The British Olympic Association has called for the “fullest possible sanctions” to be taken against Russia following the four-year World Anti‑Doping Agency ban imposed this week for alleged manipulation of doping data.
While Wada also agreed that individual Russian athletes would still be able to compete internationally if they could prove they were not tainted, the BOA has demanded “undeniable proof” that those Russian athletes who travel to Tokyo are clean.
The BOA Athletes’ commission chair, Ben Hawes, said: “Despite previous sanctions, including athletes competing under a neutral flag in the Pyeongchang [Winter Olympics], Russia has continued to deny clean athletes around the world the ability to compete fairly and with any confidence in the systems designed to protect them.
“We echo the calls for stronger, robust and enforceable sanctions. If our athletes are to compete against athletes from Russia under a neutral flag at Tokyo 2020, they need to do so with undeniable proof they are clean and not implicated with anything that brings the Olympic movement into question or disrepute.”
Sir Hugh Robertson, the BOA chair, echoed those comments, stating: “For three consecutive Olympic Games the matter of systemic doping of athletes by Russia has hung like a dark cloud over the entire Olympic movement. Our support is for the fullest possible sanctions to be taken against Russia at Tokyo 2020.
“At the Pyeongchang Games, Team GB athletes competed against a Russian team in all but name – this should not happen again. Our concern is that even after the sanctions in Pyeongchang, Russia continued to manipulate data and with it the outcome of sport. They have shown no contrition or respect for the Olympic movement and its athletes.”
The speaker of Russia’s upper house of parliament has suggested his country could host an alternative to the Olympics.
Valentina Matvienko was harking back to the era of sport in the country after the Russian Revolution when the Soviet Union refused to compete in the Olympics and hosted its own Spartakiads – named after the gladiator Spartacus. The country first competed at the Olympics in 1952.
“This ruling show the clear crisis in international sports institutions. I believe Russia could host its own games at home,” Matvienko told the Interfax news agency.
If doping sanctions forcing Russians to compete as neutral athletes are not overturned it seems likely their boxers will not travel to Tokyo.
Umar Kremlev, the general secretary of the Russian Boxing Federation, said he has spoken with the Olympic boxing team and they “unanimously” rejected the conditions laid out by the Wada as punishment for manipulating doping data.
“They said we won’t go without our flag and anthem,” Kremlev said. “We aren’t going for medals, but for that feeling that I brought the highest honor home for my country.” Kremlev added that Russian boxers would prefer to turn pro rather than compete at the Olympics.
The official decision on whether to dispute the sanctions will be made on 19 December by the Russian anti-doping agency’s supervisory board’ Senior Russian figures, including Vladimir Putin, have signalled their preference for taking the matter to the court of arbitration for sport.