Football: Russia can play in 2022 World Cup qualifiers, says WADA-linked official

LAUSANNE: An official linked to the World Anti-Doping Agency
said on Monday on (Dec 9) Russia can participate in qualifying for
the 2022 World Cup despite receiving a four-year ban from major
global sporting events.

WADA’s executive committee placed the suspension on Russia
earlier in the day after accusing Moscow of falsifying laboratory
doping data handed over to investigators this year.

“Because the qualifiers don’t decide the world champion, Russia
can take part. The decision applies to the World Cup tournament
because it decides the world champion,” said Jonathan Taylor,
chairman of WADA’s Compliance Review Committee.

“FIFA would come with some new proposals,” he added.

World football’s governing body said earlier on Monday it was
seeking clarification about the extent of the suspension. Russia
hosted the 2018 World Cup.

“FIFA has taken note of the decision taken by WADA Executive
Committee today,” a statement said.

“FIFA is in contact with WADA and ASOIF (Association of Summer
Olympic International Federations) to clarify the extent of the
decision in regards to football,” it added.

Russia will be ruled out of the next Olympic cycle, and its
government’s officials will be barred from attending any major
events, while the country will lose the right to host, or even bid,
for tournaments.

Under the sanctions, Russian athletes will still be allowed to
compete at the Olympics next year and the 2022 Beijing Winter
Olympics but only if they can demonstrate that they were not part
of what WADA believes was a state-sponsored system of doping.

Russia’s participation at Euro 2020, in which Saint Petersburg
will host four matches, is not affected by the ban because it is
not defined as a “major event” for anti-doping purposes.

Source: AFP/ec