Joint Statement Global Athlete X FairSport: A New Level of State Control - Russia Must Be Banned from International Sport
20 April 2026: The investigation published by The Insider on 18 April 2026 exposes something far more serious than past doping scandals. It confirms that Russian sport is not simply influenced by the state; it is directed by it.
The findings link individuals connected to Russian state security structures, including the FSB, directly to the anti-doping system and sport in general.
It also reveals a dangerous evolution that the same networks associated with state operations and poisoning of dissidents are now intertwined with the public-facing image of “new” Russian sport. The idea that this system has changed is no longer credible.
The details provided by The Insider are not historical; they are current, and it represents a new level of risk to international sport.
The entire global sports system, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Federations, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and event organizers, has allowed Russia’s gradual reintegration without demanding genuine independence or accountability. That decision now carries consequences.
The implications are profound. This is not about rule-breaking at the margins. It is about a system where athlete results, anti-doping processes, and sporting outcomes operate within a structure influenced by state security interests.
A credible sport system cannot exist under those conditions.
A full ban on Russia from international sport is now the only credible response.
These revelations must mark a turning point for all of sport.
Failure to act does not preserve neutrality; it accepts a system that is directed, managed, and protected by the state.
-ENDS-