Sweden, Wales Now Favourites For Euro 2020 As Russia Faces Sanction

Russia’s right to stage games at Euro 2020 is under threat after a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) committee recommended the country be banned from hosting sports events for four years.

The global anti-doping watchdog on November 25 said the recommendation by its Compliance Review Committee was based on a forensic review of “inconsistencies” found in some of the data obtained by the agency from a Moscow laboratory in January.

Russia was one of the 13 countries awarded a hosting right on the 26 April 2014 to stage the different packages of the tournament, as it was awarded right to host the quarter finals and group stage (standard package) matches in Euro 2020, while Sweden and Wales who made it through to the last stage of the bid were eliminated.

With the current development, Sweden which proposed Friends Arena a 50000-stadium capacity and Wales which proposed a 74,000-capacity stadium are likely to be the favourites should the WADA executive committee sanction the hosting right of Russia for Euro 2020.

Wales and Sweden’s disqualification followed its inability to present a strong case for the venues.

Wales has never staged a Euro or World Cup final and was its and only chance of doing so.

WADA’s Executive Committee has said it will consider the recommendation and proposed consequences on December 9, and the ban will take effect from the day the decision is made.

Similarly, the chief of Russia’s anti-doping agency (RUSADA) has said on Tuesday said he expected the WADA Executive Committee to uphold the recommendation.

Russia could also be banned from next year’s Tokyo Olympics – having also been excluded from the 2018 Winter Games – and other major competitions following.