Hyderabad: World Anti-Doping Agency’s leaders unanimously agreed on Monday to ban Russia from international sports including 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games for four years, the latest and severest punishment yet connected to a yearslong cheating scheme that has devastated global sport.
The announcement was made after WADA's board met on Monday in Lausanne, Switzerland. The penalties handed by the Anti-Doping body on Russia include specific bans on Russian sports and government officials and prohibits the country from hosting international events.
"The full list of recommendations have been unanimously accepted," said WADA spokesman James Fitzgerald, speaking at a meeting of the body's executive committee in Lausanne.
"WADA's executive committee approved unanimously to assert a non-compliance on the Russian anti-doping agency for a period of four years," he added.
Russia now has 21 days to lodge an appeal with the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport. If unsuccessful, its ouster will stretch to events well beyond the Olympics, including soccer’s World Cup.
