(ATR) An official announcement regarding the host city for the second edition of the European Games has been delayed, however Russian cities remain the leading candidates.
European Olympic Committees president Patrick Hickey declared that Russia is still the EOC’s first choice for the 2019 Games should they be able to meet specified criteria in the wake of the anti-doping scandal that has startled the international sports community.
Negotiations have been taking place for some months for Sochi and Kazan to co-host the Games, but Hickey warned that Russia must once again become WADA code compliant following the revealing World Anti-Doping Agency Independent Commission report on the country’s systemic doping, cover-ups and related corruption.
"Russia is still the EOC’s preferred partner to host the 2019 European Games, that is provided the independent authorities can confirm Russia’s ability to support an anti-doping program that meets the highest international standards," Hickey declared, reading a statement at the 44th European Olympic Committees general assembly in Prague.
"We hoped to present their concept to you all here in Prague. But for obvious reasons, the priority for Russia, for the Russian Olympic Committee, and – by extension – the EOC, must be elsewhere.
Addressing Russian NOC president Alexander Zhukov, in attendance in Prague, Hickey continued: "The EOC is deeply committed to helping the Russian Olympic Committee’s drive to solve your country’s doping issues."
The scandal has resulted in Russia’s Athletics federation being suspended from international competition by the International Athletics Associations Federation with their status for the Rio 2016 Games in question. The IAAF announced earlier this week that it has established an inspection team to evaluate and verify if Russian athletics can meet specified criteria in order to be re-instated.
"I am pleased to see that Russia is cooperating fully with the IOC, WADA and the IAAF," Hickey continued. "I urge you to leave no stone unturned in your mission to become WADA Code compliant, so that we can see clean Russian track and field athletes representing a clean Russian athletics federation in Rio."
Zhukov briefly addressed his fellow NOC sport leaders from 50 European nations, taking the floor at the end of the morning session.
"Of course, we promised to do everything possible to make our athletic federation compliant with the WADA code, and the Russian Olympic Committee is cooperating with IOC, WADA and IAAF on this matter," Zhukov said.
Prior to a presentation and video on the success of the inaugural European Games this summer in Baku and Hickey’s announcement, IOC president Thomas Bach addressed the general assembly, providing further news on Russia’s predicament, quest to become WADA code compliant and cooperation with Zhukov.
"One of your members here the Russian Olympic Committee has taken a great responsibility in this respect and we welcome that they are standing up to do all the necessary, to address all the issues mentioned in the WADA Independent Commission report," Bach said to the NOC delegates in Prague.
"President Zhukov visited me a couple of day ago and he presented already a framework on how to do this...this framework was saying that all officials, coaches and the entourage implicated in doping will be held responsible and sanctioned.
"All doped athletes will be sanctioned in accordance with international anti-doping regulations, all clean athletes will be protected.
"RUSADA, the national anti-doping agency, the anti doping lab in Moscow, and the National Athletics Association will be made compliant again with the WADA code," Bach said.
Hickey told Around the Rings that he expects a final decision on the host of the 2019 Games will come during the first three months of 2016.
A statement from the Russia NOC regarding recent developments is expected later this afternoon.
Written and reported in Prague byBrian Pinelli
For general comments or questions,click here.
20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics isAroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.
Últimas Noticias
Utah’s Olympic venues an integral part of the equation as Salt Lake City seeks a Winter Games encore
Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation chief of sport development Luke Bodensteiner says there is a “real urgency to make this happen in 2030”. He discusses the mission of the non-profit organization, the legacy from the 2002 Winter Games and future ambitions.
IOC president tells Olympic Movement “we will again have safe and secure Olympic Games” in Beijing
Thomas Bach, in an open letter on Friday, also thanked stakeholders for their “unprecedented” efforts to make Tokyo 2020 a success despite the pandemic.
Boxing’s place in the Olympics remains in peril as IOC still unhappy with the state of AIBA’s reform efforts
The IOC says issues concerning governance, finance, and refereeing and judging must be sorted out to its satisfaction. AIBA says it’s confident that will happen and the federation will be reinstated.
IOC president details Olympic community efforts to get Afghans out of danger after Taliban return to power
Thomas Bach says the Afghanistan NOC remains under IOC recognition, noting that the current leadership was democratically elected in 2019. But he says the IOC will be monitoring what happens in the future. The story had been revealed on August 31 in an article by Miguel Hernandez in Around the Rings
North Korea suspended by IOC for failing to participate in Tokyo though its athletes could still take part in Beijing 2022
Playbooks for Beijing 2022 will ”most likely” be released in October, according to IOC President Thomas Bach.
