Tokyo Olympics: Russian athletes face possible ban after key ruling

Russia is again facing an Olympic ban after a key World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) committee recommended that Russia’s anti-doping agency be declared noncompliant.

WADA on November 22 said its Compliance Review Committee (CRC) has sent a recommendation that the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) once again be suspended when the global anti-doping watchdog's executive committee meets on December 9 in Paris.

If ruled noncompliant by the executive committee, Russia could be excluded from next year's Summer Olympics in Tokyo, along with facing other sanctions, RFE/RL reported.

Under rules set in place following the Russian doping scandal that marred the Sochi Olympics in 2014, the Russians could appeal any penalty to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is required to abide by the decisions from WADA or the court - although IOC President Thomas Bach said this week he was not in favor of a total ban.

Rules state that in the case of a “critical” violation by a country, “The athletes...representing that country...will be excluded from participation in or attendance at the Olympic Games...for the next edition of that event, or until reinstatement (whichever is longer).”

At the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games in South Korea, Russia was barred from competing as a country, but the IOC permitted nearly 170 Russian athletes to participate as independents, and it remains possible a similar arrangement could be made for the Tokyo Olympics, which begin July 24.

The United States Anti-Doping Agency, which has been sharply critical of RUSADA, called for a lengthy ban following the announcement.

"Anything less than a four-year sanction for this critical violation that includes aggravating circumstances following years of denial and deceit would be another injustice in a long line of many for clean athletes," USADA chief Travis Tygart told AFP.

The world watchdog in September reopened compliance proceedings after it said it found inconsistencies in the massive bank of historical testing data finally handed over in January.

Earlier on November 22, the World Athletics Council (WAC) said it was putting on hold the read-mission process of the Russian Athletics Federation (RUSAF) a day after several top RUSAF officials were suspended.

The WAC, formerly known as the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), is the world governing body for track-and-field athletes, cross-country running, and other related events.