Russia Likely To Challenge WADA's Sports Ban In Court - Kremlin Spokesman

VLADIVOSTOK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th December, 2019) Russian sports authorities will likely challenge the four-year ban on Russia hosting or competing in all major events in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), a Kremlin spokesman said.

The World Anti-Doping Agency imposed the ban on Russia on Monday on claims it had repeatedly broken anti-doping rules. Russia has 21 days to appeal the ruling.

"We think the decision is politicized. We think our sports authorities should make use of legally available options and appeal to CAS.

We believe this will be done," Dmitry Peskov told Channel One's Big Game show.

The ban followed a months-long scrutiny of the Moscow anti-doping lab's database, which WADA believes was tampered with.

It will allow "clean" Russian athletes to compete as neutrals. But no Russian flag will be flown at the upcoming Olympics in Japan and China respectively in 2020 and 2020. Peskov said the ban on state symbols was against the Olympic Charter.