Passing the test at what cost?
Bryan Fogel sets out to investigate the truth about doping in sports. He meets Grigory Rodchenkov, former head of the Russian anti-doping agency, who agrees to help him. Fogel, himself being an amateur cyclist, decides to use banned performance-enhancing drugs and then subject himself to testing, to see if he would pass. Fogel finds out that Grigory has his method for helping Russian athletes pass a doping test. When the Russian authority hears about what is going on, Grigory’s life is suddenly in danger. Icarus is a documentary that will change the sporting world forever. It touches on the most critical process in international competitive sports; doping. By using himself as a guinea pig, cyclist turned filmmaker was able to demonstrate how artists can pass a doping test. Fogel used Lance Armstrong’s issue as a reference point throughout the documentary. Lance has been tested over 50 times but was still able to pass through anti-doping test and came out negative at every instance, until a federal investigation caught him.
Fairness for all?
But of course, the filmmaker’s thematic concentration was on trying to prove that the pressure to dope is engineered by Vladimir Putin, who wanted victory at all cost. Fogel is convinced that Putin’s behavior, which inspired state-sponsored doping that led to Russian glories in the 2014 winter Olympics, is to be blamed. Fogel knows that doping goes beyond the Russians, citing the Armstrong confessions as a case study. The Russians got caught today, but there is no guarantee that other nations are not actively doing the same. This film is a must watch for all sports lovers and everyone that care about fairness in sports. We encourage you to save the movie and watch it. It is inspiring, thought-provoking, and thrilling. To watch Icarus, Click Here.
