US anti-doping chief dismisses Russian Olympic ban as a ‘farce’

• Russian athletes can compete as neutrals if clean
• ROC dismissed English-language propaganda' over ban

The CEO of the US Anti-Doping Agency, Travis Tygart, has dismissed the punishment handed down for Russia's state sponsored doping program as a farce".

The World Anti-Doping Agency has banned official Russian teams from Tokyo 2020, the 2022 Winter Olympics and the 2022 World Cup as a punishment for covering up a massive state-sponsored doping programme. The country's flag and anthem are banned too. However, Russian athletes can still compete as neutrals - in both individual and team events - if they have not been banned for doping. The Wada ban was originally four years before it was halved by the court of arbitration for sport last year.