Russia has been banned from competing in international sporting events since 2019 because the country was caught running a state-sponsored doping program in an effort to win more medals. The World Doping Agency conducted an investigation and discovered that more than 1,000 Russian athletes benefitted or were involved in government-sponsored doping programs between 2011 and 2015. Russia was initially banned from the Olympics, Paralympics and World Championship games for four years, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport shortened that period to two years. The ban remains in effect until Dec. 16…