IOC President Thomas Bach Says Russia Will Be Sanctioned

Photo Courtesy: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports

The IOC decided not to ban Russian athletes from competing in the Rio Olympics, but IOC President Thomas Bach told the New York Times that sanctions will still be coming for Russia, even though the country has taken preemptive action towards increased drug testing and anti-doping education.

“We have the impression that some in Russia were thinking by addressing the issues for the future, the past would be forgotten,” Bach told the New York Times. You cannot forget what happened in Sochi,” Bach said, according to the New York Times. “We have made clear that the past — what happened there — has to be sanctioned.”

Bach is referring to the 2014 Winter Olympics, where anti-doping labs helped cover up massive circumvention of doping rules by Russian athletes. Evidence of this and of other Russian attempts to evade anti-doping procedures was revealed last year in the two-part McLaren Report.

The IOC has enlisted two commissions to investigate the allegations made by Canadian researcher Richard McLaren, and Bach would not comment on the severity of Russian sanctions until that investigation is concluded. Hence, it’s unclear if anything would affect Russia’s eligibility to send swimmers to the 2020 Games in Tokyo.

Bach told the New York Times that he expects the situation to be resolved by October, well before the next Winter Olympics begin in February.

Read more from the New York Times by clicking here.

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Swimming Pool Lovers

6 years ago

That’s curious

HJ Oxie

6 years ago

His tone will change once he’s paid off.