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Anti-doping panel recommends Russian athletes compete as ‘neutrals’ at Tokyo Olympics

Montreal • Russian athletes should be forced to compete as neutrals at next year’s Olympics in Tokyo and other major events, a key World Anti-Doping Agency panel recommended on Monday.

WADA's compliance review committee proposed a four-year ban on hosting major events in Russia and a ban for the same period on flying the Russian flag at major competitions.

That follows a lengthy investigation into lab data handed over by Russia in January. That was part of a deal to lift a suspension of the Russian anti-doping agency, and was meant to expose past cover-ups of drug use by Russian athletes.