The International Olympic Committee is currently meeting on whether to ban Russia from the Rio Games over state-run doping, an unprecedented decision that could spark the Olympic movement’s worst crisis in decades.
While countries have been banned from past Games for political reasons, throwing an entire nation out for drug cheating would be a first. Russia’s track and field team is already barred over drug cheating.
The IOC is facing global pressure to take exemplary action given the stunning nature of the allegations against Russia, as well as a run against the clock because the Olympics start in less than two weeks.
Russia’s Maria Sharapova carries the torch during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, February 7, 2014. (AP/Matt Dunham)
An independent report from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) says Russia’s sports ministry directed a vast doping program with support from the state intelligence agency that saw thousands of tainted urine samples destroyed or swapped for clean ones.
The cheating affected 30 sports and went on during the 2014 Sochi Games and other major Olympic and international events, according to the WADA report.
— AFP
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