Russia's doping ban halved by CAS, to miss Tokyo Olympics and FIFA World Cup 2022

Russia is set to miss Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics after their ban from all major sporting events following a doping scandal has been cut half to two years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Thursday.

The two-year ban still stops Russia from competing in the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, scheduled to be held in 2021 and FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Notably, Russia was initially handed a four-year ban by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

CAS said that the reduction of the ban should not be taken “as any validation” of Russia’s conduct.’

Russia's ban will now be upto December 16, 2022. 

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Earlier, WADA declared Russia's Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) as non-compliant for manipulating lab data given to the investigators in January 2019. Russia was asked to provide data to WADA as a condition of its reinstatement in 2018, which itself was controversial, after a three-year suspension for a doping scandal.

"The panel has imposed consequences to reflect the nature and seriousness of the non-compliance and to ensure that the integrity of sport against the scourge of doping is maintained," said Cas, which announced the ruling on Thursday.

"It has considered matters of proportionality and, in particular, the need to effect cultural change and encourage the next generation of Russian athletes to participate in clean international sport."

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Russia will unable to host international events during their two-year ban. 

Notably, athletes who can prove that they were not part of the doping scandal are free to compete under a neutral flag.

As many as 168 Russian athletes competed under neutral flag at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Since 2016, Russia has been banned from competing as a nation in athletics.