Last Tuesday, Russian athletes received devastating news concerning their trip to the 2018 Winter Olympics: they weren’t going. This was something that could have been easily avoided, but the Russians learned the hard way.

These athletes learned that they would no longer be making the trip to Pyeongchang, South Korea because of their longstanding, but not well investigated, doping issue. Athletes from Russia have been found guilty of using performance enhancing drugs.

These athletes caught doping have missed the chance of a lifetime. However, some athletes from Russia will still be able to compete. They will be labeled as “Olympic Athletes from Russia” while wearing a neutral uniform. None of the medals they earn will go to Russia’s total medal count. The national anthem and flag are not supposed to play, but the flag may make a symbolic appearance at the end of the competition.

Very disturbing evidence has been found regarding the Russians’ previous issue of cheating. During the 2014 Sochi Olympics, 100 urine samples were tampered with to conceal evidence of the Russians doping. As a result of this, two dozen Russians were disqualified from Sochi. 

The Russians’ doping problem may also be affecting their future in hosting sports. The $11 billion World Cup was supposed to be hosted in Russia, but now this is being thought over again.

Even though the athletes should know better not to dope, one thing that really needs to change in Russia is the government policy concerning performance enhancing drugs. Russian officials condone and even support this behavior.

Instead of simply banning the Russians, the world needs to come together and help Russia revisit and reform old policies.