Russian Olympic athletes weren’t the only people who had to deal with repercussions over the countries widespread doping scandal.
The International Paralympics Committee announced on Sunday that the entire Russian Paralympic team has been banned from the 2016 Rio Paralympics as a result of Russia’s involvement in doping. IPC President Sir Philip Craven told the BBC that Russia’s Paralympic Committee was unable to comply with doping rules.
“The Russian Paralympic Committee are unable to ensure compliance with and enforcement of the IPC anti-doping code and the world anti-doping code within their own national jurisdiction and they can not fulfil its fundamental obligation as an IPC member.”
The IPC is taking a much bigger stand against doping than the International Olympics Committee, who banned 118/389 Russian athletes set to represent the country at the Olympic Games. As Deadspin mentions, at least 35 Russian Paralympians were named in the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Russian doping report.
It might seem unfair that Olympic Athletes were given a lighter ban than Paralympic athletes, but it’s because the IPC is taking a zero tolerance policy against doping. The IOC didn’t have the stones to ban the entire Russian Olympic team. Unfair? Sure. But, widespread doping should result in a blanket ban. The IOC didn’t want to send a message while the IPC did.
This sucks for those not doping who will miss the Paralympic Games. They can thank multiple teammates who decided winning via an illegal edge was more important than honesty.
[Yahoo]
