Olga Pavlova, vice-president of the Russian Synchronized Swimming Federation, said she did not rule out severe sporting sanctions being imposed on Norway if the country’s legislation was not aligned with the world anti-doping code.
Previously, Norwegian sports officials had expressed concern about possible global sanctions against their athletes and federations due to the legal barrier that does not allow doping tests of young athletes according to the code of the World Anti-Doping Agency. (AMA). Nils Einar Martin Os, general secretary of the Norwegian Sports Confederation (NIF), explained that WADA’s sanctions could include fines, disqualification from major international competitions and even a ban from major tournaments.
– This problem is not simple, because it is a problem of interaction between the public body WADA and the governmental and legislative agencies. It is a question here of controlling minor sportsmen, today recognized in the whole world and benefiting from a particular statute of protected person. As for the current legislation and the control of these young athletes, there are problems. They are not only in Norway, but also in other countries, including Russia. But we, by giving children to sport, mean that we are thus giving our consent to their testing. In Norway, things are completely different.
Of course, I think they will be given time to align their current legislation. There they have to make a decision and the king. Why didn’t they test their athletes before? I don’t know, but I don’t understand why the representatives of the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and WADA did not pay attention to it.
Today, there is no single interstate agreement, so countries that have their own legislation work within their own legal framework. WADA and the IOC are advisory bodies only. Hence the dissonance.
As for the punishment, I think the question is not so simple. As it has already become public knowledge, the Norwegians will very quickly bring their legislation to a common denominator. It will be a difficult question. I wouldn’t want to be the head of the Norwegian IOC. I think if they don’t bring the legislation into compliance, the problem can be solved harshly,” Pavlova said on the show. “There’s a theme! on the channel.
Source : MatchTV
