Konstantin Dobrynin on exclusion of the RF from participation in the Olympics
Russian athletes are banned from taking part in the Olympics and world championships for 4 years. The same applies to Russia hosting major tournaments and applying for hosting them. The compliance status of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency granted a year ago has been called off again. Russian public officials and the administration of the Olympic Committee have been deprived of the right to attend international competitions.
The Russian Anti-Doping Agency will discuss the WADA sanctions in 10 days. They can be appealed within three weeks.
RUSADA Supervisory Council will meet on December 19 to decide whether to accept this WADA decision. Head of the Supervisory Council Aleksandr Ivlev noted that the Russian party will exert every effort to protect the interests of ‘clean’ athletes. First Deputy President of the State Duma’s Committee for International Affairs, Olympic champion Svetlana Zhurova expressed her confidence that Moscow will file a claim to the Lausanne Court of Arbitration for Sport. State Duma Deputy Speaker Pyotr Tolstoy claims that the WADA decision is only a means of eliminating competition represented by Russian athletes. Head of Artistic Gymnastics Federation of Russia Vasily Titov is of the same opinion. He also noted that no valid evidence of the Russian party’s fault in the doping incident has been provided. Deputy Chair of The Federation Council’s Committee for International Affairs Andrey Klimov, in turn, suggested to deal with officials responsible for anti-doping policy, since their, as he put it, failures and misses allow to conduct this anti-Russian campaign.
Prime Minister of the RF Dmitry Medvedev thinks that designated organisations should appeal WADA’s decision.
‘I believe the responsible organisations, I mean, Russian organisations, competent in these matters, will have to work on appealing a decision of this sort,’ he said at a meeting with deputy prime ministers.
Head of RUSADA Yury Ganus urged the President of the RF to take decisive measures with regard to sports management.
WADA’s ban for Russian public officials to attend major competitions does not apply to Vladimir Putin. State Secreatry of the Federal Chamber of Lawyers of Russia Konstantin Dobrynin mentioned it on air of Echo of Moscow.
‘This decision does not concern Vladimir Putin in any way, since he as President acts under the ex officio principle, i. e. he is entitled to attend any international sports competitions as the chief executive officer. He does not need any invitation or anything else to come and cheer for athletes. As for other Russian officials directly linked to sports, it seems like difficult times are coming,’ he said.
Mr. K. Dobrynin added that the authorities’ strategy as to protection of Russian athletes is of ‘chaotic nature.’
‘Over the years of escalation of this scandal the state has been failing to develop the right counter-strategy, and all our measures are of chaotic and inconsistent nature, which is confirmed by today’s WADA’s decision,’ he concluded.
On December 9 the Executive Committee of WADA made a decision to deprive the RF of the right to participate in international sports competitions for four years.
Russian athletes will take part in the World Football Championship in Qatar in 2022 regardless of the decision of WADA's Executive Committee. Honorary UEFA and FIFA member and Honorary President of the Russian Football Union Vyacheslav Koloskov announced it on air of Echo of Moscow.
‘It’s a hundred per cent sure that we are participating. There is only one question, and that’s whether we are participating as a neutral team or under the Russian flag and with the Russian anthem. It will be settled depending on the decision to be made by CAS in three weeks, and most importantly, by FIFA’s decision,’ he said.
Mr. V. Koloskov reminded that in 2018 Russian hockey players already took part in the Winter Olympics in Korea under a neutral flag. On December 9 WADA Executive Committee made a decision to deprive the RF of the right to take part in international sports competitions for four years.
The 22nd World Football Championship will take place in November and December 2022 in Qatar.