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Icarus is a Netflix exclusive.
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When Bryan Fogel sets out to uncover the truth about doping in sports, a chance meeting with a Russian scientist transforms his story from a personal experiment into a geopolitical thriller involving dirty urine, unexplained death, and Olympic Gold-exposing the biggest scandal in sports history.
Director: Bryan Fogel
Share Icarus with your community. The filmmakers hope that the film shows exactly how corrupt the system is and that it will serve as a rallying cry for athletes to change it. Let’s not disappoint them.
Show your support of whistleblowers. Those who come forward, like Grigory Rodchenkov, need to know they will be taken seriously and protected for their disclosures. Groups like the Courage Foundation support and fund raise for the legal and public defense of whistleblowers who risk life and liberty for the greater good.
Know what agencies are leading the fight against doping. Organizations such as WADA (The World Anti-Doping Agency) and the International Olympic Committee have put together rigorous “performance enhancing drug tests” to help stifle dopers looking to gain an advantage.
Speak up and report doping. WADA’s report page allows you to “report any alleged Anti-Doping Rule Violation, any alleged World Anti-Doping Code (Code) non-compliance violation, or any act or omission that could undermine the fight against doping.”
“The reason why the story has become such a phenomenon is because it leads us to re-think how the Russians or other
countries can manipulate our political system and how easy it was for them to play the political game by using Sochi as a way to attack another country and try to justify it.”
Watch or read the transcript on Charlie Rose.
“‘Truth is the new banned substance.’ I feel like that is our daily news cycle. That is exactly what is going on in this world. You don’t know what to believe anymore.”
Head over to ESPN to read the interview.
“All presidents and political tyrants—from across the spectrum—must believe untrue and unreal things about their supposed greatness, not just Trump. The best politicians hide their doublethink or find their followers, voters, and nation’s media share their doublethink.”
Read the article from Barry Vacker on Medium.
“Because Icarus is the story of the Russian government’s corruption of the integrity of supposedly neutral international processes and its use of covert action to tamper with those processes.”
Continue reading on Lawfare.
An excellent timeline of the events in the doping scandal, spanning from 2009-2016.
Learn more on Newsweek.
Read the decision concerning the participation of Russian athletes in the Olympic Games in Rio 2016 from the IOC Executive Board.
Read the article from Huffington Post.
The original NY Times news break on the Russian doping story with Dr. Rodchenkov.
BBC Sport explains what it means, why it has become a hot topic, what the types of doping are and what is being done to tackle it. They also list the most famous doping cases in sports history.
A chronological look at the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports from CNN.
Answers to common questions about the health and safety risks associated with substances and methods on the WADA Prohibited List, as well as information concerning the legitimate medical use of substances.
Learn more from The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.
"Bryan Fogel's ICARUS is a tale of lies, deception and murder with stakes worthy of its Greek antecedent."
Matthew Anderson, CineVue
"A wildly timely movie for our current moment, as issues of cheating, illegitimacy and geopolitical bullies take center stage."
Robert Abele, The Wrap
"A truly absorbing piece of filmmaking."
Eric Kohn, IndieWire
