Russia Banned From All Global Sport Including Olympics, World Cup

Russia has a bit of a reputation for making questionable decisions in order to further its interests. If the world had a cookie jar that had come up short, the former Soviet Union would definitely have to turn out its pockets.

Advertisement

So it might not come as a surprise that the "World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has imposed a four-year ban on Russia from all global sport, including the 2020 Olympics and the 2022 World Cup finals," according to Sky News.

The decision was made after the WADA determined Moscow tampered with lab data, "planted fake evidence and deleted files linked to positive doping tests that could have helped identify drug cheats."

Dope on the ropes?

Russia, which is expected to appeal the decision, will have 21 days to do so, through the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which sounds like the least fun part of sport imaginable.

If the decision stands, then Russia will miss out on biggest sporting events of the new decade — the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, though individual athletes not affiliated with the scandal may still have opportunities to compete under a neutral flag.

Advertisement

According to the New York Times, some believe the punishments should include all Russian athletes, regardless of whether they were involved in doping or not, in order to discourage future doping attempts.

In the words of Travis T. Tygart, the chief executive of the United States Anti-Doping Agency: "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. 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."

Keep those hands out of the testosterone-laden cookie jar, Russia.

Recommended

Advertisement