FIL continues preparations for World Championships in Sochi

Berchtesgaden (RWH) In view of the fact that the sanctions issued by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have yet to be legally enforced, the International Luge Federation (FIL) is sticking to its plans to hold the 49th World Championships in Sochi, Russia (14 to 16 February 2020). “Preparations for our 2020 World Championships in Sochi are continuing unabated,” explained Executive Director Christoph Schweiger (AUT) in Berchtesgaden in a memo to all member associations. Schweiger went on to state that the doping checks commissioned by the FIL and International Testing Agency (ITA) for Sochi “will not be performed by RUSADA”. 

In his letter, Schweiger emphasised that the European Natural Track Championships in Moscow will not be affected by any WADA sanctions. “The 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne and St Moritz will also remain unaffected,” explained Schweiger.

On 19 December 2019, Russia's anti-doping agency RUSADA announced that it would be appealing the four-year ban issued by WADA. The WADA Executive Committee issued its four-year ban against Russia and RUSADA on 9 December 2019. WADA believes there is evidence that Russia “has deleted or tampered with hundreds of sets of suspected positive doping test results.” This ban would also apply to so-called “major events”, which Russia would be prohibited from hosting. The sanctions are not legally binding until a CAS decision has been made.