WADA has banned Russia from competing in international sporting events.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has banned Russia from competing in international sporting events for four years, including the 2020 Summer Olympics, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, according to reporting from BBC.
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, and finally, this Monday in Lausanne, Switzerland, WADA made its unanimously agreement to ban Russia from global sport.
This latest ban still leaves the door open for Russian athletes, who can prove they are not tainted by the scandal, to compete as neutral athletes. For example, according to CNN, the Russian national team can still qualify for the World Cup finals in 2022, but if successful would have to compete as a neutral team in Qatar.
“Russia was afforded every opportunity to get its house in order and rejoin 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,” said Craig Reedie, President of the World Anti-Doping Agency.
