Unfortunately I get the impression from talking to my non running friends about this, and the regular media, that this story is only of interest to them, spun as a geopolitical Cold War story,
Ironic as most Americans and Westerners will go on blindly worshipping most sports in utter ignorance of
the greedy, idle, destructive current that the state of team sports contributes
(contributes, key word, not created exclusively )
to our culture.
(Some non team sports are beginning to resemble this negatively too)
And thinking--without Question! this is the good old red blooded patriotic Christian "wholesome" American way.
It creates a false sense of security too, like the abuse of garbage television as a soporific drug.
The truth is, hiding behind any sort of unthinking mass group culture are the seeds of disaster.
You put together many equations of unthinking modes in our society and they exacerbate each other.
PEDs fame money sex aggression is the dark side sometimes seen.
But the real dark side is the lack of consciousness and awareness, which sets into motion evil and suffering.
I cry because two or three generations ago there were grandparents/ancestors of today's wanton adults and athletes who at least had some understanding of the healthy total balance of athletics with intellect, morals, virtue, humanism.
This is what happens when athletes put performance and self glory and social status before prudence, art, setting up a psychic home to receive the gifts of training, etc. The forms of true glory and triumph and inspiration performance become corrupted.
Life and Creation are not one dimensional "games," even though artificial social structures promote this mindset.
Shouldn't parents, professionals, leaders, pastors and coaches know this, and be guiding our society responsibly? Few do, and the proof in rotten fruit is everywhere.
Pretty soon, love family and community will erode in oblivion because everyone wants self glory and comfort and nobody wants to do the hard work of maintenance, understanding and true securement.