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Russia to play in neutral status at 2022 FIFA World Cup if qualifies, WADA’s Taylor says

The WADA Executive Committee approved Monday the recommendations to annul the compliance status of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency as well as to strip Russia of the right to participate in major int'l sport tournaments for the period of four years

Chair of the World Anti-Doping Agency Compliance Review Committee Jonathan Taylor EPA-EFE/LAURENT GILLIERON

Chair of the World Anti-Doping Agency Compliance Review Committee Jonathan Taylor

© EPA-EFE/LAURENT GILLIERON

LAUSANNE, December 9. /TASS/. In case the Russian national football team qualifies for the 2020 FIFA World Cup, its players will have to play in the so-called neutral status that bans the right of participating in the world championship under the national flag and anthem, Chair of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Compliance Review Committee (CRC) Jonathan Taylor told a news conference on Monday.

"If they qualify, a team representing Russia cannot participate, but if there is a mechanism put in place, then they can apply to participate on a neutral basis, not as representatives of Russia," Taylor told journalists.

The WADA Executive Committee (ExCo) approved on Monday recommendations of its Compliance Review Committee (CRC) to annul the compliance status of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) as well as to strip Russia of the right to participate in major international sports tournaments, including the Olympics and World Championships, for the period of four years.

The WADA ExCo also ruled that Russia must not host, or bid for or be granted in the four-year period any major international sports tournament. Russian state officials as well as the officials of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) have been also banned from attending all major international sports tournaments for the period of four years.

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