Lausanne (AFP)

Less than 200 days before the opening of the Tokyo Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee calls for a decision "which leaves no room for interpretation" from the Sports Arbitral Tribunal (CAS) seized on Thursday of the question of the exclusion of Russia from the Olympic Games.

"What is important for the IOC and the international federations is that we have a decision (of the CAS) which leaves no room for interpretation," said the IOC’s German boss Thomas Bach at a press conference, at the end of the 135th session of the forum on which the question of Russia has hovered widely.

"If there is room for interpretation, this would lead to total confusion," he added.

According to several sources close to the file interviewed Friday by AFP on the sidelines of the session, the CAS decision may not be made before May, two months before the start of the Olympic Games in Tokyo on July 24, 2020.

"Unfortunately we do not control the rhythm of the procedure. But we hope that the decision will be made as quickly as possible so that we can take the necessary measures. This concerns not only the athletes but many other questions," said Mr Bach.

- the "saga" continues -

"We are not yet at the end of this saga," said Witold Banka, the new Polish president of WADA, who spoke before the hundred members of the Olympic body during the day.

The former 400m runner, however, said he was "happy" to have seen WADA succeed in "breaking the deadlock with the Russian authorities and to have been able to move in a proportionate and firm manner towards those responsible, while protecting athletes who can prove they are not involved. "

WADA seized the CAS on Thursday on the issue of Russian doping, after having declared on December 9 the exclusion of Russia from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and international competitions for 4 years.

The CAS, which sits in Lausanne, must now render a decision which will be final and enforceable.

Despite the exclusion of Russia, Russian athletes will be able to participate under neutral flag in competitions provided that they prove that they are not involved in this vast affair, as was the case at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang-2018 .

- Infantino elected -

Before Tokyo and the day after the opening of the 3rd Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne, the IOC also took the opportunity to remind athletes of their duty of neutrality, stressing that all political demonstrations are banned during the Olympic Games, in accordance with rule 50 of the Olympic Charter.

"The Olympic Games have always been a platform for athletes and their sports performance. But the Olympic Games are not and should never be a platform for political demands or any talk of division," said Bach, while the IOC clarified Thursday the conditions of application of this rule 50.

Athletes are therefore prohibited from demonstrating political expression "on the competition field, in the Olympic Village, during the opening or closing ceremonies or on a podium", for example by kneeling on the ground during the national anthem .

The IOC session also saw the election of three new members including that of Gianni Infantino, the president of the International Football Federation (Fifa) re-elected last June for a second term.

© 2020 AFP