Will Norwegians be kicked out of big sport after Russia? If only WADA didn’t get scared!

As often happens, the one who most provokes scandals and looks for the guilty turns out to be not clean at hand. Our athletes have experienced tremendous pressure not only from world sports organizations, but also personally from Norwegian functionaries.

Public criticism from our competitors from Scandinavia was difficult to survive not only for Russian skiers, but also for ordinary fans. However, now fate has turned the other way for the Norwegians.

A global scandal is brewing right now. Norwegians can be “cancelled” after Russia.

Legal controversy

Everyone knows the ingenuity of the Norwegians. For example, their love for therapeutic exceptions for their skiers, thanks to which many top athletes managed to legally take drugs that are doping for other healthy athletes.

Teresa Johaug / Photo: © REUTERS / Emmi Korhonen / Lehtikuva

In the matter of legal intricacies, the Scandinavian country has managed to show itself even more resourceful. The fact is that, according to the laws of the country, underage athletes aged 15 to 18 cannot be tested for doping without the consent of their parents or guardians. Thanks to this, over the past two years, the entire work of the country’s anti-doping agency has been called into question.

After all, its employees, guided by the letter of the law, were forced to warn parents / guardians (and, therefore, young athletes) in advance about their “sudden visits”. As a result, it was possible to prepare for such visits, which excludes the complete objectivity of the results of the analyzes.

Now sports authorities in Norway fear that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) may impose sanctions against Norwegian sport, as the country’s anti-doping agency does not fulfill its obligations under the international anti-doping code. Despite the fact that the Norwegians do not have a legal tool to follow WADA standards.

Trying to change everything

Now the Scandinavians have come to their senses and are trying to quickly change the internal laws.

“We need a legal framework that gives minors the right to consent to doping tests so that they do not need to obtain consent from their parents,” says Norwegian NOC general secretary Einar Aas.

Einar Aas / Photo: © Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee

The President of the Norwegian Olympic Committee, Berit Kjell, and the Chairman of the Board of the Norwegian Anti-Doping Agency, Thorhild Vidvi, are urgently trying to reach an agreement with the Minister of Children and Families and with the Minister of Culture and Gender Equality. The question in the literal sense is acute – to change the law. Otherwise, the consequences can be incredibly critical.

However, there is no solution yet. There are only promises from the department to discuss this problem during the summer, which is gradually coming to an end:

“The Ministry of Culture and Gender Equality understands that anti-doping work in Norway must comply with WADA requirements, so the Norwegian Olympic Committee is confident that the authorities will look into this issue,” Aas tries to remain calm.

Will they deal with Russia?

The most intriguing question for Russian fans is what kind of punishment will be chosen for the Norwegians and will WADA dare to present something to the Scandinavians at all?

Recall that in December 2019, after a series of doping scandals around Russian sports, the WADA Executive Committee recognized the Russian Anti-Doping Agency as not complying with the Anti-Doping Code. As a result – the removal of our athletes from participation in major international competitions, including the Olympic and Paralympic Games. On December 17, 2020, CAS eased WADA sanctions on Russian sports and reduced the suspension to two years.

The Norwegians themselves are really very afraid of such a development of events:

— The fact that Norway could lose the right to organize international competitions is one of the first sanctions that can be implemented. The fact that Norwegian athletes may be denied entry to the Olympics and Paralympic Games is still in the future, Einar Aas scares everyone.

World sport has been given another chance to show its consistency. In the case of Russia, no one stood on ceremony, despite our work to change the anti-doping processes within the country. In this context, the tricks of the Norwegian system simply cannot go unnoticed by WADA and the IOC.