UKAD Statement following Russia CAS Appeal and Ruling

Speaking on the announcement, UKAD Chief Executive Nicole Sapstead said, “Whilst we welcome the decision today to uphold WADA’s historic ban on Russia, we are frustrated that the ban has been reduced to two-years by Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

“It is important to look at the overall impact of the decision by the CAS. Russia cannot send a team under their flag to the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games next year; they are banned from the Winter Games in Beijing in 2022; and the Qatar World Cup 2022.

“This was a state-sponsored conspiracy to undermine the values of sport, that robbed clean athletes of medal hopes and an opportunity for celebration that impacted their livelihoods and future careers.

“This decision demonstrates WADA’s ability to implement a global set of anti-doping rules to which everyone in sport is held. The Russia ban is the most severe sanction in sport ever imposed on a nation and the first time in sport that sanctions have been applied to an entire country rather than individual athletes or sports federations.

“WADA quite rightly sought to impose the maximum four-year ban. It is hard to imagine a more serious breaking of the rules in sport, so I don’t understand the justification for this reduction.

“We await the publication of the full decision next week, to better understand some of the disappointing aspects of the decision including that Russian athletes will be able to wear uniforms with the country’s colours and uniforms that will include the words ‘Russia’”.