Race Fixing

As the Presidential election in Russia draws near - polling day is 4 March 2012 - the whole concept of a free and fair contest seems to be falling apart.

The Russian constitution being manipulated to allow former the two-term President and current Prime Minister - Vladimir Putin - to stand again which is bad enough.

But the contest is descending into farce as credible candidates in the 'race' are prevented from standing - such as Grigory Yavlinksy of the liberal Yabloko Party.

After weeding out any real threat - the official runners and riders are apparently now:

1 Vladimir Putin of the United Russia Party
2 Gennady Zyuganov of the Communist Party
3 Vladimir Zhirinovsky of the ultra-nationalist and Liberal Democratic Party
4 Segei Mironov of the Just Russia Party
5 Mikhail Prokhorov - a wealthy Russian oligarch

Now Vladimir Putin has already beaten candidates 2, 3 and 4 in previous elections - so it seems likely that they are really no hopers.

The mysterious Russian oligarch - Mikhail Prokhorov - has no political credentials and has appeared right out of the blue.

So fuelling suspicions that he is there simply to queer the pitch in favour of Valdimir Putin - and his chums in United Russia.

I'd like to know on what basis Grigor Yavlinsky has been excluded from the election - because it certainly sounds like an old-fashioned stitch-up of the worst kind.

Because if old Vlad is just up against the usual suspects - all no-hopers effectively - then Russia's preposterous Iron Man - is surely bound to win again.