Russia Banned From All International Sports for Doping

[Jack M]

"On Monday, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced that they have moved to ban Russia from competition in major international sporting events for four years, including the upcoming Olympics and soccer World Cup, over doping noncompliance."

https://www.skiracing.com/stories/russia-handed-four-year-ban-for-doping-violations

[Neil Gendzwill]

Russia is not banned, they just can't say they're Russia.  Weak sauce decision from the IOC, WADA should have been allowed to curbstomp the Russians.

[Dan]

8 hours ago, Neil Gendzwill said:

Russia is not banned, they just can't say they're Russia.  Weak sauce decision from the IOC, WADA should have been allowed to curbstomp the Russians.

I tend to agree with this assessment. They're saying Russian athletes can still compete if they test clean...but the whole point of the Russian doping campaign was to allow them to dope and test clean, so...???

Of course, this is just more confirmation the IOC is more interested in protecting their cash flow than in the sanctity of competition or anything else other than lining their pockets - exhibit b being the decision to hold the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing while the Chinese government has 1 million Uighurs in concentration camps...

Is that veering a little too close to politics? 

Also, does this mean that Vic Wild will be regaining his US citizenship to compete for the Stars and Stripes again? 

Edited December 10, 2019 by Dan

[avante]

It sounds like some Russian athletes are under suspicion and may be banned later from competing at all. 

 

Clean Russian athletes will be able to compete but without displaying any national symbols. No only that, but their "clean" status from now must be confirmed through non-Russian WADA-certified lab, as Russian Anti-Doping Agency is explicitly banned now.