By Ashley Young-
Russia has been slapped with a four-year ban from all major sporting events by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada).
The decision made by Wada’s executive committee at a meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland shows its “determination to act resolutely in the face of the Russian doping crisis”, its president Sir Craig Reedie said. Athletes who can demonstrates that they are untainted by the scandal will be able to compete under a neutral flag.Russia will not be able to fly its flag and anthem will not be allowed at events such as the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and football’s 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The ban follows a declaration of Russia’s Anti Doping Agency (Rusada) as non-compliant for manipulating laboratory data handed over to investigators in January 2019. Wada says Rusada has 21 days to appeal against the ban. If it does so, the appeal will be referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).
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Wada president Sir Craig Reedie said the decision showed its “determination to act resolutely in the face of the Russian doping crisis”. He said: “For too long, Russian doping has detracted from clean sport. The blatant breach by the Russian authorities of Rusada’s reinstatement conditions demanded a robust response.
“That is exactly what has been delivered.
“Russia was afforded every opportunity to get its house in order and re-join the global anti-doping community for the good of its athletes and of the integrity of sport, but it chose instead to continue in its stance of deception and denial.”
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But Wada vice-president Linda Helleland said the ban was “not enough”.
“I wanted sanctions that can not be watered down,” she said. “We owe it to the clean athletes to implement the sanctions as strongly as possible.”
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