WADA Hits Out at Russia; Ruggiero Committed to Doping Fight

(ATR) The World Anti-Doping Agency has blasted Russia for failing to consult before choosing Yelena Isinbayeva to oversee the country’s anti-doping agency.

The pole vault star, an outspoken critic of WADA after missing Rio 2016 due to the IAAF’s blanket ban on Russian track and field athletes, was on Wednesday selected to head RUSADA’s supervisory board.

The board will oversee reforms of Russia’s anti-doping structures, which are expected to come under attack again in WADA investigator Richard McLaren’s final report published Friday.

"WADA had expected to be consulted regarding important matters such as the terms of reference of the Board as well as the core structure of the agency before the public appointment of persons to these roles, as was outlined in the core requirements of the roadmap provided to RUSADA in November," WADA said in a statement.

RUSADA remains suspended in the wake of explosive revelations in WADA investigation reports conducted by first by Richard Pound and then McLaren, whose initial report in July found evidence of state-sponsored doping involving Russian government ministers.

WADA said it would be "addressing concerns directly with the Russian authorities to ensure that we can establish a code compliant anti-doping organization that can withstand international scrutiny."

Isinbayeva, who was elected as an IOC member in Rio in August, has repeatedly hit out at WADA and critics of Russia’s tainted anti-doping regime.

The IOC executive board on Wednesday decided to extend provisional sanctions against Russia that first came into force in July.

Ruggiero Committed to Root Out Drug Cheats

IOC Athletes Commission chair Angela Ruggiero issued a statement Thursday defending the efforts of WADA and the IOC in the fight against doping.

Ahead of McLaren’s report, she reiterated the Athletes Commission commitment to continuing to work closely with all relevant stakeholders and contributing to fight against the drug cheats and protect clean athletes.

"We have been actively engaged in all discussions and are fully committed to building a stronger and more effective global anti-doping system," Ruggiero said. "This is our number one priority because, as clean athletes, we are directly affected more than anyone else, and enhancing the credibility of sport is in our fundamental collective interest."

Commenting on the IOC’s Beijing 2008 and London 2012 retesting program, Ruggiero said: "This re-analysis sends a strong signal of zero-tolerance for drug cheats and demonstrates, from our perspective, the IOC commitment to protect the clean athletes even after the Games are over.

"Strengthening the global anti-doping system, enhancing the protection of athletes’ data security linked to the TUE process, improving the independence and governance structures, as well as sanctioning the athletes’ entourage and all those involved in doping, are just some of the key priorities which will need to be tackled by all of us and will remain a central focus of the IOC AC."

Referencing the IOC ambition to develop an independent anti-doping system, she said "athletes must continue to take an active role in shaping the reforms that are so important for the future of sport"

Ruggiero added: "I encourage any additional feedback from other athletes’ commissions or from Olympic athletes at athletes@olympic.org."

Homepage: Getty Images

Reported by Mark Bisson

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