Tokyo Olympics: How is Russia still winning medals despite 2-yr ban over doping scandal?

Russia which is supposed to be facing a two-year ban is still winning medals at the Olympics despite being barred from participating in the premier sporting event. Russia was banned from Tokyo Olympics by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) earlier this year for running an alleged state-sponsored doping scheme between 2011 to 2015. The ban was imposed on Russia following an investigation by World Anti-Doping Agency, which found over 1,000 Russian athletes involved in the doping scandal. 

Russian athletes who were not involved in state-sponsored doping schemes, on the other hand, were allowed to compete in this year's Olympics on the condition that they do not use their country's official name or flag during the event in Tokyo. Russian athletes are now competing under the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) banner. The ROC is doing extremely well and is currently ranked fourth in the overall medals tally, with 7 golds, 8 silver, and 4 bronze under its kitty. The condition for participation also includes no Russian anthem if an athlete from the country wins a gold medal.

In addition, if a Russian athlete wins a gold medal, the Russian anthem will not be played during the presentation ceremony. However, Russian athletes have been allowed to wear uniforms containing the colours from the country's national flag.

Russia not first country to be barred from Olympics

This is not the first time when athletes from a country are competing under a different banner. In 2016, the Kuwait Olympic Committee was banned from participating in the Rio Olympics due to a law passed in the country that the IOC felt was against the Olympics movement. Kuwaiti athletes participated under the name 'Athletes from Kuwait'. 

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) barred Afghanistan from participating in the Sydney Games in 2000 due to the Taliban's increasing discrimination against women in the country. Meanwhile, Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, remains barred from sending athletes to the Olympics under its official name. If Taiwanese athletes win medals, their flag is not raised and their national anthem is not played.

Image: AP