Russia could be hit with a four-year Olympic ban today for flouting anti-doping rules, a punishment local officials have said would be unfair and part of a malicious Western attempt to destroy sport in the country. Other senior officials have likened the proposed punishment to broader attempts by Western countries to hold Russia back. International sports bodies and officials have heavily criticised Russia over its latest doping offences, alleging that the country has once again violated the ethos of sport. Yuri Ganus, the head of Russian anti-doping agency Rusada, has been one of the few critical voices inside Russia. “In our country with these traditions, autocratic and bureaucratic, the presidential level is needed to make decisions to change,” he said.

Source: The Star December 08, 2019 21:00 UTC