In the latest development of the Russian Doping Scandal, Russian World Championships medalist Andrei Minakov participated in a CAS hearing (which was held online due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic), during which he commented on CAS’s most recent decision to ban Russia both from the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics and the 2022 Winter Olympics.
While Russian athletes will be barred from representing Russia at the upcoming Olympic Games, CAS has since decided to reduce its ban from 4 years to 2 years. While Minakov did thank the organization for reducing the ban, he has nevertheless expressed frustration with this decision, arguing that it is unfair to punish all athletes for the mistakes made by a few. Minakov stated the following at the recent CAS hearings, which were held online:
“I said that I should not be punished, like many other athletes, for what they did not do. I have a tough position on doping. If a person takes it, he should be punished. And it doesn’t matter where he is from…from Russia or any other [country]. I love the Motherland, but if our athlete was doping, there should be a punishment. But it should be personal, and not for the whole country as a whole.”
At the hearings, it was decided that Russian athletes would be allowed to participate in the coming Olympic Games, but that they will not be allowed to represent the Russian nation. Instead, they will have to compete without a flag, and be known as the “Olympic Athletes from Russia,” as they were at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Minakov commented on this decision, describing it as a “pain,” but also stating, “we are professionals and must compete in any conditions. Yes, the opponents will have an advantage in this regard, but for us it will be a chance to show our fortitude and character.”
Minakov, who has spent significant time in his childhood training in the United States, was scheduled to begin his college career at Stanford this season, but deferred that by a year because of the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.
Despite CAS’s ban, many Russian swimmers, including World Junior Champion Kliment Kolesnikov, have a similar attitude to Minakov, saying that all the team can do is “keep swimming” and win as many medals as possible at the upcoming Olympics.
So are there gonna be any Russian swimmers that wont be able to compete under any flag or not? So far it just seems to me that all Russian swimmers are gonna be there to compete only under a different flag?
I’d like to see more *clean* Russian athletes directing their anger at the Russian sports federation for tainting the whole country.
Unfortunately, Russia doesn’t have a great history of dealing with internal dissent.
Also… suck it up kid, it’s not like you won’t be able to swim and maybe you can be the face of a change yourself
I look forward to seeing all white swimmers , leotards, little shorts , tights, tank tops, trackies, tennis dresses, long shorts, silky boxing pants , everything . They are very strict on presentation & leave fat athletes behind. None o f this food forsaken whining mob . As a top ballerina said ‘ My diet is my job ‘ .
White is the colour for death in Asia so that should do a job there . To top it off ,if they can hack the entire US , then what is a mere scoreboard?
Seriously if the Olympics go ahead, it will just be more unfair than ever . It is a great chance to acknowledge this & get… Read more »
Sir this is a Wendys
There are no Wendy’s in Russia.
Spicy red head
Come swim for the US!
Why was a 18-year-old requested to participate in the CAS hearing? I don’t think I want my children to get involved in situations like this if I was the parent.
They shouldn’t be allowed to form a relay team … it’s not really a ban, it’s soft punishment really…
Rússia has too much money, too much power… I’ve always been skeptical of this whole thing
I massively respect Minakov and other Russian athletes who aren’t involved but the country has been implicated repeatedly in state sanctioned doping programs. The McLaren report showed top down participation within sporting bodies down to the athletes.
Allowing the country to continue competing with relays and a shorter “ban” is an injustice to sport.
Events have shown that sanctions only help them . WTO is now begging them to import Euro food products again after imp osing sanctions in 2014.
In a few years Russ i a went to worlds top grain exporter & food sufficient .
Their swimmers are much better too.
Russia’s 1 trillion loss in economic productivity would like to disagree. Not sure if anyones proposing economic sanctions over doping either. A bountiful sorghum harvest won’t help too much with olympic relays.
Sorghum is the new glam crop. US rust belt is aiming to up acreage from corn & hopefully sell to China. (###!!!!). The EU funds Ukraine & Russia for supply because Non GMO . I really am glad to see this on SwSw. Beats repeating that E.g. still can have relays – they just wear white .