WADA bans Russia from all major sporting events, including the Olympics in Beijing.

The World Anti Doping Agency has just made a major announcement, one that will no doubt have a tremendous impact on many athletes in the National Hockey League moving forward. 

In the early hours of Monday morning the World Anti Doping Agency revealed that it was issuing a 4 year competition ban for the country of Russia, a ban that will extend across all major sporting events including the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, and even the 2022 World Cup of Soccer in Qatar. This means that Russian athletes, many of whom have dedicated their entire lives to the pursuit of a medal at these games, will not be able to compete under their country's flag nor will their national anthem be played should they compete in the games. Instead Russian athletes will be allowed to compete under a neutral flag but will need to prove that they have been untainted by this major doping scandal.

"For too long, Russian doping has detracted from clean sport," said WADA President Sir Craig Reedie as per the BBC. "The blatant breach by the Russian authorities of Rusada's reinstatement conditions demanded a robust response.

"That is exactly what has been delivered.

"Russia was afforded every opportunity to get its house in order and re-join the global anti-doping community for the good of its athletes and of the integrity of sport, but it chose instead to continue in its stance of deception and denial."

The decision comes after a meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland held by WADA's executive committee, one where the ban was approved by a unanimous vote. The ban follows Russia's Anti Doping Agency (RUSADA) being declared non compliant back in January of this year when they were found to have deliberately manipulated laboratory data handed over to investigators. This continues a long string of stories that have painted the picture of a major, state-sponsored, doping plan within Russian sports and one that will now persist for at least the next 4 years. 

Unfortunately for several players in the National Hockey League this means that they will not be able to represent Russia at the Winter Olympics in Beijing, an opportunity that for some players may have been their one and only chance to play at an Olympic Games for their home country.