Not that we were left too long to ponder about how the nominal leader of global sport might react.

International Olympic Committee President, Thomas Bach was on the front foot even before the World Anti-Doping Agency's executive board had made its decision.

Bach's sole contribution was as fearless and decisive as ever.

Unlike just about every other stakeholder's message that a ruthless approach was necessary, the best Bach could manage was to urge for a clear statement so that everyone else knew what they were expected to do.

Bach at his brilliant best - getting someone else to do the dirty work so that presumably he could always defer responsibility if Putin et al got a fraction or more unhappy with their determined fate.

But whilst WADA's decision-makers appeared to call time on Russia's cavalier attitude to all previous warnings - they failed to deliver Bach's key demand.

For the pronouncement appears to be a wet fish slapped on a sponge.

No better exemplified by the case of international soccer.

On first reading, it sounded clear as per Bach's call.

Russia would be out of all international football competitions until further notice.

No World Cup - no UEFA Cup.

But very quickly came the news it meant nothing of the sort.

First of all, there was actually no prohibition on the European event at all.

And that's because it is apparently not classified as a "major event" under some exotically named document called the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories.

Known by the acronym ISCCS, it is apparently designed by WADA to make things clear.

Maybe so but far more so it seems to provide an avenue to water down anything that looks even remotely tough.

The European Football Championships not a major event?

That's serious nonsense.

Perhaps that should be borne in mind when UEFA sells the next round of commercial and television rights or the next host country determines its admission prices.

But having had that little minor clarification, attention turned to the World Cup of Football itself - which ISCCS appears to concede is indeed a major event.

So where does that leave Russia and its participation.

Clear enough surely - out and not able to participate. But like a good late-night television giveaway there's more.

Like the small matter that the qualifying rounds of the big event are not themselves big. Hence roll out the welcome for all things Russian.

Where the really tough stances swing into play is if and when Russia just happened to qualify for the finals in Doha in 2022.

It now appears that the team could still play but would have to pretend that they weren't from Russia - that is except for the name of the team which using the last Winter Olympics example would presumably be Football Players from Russia.

To be fair, there are sanctions that will really hit.

During the period that it is banned, Russia would not be able to bid for any future editions of the World Cup for which nominations happen to be called.

Such a shame when it is taken into account that the most recent World Cup was indeed hosted in Russia.

And then there is the ban on Russian government officials being invited or attending any events.

Look for a loophole here however - because for sure it won't cover the esteemed accreditation category of "accompanying persons".

After all how could it possibly be that a really important sports or government official could be challenged on who they might choose to bring as their guest.

All that nonsense when all WADA had to do was take a good hard look at what World Athletics has been doing for the last four years - and indeed what it is considering doing to make its tough and unrelenting stance even tougher.

World Athletics' ban on Russia applies throughout the sport - including European Championships and beyond.

Its neutral athlete exemption provided an opportunity for clean Russian individuals to compete but since that's been abused it's now on the chopping block agenda.