WADA Bans Russia From 2020 Tokyo Olympics and 2022 World Cup Over Doping Concerns
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has unanimously agreed to ban Russia from major international sporting competitions — notably the Olympics and the World Cup — for four years over doping non-compliance.
It means the Russia flag and anthem will not be allowed at international events such as the Olympics and Paralympics and football’s World Cup in Qatar.
But the full extent of the ban will not be borne after all as Russia will still be able to host Euro 2020 matches, and play in the competition, because Wada’s ruling applies only to global events, not continental ones.
WADA’s compliance review committee (CRC) had suggested several sanctions because of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency’s (RUSADA) failure to cooperate fully during probes into Russian sport.
WADA’s executive committee took the decision after it concluded that Moscow had tampered with laboratory data by planting fake evidence and deleting files linked to positive doping tests that could have helped identify drug cheats.
Russian whistleblower Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, who was influential in initially exposing the doping cover-up, praised WADA’s decision.
“Finally, Russia’s many doping and obstruction sins will now get some of the punishment they richly deserve. For far too long, Russia has weaponized doping fraud and state-sponsored criminal activity as a tool of foreign policy,” said Rodchenkov via his lawyer Jim Walden, in a statement sent to CNN.
“Let every corrupt nation that tries to play from Russia’s illicit playbook take heed of today’s monumental decision. When doping conspiracies become a crime under the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act, cheaters will be in U.S. prisons and clean athletes will be better protected.”
On the flip side, Russia’s sports minister, Pavel Kolobkov, has already indicated that his country will appeal against the decision of Wada’s executive committee, saying he believes their “prospects are quite good”.
The punishment, however, leaves the door open for clean Russian athletes to compete at major international sporting events without their flag or anthem for four years, as was the case during the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.
But athletes who can prove they are untainted by the doping scandal will be able to compete under a neutral flag.
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By Gerald Dandah
