Drugs, Russia, & Obstacles – WADA Sanctions & World OCR

Brett Stewart

5 years ago

Russia banned from 2020 Olympics and 2022 World Cup over doping scandal

December 10, 2019: (via CNN) The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has unanimously agreed to ban Russia from major international sporting competitions — notably the Olympics and the World Cup — for four years over doping non-compliance. If upheld, WADA's decision means Russia will be unable to compete in events such as next year's Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo as well as the Winter Olympics in Beijing in 2022. It will also be unable to host any major sporting events.

That final sentence – prohibiting Russia from hosting any major sporting events – looms large over World OCR, with their FISO OCR World Championships to be hosted at the Rosa Khutor Ski Resort in Sochi, Russia on September 17-20, 2020.

We reached out to World OCR President, Ian Adamson, for a comment and he referred us to an existing article on World OCR's website (below) and provided multiple different news sources worldwide that show some support for pushback against a total 4-year Russian event hosting ban.

“World OCR supports the Local Organizing Committee for the 2020 FISO OCR World Championships in Russia. They have demonstrated a commitment to host an “extraordinary” event, including clean and safe sport for all participants.

FISO will closely monitor and consider the decisions and recommendations, including all sanctions which may be placed on the Russian National Olympic Committee as may be recommended by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and imposed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in accordance with the rules and fair play.” – World OCR article FISO Supports Russian Commitment to Clean and Safe Championships

Wait a Minute – It's Not a Total Ban

There are many sports and events in this position and all are waiting on the appeal from Russia and CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) determination.

(via BBC Sport Russian Grand Prix promoters ‘confident' race will go ahead despite sporting ban) The four-year ban on Russia holding or participating in major international sporting events puts Formula 1 in a difficult position. But F1 has found some wriggle room in one of the clauses of the ban, which contains a caveat. It states that where a right to host an event has already been awarded – as is the case with the Russian Grand Prix – a Wada signatory “must withdraw that right and re-assign the event to another country, unless it is legally or practically impossible to do so”.

Olympic Summit “strongly condemns” Moscow Laboratory data manipulation but warns will not support total ban of Russia

(from Inside The Games) The Olympic Summit has “strongly condemned those responsible for the manipulation of the data from the Moscow Laboratory” before it was transferred in January this year – but again vowed to make sure that Russian athletes are allowed to compete at Tokyo 2020 and signalled it would not support a total ban on the country hosting major international events.

The IOC warned it would not endorse a blanket suspension of Russia hosting events, warning “the Summit looked forward to clarification of the proposed implementation of sanctions”.

Not Strong Enough? Athletes condemn ‘spineless’ Wada

(via The Guardian Victoria Aggar resigns from Wada and says it is now ‘silencing athletes’) The World Anti-Doping Agency has been rocked by the resignation of Victoria Aggar, a highly respected member of its own Athlete Committee, who said she quit after Wada broke its promises and failed to protect clean athletes.

The Guardian revealed on Tuesday that Aggar, a retired British Paralympian who has served six years on the committee, was on the brink of going because of Wada’s “spineless and appalling” decision not to issue a blanket ban on Russia.

What's Next for World OCR?

While riding the high from last weekend's 2019 Southeast Asia Games (World Records Set in Obstacle Course Racing at the 2019 South East Asia Games), it appears World OCR can only wait for Russia's appeal on the ban and the determination from the Court of Arbitration for Sport to decide the fate of their 2020 FISO World Championships slated to be held in Sochi, Russia on September 17-20.