Reeling from doping ban, Moscow blames ‘anti-russian hysteria’ ‘No chance’ of winning ban appeal, says RUSADA chief Russia can play in 2022 World Cup qualifiers: Wada-linked official

MOSCOW: Russia reeled from a four-year ban from global sports on Monday, with athletes in shock and the government quick to blame “anti-russian hysteria”.

The head of Russia’s antidoping agency meanwhile said his country had “no chance” of winning an appeal of the ban, which he described as a tragedy for clean athletes.

The World Anti-doping Agency on Monday banned Russia from international competitions including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

It accused Russia of falsifying laboratory doping data handed over earlier this year to investigators probing claims of widespread doping.

Russia can appeal the ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but the head of its RUSADA anti-doping agency, Yuri Ganus, said he doubted it would be successful.

“There is no chance of winning this case in court,” Ganus told AFP. “This is a tragedy. Clean athletes are seeing their rights limited.”

Under the sanctions, Russian sportsmen and women will still be allowed to compete at the Olympics next year but only if they can demonstrate that they were not part of what WADA believes was a state-sponsored system of doping.

Russian government officials will be barred from attending any major events, while the country will lose the right to host, or even bid, for tournaments.

While admitting there have been instances of doping, Russian officials say the country is no worse than any other. Some have accused other countries of pursuing the ban to remove Russian athletes from competition.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Monday that it was “impossible to deny” that doping had taken place but that those involved had already been punished.

“This is the continuation of this anti-russian hysteria that has already become chronic,” Medvedev told Russian news agencies. Many in Russian sports agreed.

“The decision that was taken today was political and not simply about sports,” the head of Russia’s Biathlon Union, Vladimir Drachev, told Russia-24 state television.

“I have no words... How can you mock athletes who have been preparing all their lives for this?” said Aslanbek Khushtov, who won wrestling gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. “Unfortunately this is politics, I don’t smell any sport here,” he told state news agency TASS.

MOSCOW: The head of Russia’s anti-doping agency said Monday that his country had “no chance” of winning an appeal against a four-year international sporting ban he said was a tragedy for clean athletes.

“There is no chance of winning this case in court,” RUSADA chief Yury Ganus said after the World Anti-doping Agency imposed the ban that will rule Russia out of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

RUSADA’S supervisory board is set to meet on December 19 to take a decision on whether to appeal the ban, he said. “This is a tragedy,” he said. “Clean athletes are seeing their rights limited.” Ganus said that some Russian athletes were contemplating leaving Russia so that they could train elsewhere.

He described the sentiments among athletes as “awful,” stressing that four years for a sportsman is a long time in what can be a short career.

Earlier Monday WADA’S executive committee, meeting in Lausanne, decided that Russia be handed a four-year suspension after accusing Moscow of falsifying laboratory data.

Russian athletes have already faced a series of bans over the last few years and were forced to participate in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games as neutral competitors.

The heads of several Russian sports federations said they were preparing to send athletes to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics under a neutral flag.

The head of Russia’s swimming federation, Vladimir Salnikov, said the country’s athletes “must go to the Olympics whatever the situation.”

“Of course we’d prefer that our athletes participate under the Russian flag and hear their national anthem. But the circumstances may be different... (and) no-one has the right to deprive innocent athletes of their dreams,” he told state news agency RIA Novosti.

“If (participating under a neutral flag) is the only possibility, we must go and win. Our clean athletes, I am sure, will show that they are strong, even in these circumstances,” said the head of the waterpolo, diving and synchronised swimming federation, Alexei Vlasenko.

LAUSANNE: An official

linked to the World Anti-doping Agency said on Monday Russia can participate in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup despite receiving a four-year ban from major global sporting events.

WADA’S executive committee placed the suspension on Russia earlier in the day after accusing Moscow of falsifying

laboratory doping data handed over to investigators this year.

“Because the qualifiers don’t decide the world champion, Russia can take part. The decision applies to the World Cup tournament because it decides the world champion,” said Jonathan Taylor, chairman of WADA’S Compliance Review Committee.

“FIFA would come with some new proposals,” he added.

World football’s governing body said earlier on Monday it was seeking clarification about the extent of the suspension. Russia hosted the 2018 World Cup.

“FIFA has taken note of the decision taken by WADA Executive Committee today,” a statement said.

“FIFA is in contact with WADA and ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations) to clarify

RUSADA’S supervisory board is set to meet on December 19 to take a decision on whether to appeal the ban, Ganus said. ‘This is a tragedy,’ he said. ‘Clean athletes are seeing their rights limited’

Russia will be ruled out of the next Olympic cycle, the country will lose the right to host, or even bid, for tournaments

the extent of the decision in regards to football,” it added.

Russia will be ruled out of the next Olympic cycle, and its government’s officials will be barred from attending any major events, while the country will lose the right to host, or even bid, for tournaments.

Under the sanctions, Russian athletes will still be allowed to compete at the Olympics next year and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics but only if they can demonstrate that they were not part of what WADA believes was a state-sponsored system of doping.

Russia’s participation at Euro 2020, in which Saint Petersburg will host four matches, is not affected by the ban because it is not defined as a “major event” for anti-doping purposes.