It's Time to Get Involved.

Grigory Rodchenkov, who exposed Russia’s state-sponsored doping schemes, has called to ban for all Russian athletes from next year’s Olympic Games. Although Russia has been banned from competing in sporting events for the next four years, athletes who can prove they are “clean”- free from any performance-enhancing drugs, can compete under the neutral Olympic flag. According to Rodchenkov, this provision has made the prohibition weak, and that the country “had not changed” despite it. 

Rodchenkov fled from Russia in 2015, armed with incriminating evidence of a large-scale doping ring in Russia. These documents were instrumental in the resulting ban on Russian participation in sports. 

Russia has consistently denied any wrongdoing, insisting instead that the investigations carried out have been politically motivated and unfair. President Vladimir Putin has also asserted that Rodchenkov acted alone in the doping scheme. The Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) will hear Russian appeals against their ban in November.

- Victoria Ee

Source: BBC