The Olympic gold medalist has launched a petition to reverse the ban on national symbols in Beijing
Renowned Russian figure skater Alexei Yagudin has added his weight to the debate surrounding his country’s national symbols in the sporting arena, calling for an end to a ban which will continue during the upcoming Games in China.
Less than a week before the opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Games, Olympic gold medalist Yagudin has launched an online petition urging fans to “tilt the balance in favor of justice” and take a step towards restoring Russia’s national symbols at the world’s biggest winter sports spectacle.
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Russia will not be able to use its name, flag or anthem at the upcoming Olympics after a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in 2019, which halved the four-year ban initially proposed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) over alleged doping violations.
Russian athletes are allowed to compete at the biggest sports events, including the World Championships and Olympic Games, if they are not banned for doping or suspected of offenses.
In Tokyo, Russian competitors represented the Russian Olympic Committee, using the acronym ROC instead of their country’s name.
Yagudin, who won the men’s figure skating event at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City, called the WADA-imposed restrictions “totally unfair” and asked his social media followers not to remain indifferent towards the ban.