Russia's doping ban appeal to be heard in November: CAS

LAUSANNE - The appeal by Russia's anti-doping agency against a four-year doping ban from international sport has been postponed to November, a Court of Arbitration for Sport official told AFP on Tuesday.

Originally scheduled for July, the appeal, which pits RUSADA against the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), will be held between Nov 2-5.

It will take place behind closed doors at an as yet unconfirmed location, despite WADA's insistence that it be public.

The ban was handed to Russia in December by WADA, who ruled that RUSADA had given it manipulated laboratory data.

In January the head of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, said that the IOC and international federations needed a CAS ruling that "does not leave any room for interpretation".

Should WADA's ruling be confirmed, Russia will miss out on the postponed Tokyo Olympics, the 2022 winter Games in Beijing and that year's World Cup in Qatar.

The sanctions wouldn't stop Russian athletes from taking part in competitions, but they would have to compete under a neutral flag and with no national anthem.

AFP