Film director Bryan Fogel's documentary, "Icarus," played a "key role in exposing the vast athletics doping program orchestrated by the Russian government," which recently prompted the IOC to ban Russia from the PyeongChang 2018 Games, according to Matthew Carey of DEADLINE. Fogel said, "'Icarus' was one [piece] of the evidence that the [IOC] used in making that decision and we're very pleased about that. That was a proud moment as filmmakers, to be recognized in that capacity by the Olympic organization." It is an "improbable outcome" for Fogel's documentary because his initial goal with "Icarus" was "a bit more modest." As an amateur cyclist, the director aimed to show "how easily anti-doping measures could be circumvented," as had happened in the case of seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong. Fogel said, "Here was a guy who to this day has never actually been caught for doping. ... The only way he was actually caught was through criminal investigation where his teammates -- who did the same thing as he did -- ratted him out in exchange for their own immunity." While "exploring flaws in how doping tests were conducted," Fogel came into contact with Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, a Russian chemist who ran his country's accredited anti-doping lab. Fogel said, "He was one of the most powerful scientists in the anti-doping world. But as it turns out he was really in the anti-anti-doping world." Rodchenkov wound up revealing to Fogel that he had guided Russian athletes on how to avoid testing positive for banned substances. Rodchenkov insisted the Russian government "had ordered him to implement a system that would allow its athletes to dope" throughout the Sochi 2014 Games and to conceal that fact through "elaborate means." Fogel: "The mandate from [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, according to Grigory, was to win at all costs -- meaning whatever you've got to do, win" (DEADLINE, 12/25).
