The Christian Science Monitor

‘I am with WADA on this one.’ Russian athletes blame state for doping ban.

When the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) banned Russia this week from officially participating in major global sporting events for four years, Russian leadership was quick to return to its standard official line: that the ban is all part of an orchestrated Western campaign to demonize the country.

But that argument is getting much less public traction than it did before.

In a remarkable change, now the ire of leading Russian athletes is being directed mainly at their own sports authorities who promised and signally failed to reform the system, make things right with WADA, and restore Russia to its former place as a leading global sports power. Many Russian sports figures, who have endured at least three Olympic cycles

“No other way but to accept the conditions”Why doping is different“Some commonsense voices being heard”

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