Russia’s ban from major international sporting events has been halved by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but the country will still not be represented at next year’s Olympics or the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
“WADA is pleased to have won this landmark case,” said WADA President Witold Banka in a statement. “We left no stone unturned in investigating this very complex matter and in presenting our case before CAS. “The panel has clearly upheld our findings that the Russian authorities brazenly and illegally manipulated the Moscow Laboratory data in an effort to cover up an institutionalized doping scheme. “In the face of continual resistance and denial from Russia, we clearly proved our case, in accordance with due process. In that regard, this ruling is an important moment for clean sport and athletes all over the world.” Russia has not commented on the action and has not responded to inquiries by CNN. Russia’s punishment relates to inconsistencies in data retrieved by WADA in January 2019 from the Moscow lab at the center of the 2016 McLaren report, which uncovered a widespread and sophisticated state-sponsored doping network. The Russian Anti-doping Agency (RUSADA) was deemed non-compliant after the publication of the report, which found that the Russian state had conspired with athletes and sporting officials to undertake a doping program that was unprecedented in its scale and ambition.
