Russia will not be able to participate under its flag in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022, said the chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Compliance Committee, Jonathan Taylor. The Russian national team, according to him, will be able to apply for participation in the tournament only under a neutral flag, if it qualifies.
When asked who would decide on the format of the Russian team’s participation in the World Cup, Taylor replied that the International Football Federation (FIFA) is obliged to follow WADA’s recommendations. The site champiomat.com reports with reference to Taylor that in the qualifying round the Russian national team will be able to play under the national flag.
The qualifying tournament for European national teams will take place in 2021. Out of 55 teams from Europe, 13 will advance to the final tournament. Three more tickets will be drawn among the winners of the League of Nations.
At the last World Cup in 2018, the Russian national team reached the quarterfinals. Russian footballers did not participate in the selection for the World Cup, since Russia was the host of the tournament.
The WADA Executive Committee earlier today imposed sanctions against Russia, prohibiting Russian athletes from competing in major international competitions under the Russian flag. Russian athletes and members of their teams will be able to take part in such tournaments only under a neutral flag if they prove that they were not involved in a doping scandal. The rules for their admission will be determined by WADA. Russia will also be revoked (where possible) the previously given right to host major sporting events, and the country will not be able to apply to host the 2032 Olympics.
The decision of the WADA executive committee will enter into force 21 days after or after the proceedings in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, if Russia decides to challenge it. Taylor expressed the hope that the final decision on this issue will be made by March next year. But if the proceedings in the CAS are delayed, then the disqualification of Russia may begin to operate after the Tokyo Olympics, which will be held in the summer of 2020, he stressed.
A spokesman for the FIFA press service told the Championship that the organization took into account the decision of the WADA Executive Committee. “We are in contact with WADA and the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations to decide on the possible extension of sanctions on football,” he said.
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