YEREVAN, DECEBER 9, ARMENPRESS. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has unanimously agreed to ban Russia from major international sporting competitions for four years over doping non-compliance.

The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) has 21 days to respond. If it disagrees with the WADA ruling, it can protest the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which would have final say.

If upheld, it is understood that the decision will not allow Russia to have a formal presence at the upcoming Olympics, but Russian athletes will still be able to compete as long as they haven’t been implicated in doping, a situation similar to restrictions during the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan