World champion high jumper Mariya Lasitskene has announced that she will not compete for Russia at the 2022 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Belgrade due to the country's doping ban. Lasitskene has been an outspoken critic of Russia's handling of doping issues in athletics and has previously competed under a neutral flag.
World Champion Mariya Lasitskene withdraws from 2022 World Athletics
World Champion Mariya Lasitskene withdraws from 2022 World Athletics Indoor Championships over doping ban
Russia has been banned from international athletics since 2015 due to allegations of state-sponsored doping. The ban was extended in 2019 after the country was found to have provided the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) with doctored data from a Moscow laboratory.
Lasitskene has previously called on Russia's sports officials to take responsibility for the country's doping problems and to provide better support for clean athletes. In a statement released on social media, she said that she had made the decision to skip the world championships in order to "protect my principles and my reputation as an honest athlete."
Despite the ban, some Russian athletes are able to compete under a neutral flag if they meet certain criteria for anti-doping measures. However, Lasitskene's decision to skip the championships highlights the ongoing tensions between Russia and the international athletics community over doping issues.
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The 2022 World Athletics Indoor Championships are set to take place in Belgrade from March 18-20, with athletes from around the world competing in a range of track and field events. It remains to be seen how many other Russian athletes will be able to compete under a neutral flag at the championships, and what impact their participation will have on the wider debate around doping in sport.
