball player, has passed away at age 69.  Yep, you guessed it.  COVID complications.
• David Wallechinsky, a doyer for the Olympics who has covered or supervised portions of 19 Games, will miss his first Olympics since the Winter Games of 1988, in protest over Chinese surveillance requirements.
• At least one replacement for the vaunted Norwegian cross-country team.  Anne Kjersti Kalva is out due to COVID.
• Pales in comparison to the story of Swedish skier Leo Johansson.  Tested positive in Swedish training in Italy.  Went home.  Had six consecutive negative tests, so made the trip to Beijing, only to test positive AGAIN both Friday and Saturday.  He is currently in isolation, hoping to compete.
• Beijing Olympic organizers are indicating that athletes and organizers for the Games are testing positive for COVID at a 40% higher rate than the local native Chinese population.  First-world.  Sociality-based.  Travel-based.  Get it through your fucking heads!!!   
• American Snowcross medalist in 2014 Alex Deibold is out of the Games.  In his case, however, it's an injury.  The withdrawl list from these Games is going to look like a M*A*S*H Unit.   
• With all this, the Games of the XXIVth Winter Olympiad actually begin at 4 AM Pacific Wednesday morning Pacific US time with the first Mixed Doubles Curling matches.  Wednesday evening will feature more Mixed Doubles Curling, preliminary women's hockey, and downhill skiing training.