LAUSANNE: Sport’s highest court on Thursday banned Russia from the international stage for two years, including the Tokyo Olympics next year and 2022 Beijing Winter Games, but the halving of the initial punishment was blasted as “a catastrophic blow to clean athletes and the integrity of sport”.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport’s ruling cut a four-year ban for systematic doping imposed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
“This Panel has imposed consequences to reflect the nature and seriousness of the non-compliance…and to ensure that the integrity of sport against the scourge of doping is maintained,” said CAS in its judgement.
The statement added: “The consequences which the Panel has decided to…
