WADA bans Russia from competition for four years

Russia has 21 days to appeal. If it does, the Court of Arbitration for Sport will hear the case.

By REUTERS
Russia defeats Israeli national soccer team 370 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Russia defeats Israeli national soccer team 370
(photo credit: REUTERS)
The World Anti-Doping Agency has barred Russia from competing in major athletic events for the next four years for tampering with anti-doping lab results, the agency announced Monday.

As a result, no team can take part in a competition under the country's flag, anthem or name at events that include the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The agency's executive committee voted unanimously Monday in Lausanne, Switzerland, to take the action, a spokesperson said.

Russia has 21 days to appeal. If it does, the Court of Arbitration for Sport will hear the case.

Russian athletes who have clean test results still can compete at major international events but not under the name or the country or bearing its flag.

This is not the first sanction for Russia. In the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, the Russian contingent competed under the name Olympic Athletes from Russia and competed under the Olympic flag.