Cycling films: Icarus is the most successful sports documentary of recent years. It shows us how a systematic doping network was built in Russia.
Ikarus is available to stream via Netflix.
Icarus: Fun suddenly becomes bitter seriousness
In 2017, the documentary Icarus was released on Netflix . Rarely before had a documentary caused such a stir. Bryan Fogel's work begins innocently enough. The filmmaker simply wants to try and win an amateur cycling race using banned substances. He is supported by Grigory Rodchenkov, the head of the Russian anti-doping program. Their goal is not only to win the race, but also to pass all anti-doping tests. But then the documentary takes an unexpected turn. Fogel befriends Rodchenkov and discovers that he himself has established a system in Russia to systematically dope Russian athletes and successfully pass anti-doping tests. Now Grigory Rodchenkov must fear for his life.
The documentary shakes the credibility of the sport
Although cycling is the main focus at the beginning of the documentary , individual sports gradually fade into the background. It becomes clear that cheating occurred across all sports. Icarus could therefore cause a lasting blow to the credibility of all sports. Furthermore, the documentary has been accused of stoking anti-Russian sentiment. This accusation is difficult to refute, as this work, which won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature in 2018, clearly points the finger at Russia.