The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is to discuss its decision on whether Russia will be allowed to take part in next month's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The moves comes a day after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) published a report condemning state-sponsored doping in the Russian team during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
WADA called for Russia to be banned
from this summer's Olympics and Paralympic games after its
investigation found that a “vast majority” of urine samples from
Russian athletes were manipulated with the help of the Russian Sports
Ministry and the Federal Security Service to cover up the existence
of performance-enhancing drugs. WADA has asked the IOC to decline
entry for all Russian athletes to the 2016 competition.
IOC president Thomas Bach has called the Russian doping scandal a “shocking and unprecedented attack on the integrity of sport and on the Olympic Games” and promised the “toughest sanctions available.”
The 62 year-old German is expected to announce his decision today or tomorrow during a telephone press conference.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
