Russian anti-Nazi folk song rejected as substitute Olympic anthem

A man and a woman stand with the backdrop of the Olympic rings floating in the water in the Odaiba section in Tokyo, Wednesday, March 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Ruling made by panel of judges asked to clarify music allowed during the 2-year doping ban on Russia’s team name, flag, national anthem from Olympics and world championships

GENEVA (AP) — Russia’s wish to use a patriotic Soviet-era folk song as a replacement anthem for the Tokyo Olympics was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Friday in further fallout from a years-long doping scandal.

The court said its panel of three judges was asked to clarify what music it would allow within the two-year ban on Russia’s team name, flag and national anthem from Olympics and world championships imposed in December.

Russian officials proposed the “Katyusha” song, which is strongly identified with the fight against Nazi Germany in World War II.

“The CAS panel considers that ‘any anthem linked to Russia’ extends to any song associated with, or with links to, Russia, which would include Katyusha,” the court said in a statement to The Associated Press.

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