Russia has been barred from taking part in all major sporting activities by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), a development that will see the country missing out on the 2020 Olympics Games and 2022 World Cup.
The decision to bar Russia was made by WADA’s executive committee at a meeting held in Lausanne, Switzerland on Monday.
Russia can, however, appeal the verdict before the closure of the 21-day window.
Meanwhile, Russia will still be allowed to compete at Euro 2020 next summer, having already booked their place at that tournament.
More: Goal.com
WADA and IOC may appear to be coming down hard on Russia but they are soft-peddling. The Olympics is a competition where countries compete. An individual may not request participation. So why allow Russian athletes to participate as independents? What national athem will be played and what flag will fly when a Russian wins an event? So we can expect at the World Cup Soccer a team of eleven arbitrary football players who just happen to hail from Russia. Whatever happened to principles? No one allowed a team at the Olympics nor FIFA World Cup from South Africa under apartheid