Reeling from doping ban, Moscow blames 'anti-Russian hysteria'

Russia reeled from a four-year ban from global sports on Monday, with athletes in shock and the government quick to blame "anti-Russian hysteria".

The head of Russia's anti-doping agency meanwhile said his country had "no chance" of winning an appeal of the ban, which he described as a tragedy for clean athletes.

The World Anti-Doping Agency on Monday banned Russia from international competitions including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

It accused Russia of falsifying laboratory doping data handed over earlier this year to investigators probing claims of widespread doping.

Russia can appeal the ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but the head of its RUSADA anti-doping agency, Yuri Ganus, said he doubted it would be successful.

"There is no chance of winning this case in court," Ganus told AFP. "This is a tragedy. Clean athletes are seeing their rights limited."
- 'This is politics' -
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- 'A proud Russian' -
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