WADA CRC Chief Says Russian Athletes Can Compete Only As Neutral Participants In Olympics

WADA CRC Chief Says Russian Athletes Can Compete Only as Neutral Participants in Olympics

Jonathan Taylor, the chair of the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) Compliance Review Committee (CRC), said on Monday, following the agency's decision to ban Russia from sports, that Russian athletes would be able to compete in the Olympics only as neutral athletes and not representing their country

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th December, 2019) Jonathan Taylor, the chair of the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) Compliance Review Committee (CRC), said on Monday, following the agency's decision to ban Russia from sports, that Russian athletes would be able to compete in the Olympics only as neutral athletes and not representing their country.

WADA Executive Committee ruled earlier in the day to ban Russia for four years from hosting major international sporting events or bidding to host them, also banning Russian athletes from participating in the Olympics for four years.

Taylor said that when considering whether to enforce a total "blanket" ban or a partial ban on Russia, the agency decided in favor of the partial ban at the suggestion of a former athlete on the committee, who said that new generation Russian athletes, who had not begun their career during the time of the doping scandal, deserved a change to compete.

Therefore, WADA decided to impose a partial ban on Russia, meaning athletes could complete as neutral participants in the Olympics, just not under Russia's flag.