ROC at the 2020 Summer Olympics | |
---|---|
IOC code | ROC |
NOC | Russian Olympic Committee |
in Tokyo, Japan July 23, 2021 – August 8, 2021 | |
Competitors | 335 in 30 sports |
Flag bearers (opening) | Sofya Velikaya Maksim Mikhaylov |
Flag bearer (closing) | Abdulrashid Sadulaev |
Medals Ranked 5th |
|
Summer Olympics appearances (overview) | |
Other related appearances | |
Russian Empire (1900–1912) Soviet Union (1952–1988) Unified Team (1992) Russia (1994–2016) Individual Neutral Athletes (2024) |
Prior to the 2019 decision by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the Russian Federation was expected to compete at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which took place from 23 July to 8 August 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] It would have been the country's seventh consecutive appearance at the Summer Olympics as an independent nation; however, their athletes were entered by and represented the "Russian Olympic Committee", using the acronym "ROC", due to the consequences of the doping scandal in the country. The team finished fifth in the medal standings with 20 gold and 71 total medals, winning 1 gold medal and 15 total medal more than five years prior. The Soviet Union/Unified Team/Russia/ROC never finished below fifth since they started competing in 1952.
This was the outcome of a decision by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on 9 December 2019, banning Russia from all international sport for four years, after it had been found that data provided by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency had been manipulated by Russian authorities with a goal of protecting athletes involved in its state-sponsored doping scheme. As at the 2018 Winter Olympics, WADA would allow individual cleared Russian athletes to compete neutrally under a title to be determined (which may not include the name "Russia", unlike the use of "Olympic Athletes from Russia" in 2018).[2]
Russia later filed an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the WADA decision.[3] The Court of Arbitration for Sport, on review of Russia's appeal of its case from WADA, ruled on 17 December 2020 to reduce the penalty that WADA had placed. Instead of banning Russia from sporting events, the ruling allowed Russia to participate at the Olympics and other international events, but for a period of two years, the team cannot use the Russian name, flag, or anthem and must present themselves as "Neutral Athlete" or "Neutral Team". The ruling does allow for team uniforms to display "Russia" on the uniform as well as the use of the Russian flag colors within the uniform's design, although the name should be up to equal predominance as the "Neutral Athlete/Team" designation.[4] Russia can appeal the decision.[4]
On 19 February 2021, it was announced that Russia would compete under the acronym "ROC", after the name of the Russian Olympic Committee. On aftermatch, the IOC announced that the Russian national flag would be substituted by the flag of the Russian Olympic Committee. It would also be allowed to use team uniforms featuring the logo of the Russian Olympic Committee, or the acronym "ROC" would be added.[5][6]
On 15 April 2021, the uniforms for the Russian Olympic Committee athletes were unveiled, featuring the colours of the Russian flag.[7][8] On 22 April 2021, the replacement for Russia's anthem was approved by the IOC, after an earlier choice of the patriotic Russian war song "Katyusha" was rejected. A fragment of Pyotr Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 is used.[9][10]
On 23 July 2021, the Russian Olympic Committee athletes appeared at the opening ceremony of the 2020 Summer Olympics.[11] With the usage of traditional Japanese characters order, named Gojūon, ROC is not translated into Japanese script and was pronounced āru ō shī, so it placed 77th in the parade, and not as scheduled just after the Refugee Olympic Team (ai ō shī) as had been announced.[citation needed] Representatives of the Russian Olympic Committee did not have Japanese transcription on the back of their nametag, which was carried in front. Channel 1, which was broadcasting the ceremonies, attributed this to the inability to display the name "ROC" in Japanese characters.[12]
The opening ceremony flag-bearers for the ROC are fencer Sofya Velikaya and volleyball player Maksim Mikhaylov.[13] Wrestler Abdulrashid Sadulaev is the flag-bearer for the closing ceremony.[14]
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