The Irish bookmaker Paddy Power has enacted an advertising stunt at the Russian Embassy, based in Kensington. The stunt was a reaction against the doping scandal with the Russian Olympic team, which might be deterred from participating in the Olympic Games in Rio slated to start on August 5th.
The International Olympic Committee is yet to announce its final stance on the matter, but that did not stop Paddy from initiating the stunt. A medal amnesty box was put outside the Russian Embassy in Kensington. “Putin Your Medals: No Questions Asked” was written on the box.
The prank box was pulled outside the Russian Embassy because of the athletes, whose names have been mentioned in the independent report compiled by Richard McLaren. The revelations made the members of the International Olympic Committee define the case as an “unprecedented attack against the integrity of the Olympic Games”.
According to McLaren’s report, the Russian government has turned a blind eye to the spread of prohibited substances among the best Russian athletes. They were even accused of having used doping during the Winter Olympic Games held in Sochi in 2014.
Allegations were made against the anti-doping officials who let Russian athletes take part in the 2014 Olympics by allowing them to substitute steroid urine samples with clean ones and pass the doping tests.
McLaren remained tight-lipped as to whether his report would lead to a ban for the Russian athletes and exclusion from the upcoming competition. Yet, he said that his aim was to provide facts rather than to give recommendations.
As for the medal amnesty box, put outside the Embassy, a representative of Paddy Power said that the Russian sportsmen were now given a chance to “put things right”. The spokesman did not miss to mention the fact that the government was well-aware of the dishonest practices. In conclusion, he said that a great number of athletes are expected to attend the spot outside the Embassy this week.
Rumour has it that a sprinter, a diver, and a skier have already passed by the drop-off point.
This is not the first occasion when Paddy Power is pulling a joke on the Russian players.
Right before the clash at Euro 2016, they dumped a lorry with the face of the English national Jamie Vardy, in front of the Embassy.
- Author
Daniel Williams
