In separate unrelated incidents, documents have been released online, which infiltrate the private lives of former Secretary of State Colin Powell and American athletes Simone Biles and Serena Williams.
Recently leaked private emails from Powell, a member of President George W Bush’s cabinet, showed Powell’s scathing disapproval of presidential nominee Donald Trump, whom he has publicly steered clear from commenting about thus far. In some of the released emails, Powell is allegedly quoted saying this of the Trump:
- “Trump is a national disgrace and an international pariah.”
- “For him to say yesterday that within four years he would have 95% of blacks voting for him is schizo fantasy.”
- “He appeals to the worst angels of the GOP nature and poor white folks.”
There were several emails also addressing Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and her email scandal (which, if you recall, Clinton tried to claim Powell did the same thing while he was in office). He is reported saying the following in emails about Clinton:
- “(Clinton) didn’t need any advice or ok from me; she was already doing it. I gave her written guidance on why and how I had been doing it.”
- “Everything HRC touches she kind of screws up with hubris.”
In a separate controversy, it’s been reported that Russian hackers had breeched World Anti-Doping Agency database, leaking medical records of athletes, including Olympic gold medalist gymnast Simone Biles and tennis powerhouse Serena Williams.
Through the hacked medical records, it’s allegedly revealed that some American athletes, including Biles and Williams, tested positive for banned substances, for which the athletes were given official exemptions (some substances are linked to everyday approved therapies).
Biles took to Twitter recently to clear her name. Methylphenidate, a banned substance was reportedly detected in Biles’s system, but methylphenidate is also a drug used to treat ADHD, in which athletes with the condition would be exempted.
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) September 13, 2016
Having ADHD, and taking medicine for it is nothing to be ashamed of nothing that I'm afraid to let people know.
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) September 13, 2016
Williams has yet to comment, but, again, the doping organization has cleared her of any wrongdoing. The hackers revealed Williams’s medical records detected the presence of painkillers for which she was officially approved to use for therapeutic usage.
The Russian hackers claim to believe the World Anti-Doping Agency was in conspiracy with America to exempt certain athletes. Several members of the Russian Olympic team were disqualified from competing in the 2016 Olympic games to doping violations.
BMWK, do you think the leaks and hacks will damage the reputations of Powell, Biles and Williams?