Protect clean athletes: how sports organizations reacted to the possible removal of Russia from competitions

The situation around the possible removal of Russia from international competitions is gaining momentum. The decision of a special committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to recommend depriving the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) of compliance status threatens severe sanctions for the country and its athletes, which may affect the situation in the entire sports community.

So, one of the main topics remains the performance of Russian athletes at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. In the event that RUSADA is deprived of compliance status, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) may prohibit domestic athletes from representing their country in competitions and oblige them to appear under a neutral flag.

In connection with this situation, the IOC published an official statement on the site, in which he commented on the situation around Russian sports. In particular, the committee condemned all those responsible for manipulating the data of the Moscow anti-doping laboratory and noted that it supported the toughest sanctions against those involved.

“This manipulation is an attack on the reliability of all sports, the damage to sports movement around the world,” the International Olympic Committee said.

The organization urged WADA to transfer all data to the Council of Europe and UNESCO, but noted that the Russian Olympic movement was not involved in illegal actions.

“We note that the sports movement did not participate in the manipulations. The report does not indicate any violation on his part in this regard, in particular the Russian Olympic Committee or its members, ”the statement said.

Thus, the IOC supported the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and domestic athletes, noting that they should not be deprived of the right to speak at the international level. But only if they will be able to prove their innocence in non-compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code.

In addition, the IOC turned to Russia to provide raw data from the Moscow anti-doping laboratory. According to representatives of the committee, this will achieve justice by punishing those responsible and protecting those who are not related to this situation.

“We will avoid the shadow of suspicion falling on a new generation of pure Russian athletes,” concluded the IOC.

It is worth noting that there was a danger of imposing sanctions on the Russian national football team. It was assumed that not only the participation of domestic athletes in the upcoming European Championship 2020, but also the holding of matches in St. Petersburg could be called into question. So, in the Northern capital should pass four championship matches.

FIFA has so far refused to comment on the situation, but noted that they are following the events.

“We will be waiting for the consideration of this issue by the WADA Executive Committee. Only after that are any decisions possible on our part. FIFA is in constant contact with WADA and ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations. - RT ) on this issue, ”TASS was told in the press service of the International Football Federation.

But, apparently, the Russian players have nothing to worry about. According to the representative of WADA, who is quoted, nothing threatens their performance on the championship of the continent.

“The European Football Championship is not a multisports event, therefore, the recommendations of the compliance committee do not apply to it,” the statement said.

Nevertheless, if WADA decides to withdraw compliance status from RUSADA, then Russian athletes may lose the opportunity to compete in international tournaments for up to four years. Thus, they run the risk of missing not only the Summer Games in Tokyo, but also the Winter Games in Beijing. As a result, the current hockey champions will be forced to compete again not under their own flag.

“Always been an opponent of collective punishment. You can not punish everyone for misconduct that specific people did not commit. The Russian women's team in Sochi was not lucky. But it was absolutely clean, which is proved by verification. And then why remove it? Hockey is basically clean. Russian - including. I believe that hockey players should not be touched, ”said Rene Fasel, head of IIHF, to Sport Express.

At the same time, he expressed the opinion that Russia will be able to retain the holding of the upcoming major championships. In 2021, the world championship in women's hockey should be held in Ufa, and in 2023 the adult and youth championships of the planet among men in St. Petersburg and Novosibirsk, respectively.

“We need to wait for a decision and build on it. From conversations with our lawyers, I think that we will be able to save these tournaments for Russia, ”Fazel concluded.

The Russian Hockey Federation (FHR) also commented on this situation. In a statement to the press service, the organization has always advocated pure sport, and domestic hockey players are responsible for anti-doping issues.

“Russian players, including candidates for national teams, are regularly tested. Doping tests are checked by leading international laboratories accredited by WADA - more than 400 samples are taken annually, and this interaction will be expanded, ”the FHR emphasized.

Russian tennis players have no problems with anti-doping organizations. The head of the Russian Tennis Federation (FTR) Shamil Tarpishchev is sure of this.

“Until now, there have been no complaints about the FTF. All the leading players were checked, no questions arose, ”RIA Novosti quoted Tarpishchev as saying.

But the representatives of the Russian Climbing Federation are excited about the possible removal of the country. At the same time, concern is not only about missing the Olympic Games, but also about the ban on holding major international tournaments in the country.

“The proposals by the WADA Compliance Committee are not encouraging and worrying. We are waiting on December 9, when the executive committee of the world agency makes the final decisions. The recommendation on the ban on holding international competitions in Russia and the possible transfer of those championships for which the rights have already been obtained by our country is cause for concern. At the moment, we are the hosts of the five largest adult and youth climbing tournaments, ”the federation said.

At the same time, the General Secretary of the Russian Boxing Federation Umar Kremlev expressed the opinion that functionaries are to blame for the problems of domestic sports.

“Firstly, contacts on the international scene are poorly established, there is no interaction and dialogue with the same WADA, and secondly, which is even more frustrating, the Russian federations do not interact with each other ... At least once a year, all our organizations need to hold meetings, share experiences, because we all work for the same goal - to make our sport even better! ”- says Kremlev.

According to him, it is necessary to develop a reporting system for the work done, as well as draw up plans for the development of sports federations.

“We must justify the confidence placed in us and act first of all in the interests of the country and the athletes ... No need to shift the blame on anyone,” Kremlev concluded.