Why is Russia banned from the Olympics? How they compete with name ROC, what is it?

Russia is considered as one of the top sporting nations around the world, however, at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics 2020, the 335 athletes of the country are not competing under their country's name, flag or anthem'. The Russian athletes who will be winning the medal in different sports will be marked under the name of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC).  Here’s is the details about what is ROC.

What is ROC and why there is no Russia flag in Tokyo Olympics?

With Russian athletes entering the opening ceremony of Tokyo 2020 with ROC name, people have been wondering as to how Russia competes with name ROC. The reason for athletes competing under the ROC name is because the country has been 'banned from the event.  The ROC logo under which the Russian athletes are currently participating stands for Russian Olympic Committee. Athletes under ROC are allowed to represent the country as the ban was not outright. They have just been forced to withdraw the team name and national anthem at sporting events. The ROC logo is separate to the Russian flag, and all kits must have ROC instead of Russia or the Russian Olympic Committee The athletes competing for the ROC are those who have been able to prove they were not involved at all in the doping scandal.

Why is Russia banned from the Olympics?

If you are still wondering as to why is Russia banned from Olympics, the reason is that the country was found guilty of a state-sponsored doping scheme in which Russian officials tampered with data provided by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), WADA, and other global federations launched a series of investigations after which accreditation of Russia’s anti-doping lab was suspended in 2015. After a deep inquiry into the issue, the Russian athletes were subsequently banned from competing at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. In the initial investigations, the IOC removed 111 athletes, including the entire track and field team, from Russia’s 389-member contingent for the Rio Olympics.

While Russia denied their charges in the investigation and appealed against the four-year ban, in 2020 the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) reduced the initial ban of four years to two, but it ensured that no official Russian team can participate in events organised by a WADA signatory until the sanctioned term ends on December 16, 2022.

According to independent.co.uk  Russia will only be reinstated after the ban if it respects and observes the sanctions imposed, pays all related fines and contributions and becomes compliant with the Wada code, the Cas added. They will not be eligible to host or bid for any Olympic, Paralympic or world championship events during the length of the ban, and the ruling states that any hosting rights that have already been awarded to them should be withdrawn if the organising governing body is registered to Wada.

Image: Olympic Russia / Twitter