By News Desk
Weeks after studying World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report banning Russia from all top sporting events for next four years, the country’s government hs challenged the stance.
WADA’s earlier ruling means Russian athletes cleared to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will do so under a neutral flag. But Lasitskene and some other Russian track and field athletes face additional obstacles to being cleared for competition.
Russia has been afforded 21 days to accept WADA’s decision or lodge an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland.
To exercise the window, Russia on Friday formally contested its ban from major sporting events over doping violations.
“In accordance with the established procedure, today we have sent a package of documents to WADA. The package contains a notice on our disagreement with WADA sanctions,” RUSADA director-general, Yury Ganus told reporters in Moscow.
Ganus also said he had sent a letter to WADA informing the anti-doping of his personal stance, saying, I regret to inform you that all my attempts including attempts to introduce changes to the RUSADA notice have failed.
Ganus, who has long argued for a major crackdown by Russia against doping cheats, told AFP on Thursday that “it is practically impossible” to contest the WADA ban.
WADA this month banned Russia for four years from major global events, including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, over manipulated doping data.
Ganus, whose rigorous stance puts him at odds with his own government and supervisory board, argues that Moscow needs to accept the sanctions and own up to its faults in order to be able to reform.
Ganus said he had, however, to relay the decision of the supervisory board, noting, this is not our decision.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has called the sanctions politically motivated, indicating a lengthy legal battle loomed.
He argued that the majority of Russian athletes were clean and should not be deprived of the right to compete under the Russian flag due to the actions of some individuals.
