Russian Ambassador to Japan Mikhail Galuzin, in an interview with Sputnik, expressed hope that Russian athletes would compete at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo under the national flag
TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th February, 2020) Russian Ambassador to Japan Mikhail Galuzin, in an interview with Sputnik, expressed hope that Russian athletes would compete at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo under the national flag.
"We, of course, are preparing for the Olympics and very much hope that our athletes will take part in this festival of sports under the Russian flag," Galuzin said.
According to the ambassador, the Japanese side realizes the importance of Russia's full-scale participation in the Olympics.
"As the embassy, we are taking measures to provide all possible support to the Russian national team," the diplomat added.
In December 2019, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) unanimously voted to ban Russian athletes from competing in major sporting events under the Russian flag for the next four years, and also banned the country from hosting major tournaments, while labeling the Russian Anti-Doping Agency as non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code. The decision was triggered by Russia's alleged manipulations of data from the Moscow Anti-Doping Laboratory amid a wider doping scandal that has been rocking Russian sports for years.
WADA, however, will allow "clean" Russian athletes to compete as neutrals. But no Russian flag will be flown at the upcoming Olympics in Japan and China in 2020 and 2022, respectively.
