An amateur cyclist who set out to make a film about his attempts to outwit anti-doping testers has won an Oscar.
Bryan Fogel’s film, Icarus, was named Best Documentary Feature at last night’s Academy Awards in Los Angeles.
Fogel, who lives in Colorado and whose background is in comedy, spoke to officials at the US Anti-Doping Agency to tell them what he was up to.
They shied away from the project, perhaps understandably, and instead pointed him in the direction of Dr Grigory Rodchenkov of the Moscow Anti-Doping Centre – who would become the whistleblower on state-sponsored Russian doping.
And that’s how Fogel unwittingly found himself with a ringside seat as one of the biggest doping scandals sport has ever witnessed, the scope of his documentary evolving well beyond his original premise.
He was far from a passive observer, either, helping Rodchenkov escape Russia then putting him in touch with reporters from The New York Times so he could tell his story after two of his former colleagues died “unexpectedly.”
Accepting the Oscar last night, Fogel said: “We dedicate this award to Dr Grigory Rodchenkov, a fearless whistleblower who now lives in grave danger.
“We hope Icarus is a wake-up call, yes about Russia, but more than that, about the importance of telling the truth, now more than ever.”
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3 thoughts on “Amateur cyclist who tried to outwit anti-doping testers ends up winning an Oscar (+ video)”
Although there was an element
Although there was an element of luck in how the potentially self-indulgent premise of the movie blew up into something far, far more interesting, this is a thoroughly deserved win. A top movie that has become one of my “you must watch … ” recommendations to all and sundry.
ped wrote:
Agreed. It is fascinating and frightening at the same time. Don’t mess with Putin.
I watched Icarus last night
I watched Icarus last night and it is scary.
Not only highlighting how dangerous a state
the USSRRussia still is, but it also changed my mind about the whole Wiggo/ Team Sky debarcle.Obviously the Moscow AD lab was compromised, but the ease with which the testing procedures were overcome really puts the competency of the system into question. I used to (naievely) think that since the Armstrong days new tests had been develloped to match that era’s choice of dope, but Fogel’s regimen was the exact same cocktail of EPO and testosterone. It would seem that only an idiot with the most arrogant and brazen approach to the classic obviously PE drugs would get caught.
As it was my belief that the opportunity for those types of drugs to be used had been closed off, I was prepared accept that Brailsford et.al. were exploring the legal but creative avenues of biochemistry. Morally ambiguous, maybe, but within the rules until the exploited loopholes are closed.
I now take the the same view adding a large dollop of cynicism. Were/are team Sky experimenting with unorthodox methods? Certainly. Are they being so truthful about the technical legality of it all? Increasingly not. Are they the only team up to such tricks? Definitely no. Are other sports at it too? Well, obviously…
Sure, it doesn’t a good light on cycling, but I’m still in disbelief as to how there’s so much denial aroung the use of PEDs in other mainstream sports.
I never thought I would have found a documentary so gripping and so intense. I actually had to take a break half way through to decompress.