Russian riders will not be allowed to compete under their nation’s flag at Tokyo 2020 as a result of a ban from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Russia has been banned for four years from competing in Olympics, Paralympics, Youth Olympics, World Championships and “any other event organised by a major event organisation”.
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* What do you think of the decision? Do you think it’s fair that athletes who haven’t had any positive tests are being affected by this ruling? Let us know at hhletters@ti-media.com and your thoughts could be published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine *
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H&H senior news writer
Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.