Russia Banned from Olympics & Football World Cup

[pharvey]

This may lead to a little backlash from the Ivans........ I'm assuming that the only reason they are still allowed to compete in next year's European Football Championships is that they are one of the host countries and there is little time to organise alternative venues (and issues with ticketing).

Russia Banned from Tokyo Olympics and Football World Cup

"The World Anti-Doping Agency has voted unanimously to ban Russia from international sport for four years for doping offences.
Russia now have 21 days to appeal against the sentence, which would see the country banned from participating at next summer’s Olympics in Tokyo and the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

They will, however, still be able compete in next year’s European football championships, where they will also be one of the host countries. As for the World Cup, Fifa said it was in discussions with WADA “to clarify the extent of the decision”. Individual Russian athletes will furthermore be able to compete under a neutral banner at the Olympics, providing they can prove they are drug free. Under similar conditions, 30 Russians competed at this year’s World Athletics Championships as “Authorized Neutral Athletes”.
The new punishment was agreed by Wada’s executive committee (ExCo) at a special meeting convened at the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is the most severe sanction yet against the country, which has been accused of running a systemic doping programme and deleting crucial laboratory evidence.
Wada’s president Sir Craig Reedie said: “For too long, Russian doping has detracted from clean sport. 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."

Full Story: - https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/ ... -world-cup

[dtaai-maai]

While I agree with WADA's (belated) tough stance, I'm not convinced they won't back down.

[dtaai-maai]

And apparently it's a watered-down tough stance anyway...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/50740083