ISTANBUL

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on Monday handed a four-year ban to Russia for major sporting events including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and 2022 World Cup.

"WADA Executive Committee unanimously endorses four-year period of non-compliance for the Russian Anti-Doping Agency," the agency said in a statement following a meeting of its executive committee in Lausanne, Switzerland on Monday.

Underlining the allegations of systematic conspiracy for Russian athletes to use steroids, WADA said: "Any Russian athletes who had tested positive could be punished; and just as importantly it would ensure that innocent Russian athletes could be cleared of suspicion."

Russian officials and representatives will also be barred from attending or participating in the summer and winter Youth Olympic Games, summer and winter Olympics and Paralympics, any other event organized by a major event organization over the next four years, and any world championships organized or sanctioned by any signatory of the agency's code of conduct.

It added that Russia would not be allowed to host any editions of the designated major events over the period.

"Russia may not bid for the right to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, irrespective of whether the bidding takes place during or after the four-year period," WADA said.

During the coming four years, Russia's flag will not be flown at any major event, WADA noted.

"WADA now has the names of all suspicious athletes in the LIMS database, and thanks to the painstakingly forensic nature of the investigation, this includes the athletes whose data was manipulated or even deleted, including the 145 athletes within WADA’s target group of most suspicious athletes but also others beyond that target group," it said.

In November 2015, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) banned Russia due to evidence of state-sponsored doping.

Since 2015, Russia as a nation has been banned in athletics.