Punishment of Russian athletes for doping is launched, without flag or anthem in competitions

Russian sport begins the ordeal of two years of sanction for doping in the Handball World Cup that will be played from tomorrow in Egypt, where it will compete without a shield, flag and anthem. As soon as they take to the field on Thursday against Belarus, the Russians will not hear their country’s anthem, as is customary in international tournaments.

Instead of the Russian anthem, a melody will play agreed between the International Olympic Committee and the Russian Olympic Committee, while the shirts of the Russian team will not include the national emblem with the double-headed eagle or a badge with the tricolor flag of the Russian Federation.

During the next two years, Russian athletes will have to compete as neutral athletes in the Games (Tokyo and Beijing) and the World Cups, but not in the qualifying events or in the Europeans, where they will be able to carry their flag and listen to their anthem.

At the end of December the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) reduced to two years the suspension imposed on Russia at the end of 2019 by the World Anti-Doping Agency for collusion with doping.

After the Handball World Cup, where Russia will compete to rec When invited, it will be the turn of winter sports teams such as luge, bobsleigh and skeleton. In addition, the sanction includes the prohibition of Russian officials from attending World Cups and Olympic Games.

The prohibition, which is final and can no longer be appealed, affects the president, first minister, ministers, members of both houses of Parliament and other senior officials of the Russian state. The exception would be when a Russian official is personally invited by the leaders of the organizing country of the tournament in question.

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