OVIE’S MORE A FIGHTER THAN A LOVER
Russia ban just not tough enough
THE MAN who brought down Lance Armstrong has condemned Russia’s four-year ban from all major sporting events as inadequate.
A punishment which shocked the world failed to impress US anti-doping chief executive Travis Tygart.
He did not need to hear the World Anti-Doping Agency admit that, incredibly, Russia could still qualify for the 2022 World Cup and compete in Qatar on a “neutral” basis.
Nor that Russia can still not only compete in next summer’s Euro 2020 finals but host one of the groups in St Petersburg, as UEFA is not defined as a major event organisation in terms of anti-doping breaches.
The headline announcement, that WADA had stopped short of imposing a blanket ban on all participation by Russian athletes, has left Tygart frustrated.
“To allow Russia to escape a complete ban is yet another devastating blow to clean athletes, the integrity of sport and the rule of law,” he said.
“And, in turn, the reaction by all those who value sport should be nothing short of a revolt against this broken system to force reform.”
Russia has been found guilty of a cover-up of sport’s worst drugs scandal and of falsifying lab data linked to its state-sponsored cheating at events including the London Olympics and Paralympics.
Even their prime minister Dmitry Medvedev admits it is impossible to deny that a significant doping problems still exists.
Yet rather than bin them off, the day ended with the only definitive ruling
OVIE SOKO has warned the London Lions’ league rivals that his laid-back attitude won’t be on show after finally starting his BBL campaign.
The former US college star turned his back on several big-money offers from European teams, spending his time instead appearing on ITV reality show ‘Love Island’.
The 6ft 7in forward became a firm favourite on the programme, finishing third with his on-screen partner India Reynolds.
But as he returns his focus to hoops, he promises British fans will see a very different side of his personality. “I play with a lot being that Russia’s flag and anthem would not be allowed at such global showpieces as the 2020 Olympics and 2022 World Cup.
Tygart said: “WADA promised the world back in 2018 that if Russia failed yet again to live up to its agreements it would use the toughest sanction under the rules.
“Yet here we go again. WADA says one thing and does something entirely different.
“There is no disputing that Russia has committed the most intentional, deep and broad level of corruption on the entire sports world that has put money over morals, abuse over health and of intensity,” he said. “You’re not going to see the same laid-back guy you saw on Love Island.
“It’s a very different approach but it’s going to be exciting.
“I’m looking forward to interacting with the fans over here and hopefully bring a lot of wins to London.
“We have a lot of potential and it’s a league with a lot of potential, so I feel like there’s going to be a lot of exciting highlights this year.
“Basketball has obviously corruption over the Olympic values and all athlete’s dreams.
“Now clean athletes, sports fans and sponsors are having to suffer through another Groundhog Day of Russian corruption and domination.”
But Howard Thomas, former executive vice-president of Russian rugby, hit back, saying: “Rugby players in Russia are not the problem, they are a casualty of this decision.
“This is heartbreaking for some really fantastic people, their dreams have been killed for the next four years.”
The Russian anti-doping agency (Rusada) has 21 days to lodge an appeal to the Court of Arbitration. opened up a whole bunch of opportunities for me.
“It has taken me around the world and it has helped me grow as a young man.
“I’ve definitely got a lot of love for the sport and I’m happy to be back.”
Soko, 28, helped the Lions to an 88-72 win on his debut against Glasgow Rocks on Sunday and will next be in action when they visit the Manchester Giants on Saturday.
But after success in Greece and Spain the former GB star is just looking to put a crazy year behind him and re-establish 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.
“As a result, the WADA executive committee has responded in the strongest possible terms, while protecting the rights of his basketball credentials. He added: “2019 has definitely been a whirlwind.
“There have been a lot of ups and downs but ultimately it has been a year of growth.
“Obviously with Love Island I couldn’t have predicted how that has all panned out but the beauty of it is that it has allowed me to marry the TV side of things to my basketball, which has always been my first passion.
“It’s been a year where I couldn’t have told you I was going to be in the situation I am now, if you had asked me at the beginning of the year, but I’m happy to be here.”
Russian athletes that can prove that they were not involved and did not benefit from these fraudulent acts”.
WADA vice-president Linda Helleland, a Norwegian politician, was unhappy the punishment was not stiffer.
She said: “I wanted sanctions that cannot be watered down. We owe it to the clean athletes to implement the sanctions as strongly as possible.”