Russia Handed Four-Year Ban for Doping Violations

On Monday, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced that they have moved to ban Russia from competition in major international sporting events for four years, including the upcoming Olympics and soccer World Cup, over doping noncompliance.

WADA had launched several probes into the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) in recent years, stemming from widespread violations first uncovered by an investigation into the 2014 Olympics in Sochi. According to WADA, RUSADA’s failure to cooperate with these continued probes prompted the punishment, which was upheld by WADA’s Executive Committee on Monday in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Russia was also banned from competing as a nation at the 2018 PyeongChang Games and athletes who were cleared of any connection to the scandal instead competed under the Olympic flag as “Olympic Athletes from Russia.”

RUSADA now has 21 days to either accept the decision or appeal the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.