Russia doping ban reduced to two years; team to miss Tokyo Olympics, 2022 World Cup

Russia’s initial four-year ban from all major sporting events has been reduced to two folloing a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The European nation was handed a four-year ban last year by the World Anti-Doping Agency after a dopong scandal.

Despite the reduction by CAS, the ban still prevents Russia from competing in the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, set to be held next year, and football’s 2022 World Cup billed for Qatar.

Cas said the reduction of the ban which is meant to run until 16 December 2022, should not be seen “as any validation” of Russia’s conduct.

Read Also: DOPING SCANDAL: Russia to miss Olympics, Paralympics and World Cup

However, Russia will be allowed to play in the European football tournament, the Euro 2020, because UEFA is not defined as a “major event organisation” with regards to rulings on anti-doping breaches.

The world anti-doping agency declared Russia’s Anti Doping Agency (Rusada) non-compliant for manipulating laboratory data handed over to investigators in January 2019.

“The panel has imposed consequences to reflect the nature and seriousness of the non-compliance and to ensure that the integrity of sport against the scourge of doping is maintained,” said Cas, which announced the ruling on Thursday.

“It has considered matters of proportionality and, in particular, the need to effect cultural change and encourage the next generation of Russian athletes to participate in clean international sport.”

Meanwhile, Russia has also been prevented from hosting international events during the same period.

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