Kuznetsova on Russian Athletic, Sharapova Suspensions

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Kuznetsova on Russian Athletic, Sharapova Suspensions

The Russian Olympic Committee has appealed the ban of its athletics team from next month's Rio Olympics.

Last month, the International Association of Athletics Federations, ruled Russia has "not met reinstatement conditions" in the wake of the World Anti-Doping Agency's report of widespread doping in Russian track and field.

More: Tsonga Edges Isner In Marathon

In its decision, the IAAF said "the deep-seated culture of tolerance (or worse) for doping that led to RusAF being suspended in the first place appears not to have changed materially to date."

Asked her reaction to the situation, Svetlana Kuznetsova, who will play singles and doubles at the Rio Olympics said she views the matter as a political decision.

"I say, this is, for me, politics, you know. Suddenly everything has to go against Russia," Kuznetsova said. "Somebody in Russia, they're all bad, and all the world is good. For me, it's a little bit funny.

"I have nothing to do with that. I hope they resolve it. And the clean athletes who deserve to go to Olympics, they will go. For me, I think this is the key. It's some problems, but I hope we overcome it and it's gonna be good."

Kuznetsova, who rallied from a 2-5 final-set deficit to defeat Sloane Stephens, 6-7 (1), 6-2, 8-6, will face world No. 1 Serena Williams in the Wimbledon fourth round.

The two-time Grand Slam champion said she's unsure what impact of Maria Sharapova's two-year ban after testing positive for the banned drug meldonium will have on tennis.

Sharapova filed an appeal of her suspension with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. A final ruling in Sharapova's case is expected this month.

"I don't know. I guess they applied to have appeal, and I think the people who are there, who making decisions, this is the choice to say what's gonna happen," Kuznetsova said when asked about Sharapova's case. "They have to take a decision. For me, it's very hard to judge, you know. I think Maria did good that she said it out loud. That's then they have to judge themself what's gonna happen."

Photo credit: AELTC/Florian Eisele

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