Quick quiz – how many sports documentaries have won an academy award? Since the 1960s, there were only 5. The latest was Icarus by director Bryan Fogel. The film Icarus started when Fogel, a cycling enthusiast, wanted to explore ways to get away with doping to prepare for an amateur cycling race. But halfway through his film, what began as an experiment on himself turns into something much bigger. One of the film's main subject, a Russian scientist Grigory Rodchenkov, who is the director of Russia's national anti-doping laboratory blows the whistle on a massive Russian doping program with links to the highest levels of Russian government. The film pivots to the tale of Rodchenkov, the mastermind behind that program. Fogel then wound up uncovering a major international scandal -- the Russian doping scheme at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

When allegations emerge in the international media over the possible existence of such a program, Fogel realizes that Rodchenkov is in danger of being "silenced" by the Russian government and has him flown to Los Angeles for his protection. The film ends stating that the Russian government continues to deny it had any involvement with the program and that Rodchenkov remains in protective custody.

My one question though is who is the Icarus of this tale? At first, it seems like it’s Fogel, who tries to use the same drugs that cycling legend Lance Armstrong did but he crashes to the Earth. Then it could be Rodchenkov, although he personally never seems to have achieved the fame of the athletes whom he helped cheat. Maybe they are the Icarus of this tale, and Rodchenkov merely Daedalus, the man who built the wings of wax, sure to inevitably burn in the heat of the sun. What are your thoughts?