Kremlin Confirms Awarding Russian Sports Minister With Order Of Alexander Nevsky

Kremlin Confirms Awarding Russian Sports Minister With Order of Alexander Nevsky

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Wednesday that Russian Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov had been awarded with the Order of Alexander Nevsky for his work on the 2018 FIFA World Cup

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th December, 2019) Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Wednesday that Russian Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov had been awarded with the Order of Alexander Nevsky for his work on the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Last Friday, Russian news outlet Sports.ru reported, citing three unnamed sources, that Kolobkov was awarded with the Order of Alexander Nevsky, which is reserved for public officials and citizens who have distinguished themselves by exemplary achievements that increase the country's prestige. The news broke just days after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Executive Committee temporary banned Russia from major sporting events over a doping scandal.

"It is true, he has received the award, this I can confirm. It is related to the FIFA World Cup ... The sports minister's very good work that resulted in Russia hosting the best FIFA World Cup in history has been honored," Peskov told reporters.

The spokesman did not specify the exact date, only saying that it had happened prior to WADA's announcement.

On December 9, WADA's Executive Committee unanimously adopted the recommendations of the organization's Compliance Review Committee (CRC) to suspend Russian athletes from participating in international sporting events, including the Olympic and Paralympic Games, for four years. Only "clean" athletes from Russia will be allowed to compete under neutral status without the flag or national anthem. In addition, the Russian Anti-Doping Agency was recognized as non-compliant with the global anti-doping code.