Doping: Russian ban could harm Olympic movement during coronavirus crisis - minister

FILE PHOTO: Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin attends a conference to elect a new president of Russia's athletics federation at the Russia's Olympic Committee building in Moscow, Russia February 28, 2020. REUTERS/Tatyana Makeyeva

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin said on Friday officials should not rule against the country in its appeal to overturn a doping ban because it would undermine the Olympic movement as the world struggles to contain the coronavirus.

Russia has appealed a four-year ban from competing under its flag at major international sporting events, including the Olympics. The ban was imposed after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) found that Moscow had provided it with doctored laboratory data.