Russia looks like a dope
OLYMPICS: A World AntiDoping Agency recommendation that Russia be banned from all sporting competitions for four years will likely be upheld, the country’s anti-doping chief expects.
WADA’s Compliance Review Committee accuses Russia of falsifying laboratory data and has also recommended the country be banned from staging or bidding for major international sporting events for four years.
The recommendations, which are supported by the International Olympic Committee, will be deliberated by WADA’s Executive Committee
on December 9 in Paris.
The chief of Russian antidoping agency RUSADA, Yury Ganus, conceded that the recommendations were likely to be passed.
“We are plunging, for the next four years, into a new phase of Russia’s doping crisis ... our athletes have become hostages of the actions of our sports officials,” Ganus said.
Sanctions for doping meant Russian track and field athletes were barred from the 2016 Olympics, although allowed to take part in other events, and the ban was widened to include all events at the 2018 Winter Olympics.