On Monday, the Compliance Review Committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency (CRC WADA) recommended banning the holding of international tournaments in Russia and also the appearance of the Russian flag in competitions for four years.
They also proposed to admit only domestic athletes who proved not involved in non-compliance with the WADA code.
General Secretary of Russian Boxing Federation and member of the Executive Committee of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) Umar Kremlev said earlier that he considers these recommendations to be unfair, but at the same time he has called on Russian sports federations to think about their actions:
“You can and should look at this situation from a different angle. The fact that everything came down to such recommendations and statements is also to blame for the Russian sports functionaries and specifically the leaders of all sports federations. Firstly, contacts on the international scene are poorly established, there is no interaction and dialogue with the same WADA, and secondly, which is even more frustrating, the Russian federations do not interact with each other.
The forum “Russia is a sports power” was held, and this forum was a great opportunity for federations to communicate with each other. The state has given us a platform for us to interact and make decisions. We did not use this chance.
At least once a year, all our organizations need to hold meetings, share experiences, because we all work for the same goal – to make our sport even better! It is necessary to develop reporting criteria for each sports federation according to the work done and future plans. After all, the country entrusted us with the leadership of sports federations. We, as the leaders of sports organizations, must justify the trust placed in us and act primarily in the interests of the country and athletes.
I repeat, it is the Russian sports functionaries and the leaders of sports federations that are to blame for this situation, and there is no need to shift the blame. At such a moment when such a threat looms over domestic sports, you need to unite and work for the common good.
It’s not too late yet you need to change your mind and start working. Just get started! And in the long run, it is necessary to ensure that there are Russian representatives in the executive committees of all major international organizations.
After all, Russia plays a huge role in world sports. And it is unacceptable that major sports tournaments take place without our country, or Russia is somehow restricted in rights. All athletes at the Olympics represent their country, which is why it is very important that the Games have a flag and the national anthem is sounded in case of victory.
It can be argued that it is unacceptable to go to competitions without a flag, since the athlete’s main goal is to represent the country on the world stage and glorify it. But in current situation, in my opinion, athletes still need to go to the Olympics and show everyone that Russian athletes are the best in the world.”
WADA will consider the recommendations of the Compliance Review Committee regarding the status of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) at a meeting of the Executive Committee on December 9.
