The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has again banned Russia from marquee international sporting competitions, meaning that the Russian flag and anthem will neither be seen nor heard at the 2020 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo. The decision followed revelations that Russian officials and sports agencies had decided to continue a campaign of denial and deception rather than acknowledge and accept their failure to comply with drug-testing rules. Russian misbehavior must be punished, but it is also imperative to recognize flaws in the drug-testing regime; it too must be reformed.
Doping scandals have long clouded the performance of Russian athletes, and the use and abuse of drugs among its elite competitors appears to be systemic. Forty-three Olympic medals have been taken from Russian athletes for cheating with drugs, nearly one-third of the total of such punishments. In 2014, a scathing documentary shined a spotlight on Russian abuse, prompting WADA to investigate. That revealed a systemic effort to beat drug testers, one that involved the Russian state security services and the highest state athletic officials. WADA imposed a three-year ban on Russian participation in all world track and field events.
The ban did not disqualify all Russian athletes. Rather, competitors proven to be drug-free — and clearance was provided by non-Russian authorities as Russia's anti-doping agency was stripped of any authority — could compete as "Olympic athletes from Russia," as occurred during the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, The Russian flag could not fly, nor its anthem be played if one of those competitors won an event, however.
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