Swiss court rejects Russian appeal against doping ban

A Swiss court on Thursday upheld doping sanctions that will prevent Russian athletes from competing at major international events under the country's flag, but halved the period of the ban to two from four years.

The ruling will leave Russian athletes without their flag and national anthem at next year's Tokyo Olympics and at the 2022 soccer World Cup in Qatar, a severe blow to Russian sport which has been tarnished in recent years by a string of doping scandals.

The Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said the sanctions, which also bar Russia from hosting or bidding for major sporting events during a two-year period, would come into force on Thursday and end on December. 16, 2022.

Russian government officials or representatives will be banned from attending events such at the Olympics and world championships in major sports for a twoyear period.

Russians will also not be able to be appointed to or sit on committees or serve as board members at organisations that must abide by the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) code.

WADA had accused Russia of planting fake evidence and of deleting files linked to positive doping tests that could have helped identify drug cheats. — Reuters.