Asks Russia Not To Assume Sanctions Are Certain, WADA President: It's Too Early

Illustration of WADA (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The World Anti-Doping Agency, WADA, has asked Russia not to assume that it is certain that they will be free from sanctions due to a doping program which expires at the end of the year.

Russia will not be allowed to fly its flag at the Beijing Winter Olympics for the third consecutive edition of the Olympics, after the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

In fact, WADA President Witold Banka did not rule out the possibility that his party would continue his sentence against Russia.

Russia's anti-doping agency, RUSADA, was declared non-compliant by WADA in 2015 after findings of massive doping among the country's athletes.

Then in 2019, WADA imposed sanctions which also banned Russia from flying their flag in international sporting competitions for four years.

The sentence was reduced after Russia filed a lawsuit with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) which made the sanction expire on December 16.

"I think it's too early to say that I'm happy and that this chapter is over. Let's all wait for the process as it goes," Banka said, as quoted by Reuters on Wednesday.

"The rules are clear, RUSADA has to follow them, all the requirements and standards."

"So far they have done it and we are in constant communication. They follow the rules, but again I say this is an ongoing process, not the end of a chapter."

"At the end of the year, we have to make sure we can say RUSADA has complied. And it's not a finished process, it's too early to say they fully comply with the rules," he added.

The Russian contingent for the Beijing Winter Olympics consists of 212 athletes, but they will not display their country's flag, wear the country's identical symbols or hear their national anthem when they take the medal podium.

As at the last Tokyo Olympics, the Russian contingent will wear the symbol of the local Olympic committee, which is three flames representing the colors of the flag with the Olympic rings underneath.

Russia admits that it was negligent in implementing anti-doping rules, but denies running a government-backed doping program, something WADA says must be recognized for compliance.

"RUSADA must comply with applicable regulations," said Banka.

"Now the process is underway and it is too early to say there will be concrete results, but the rules are very strict. If RUSADA wants to be considered compliant, they have to follow the rules according to the CAS decision and of course our standards."

"We continue to communicate with RUSADA and let's wait until the end of the year," he concluded.