WADA Retrieves Moscow Data

(ATR) The World Anti-Doping Agency says it successfully extracted data from the Moscow anti-doping lab, a month after a failed mission to do so.

WADA announced the successful mission in a release, and says the data will now be returned to its headquarters in Montreal to be authenticated. The data from the lab will be used to "build strong cases against cheats and exonerate other athletes suspected of having participated in widespread doping," based on the findings of the McLaren report.

A deadline of Dec. 31 had originally been set for the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) to provide the data as part of the deal to conditionally declare the agency compliant with the WADA Code. RUSADA missed the deadline, after WADA’s first mission was turned away due to equipment not being certified by Russian law.

RUSADA was given the opportunity to explain the missed deadline to the WADA Compliance Review Commission while allowing WADA to access the data.

"This is a major breakthrough for clean sport. It shows we are continuing to make real progress that simply would not have happened without the 20 September ExCo decision," Craig Reedie, WADA President said in a release.

"WADA now embarks on the second phase,which entails the authentication and review of the data to ensure it is complete and that it has not been compromised. Given the amount of data, that will take some time to achieve but our experts have the tools they need to be able to verify the data with a high degree of confidence."

Once the data has been verified WADA will begin begin building cases against athletes who were doping in coordination with international sport federations. RUSADA must still provide stored samples to WADA so they can be reanalyzed by an accredited lab by June 30.

The time it took for WADA to retrieve the data delayed a recommendation by the CRC to the WADA Executive Committee. A WADA spokesperson confirmed that the CRC has made its recommendation in light of the successful mission. The ExCo will meet on Jan. 22 to discuss reports about the data, the CRC recommendation, and determine RUSADA’s compliance.

"Yes, a report from CRC has now been sent to the members of the Executive Committee, who will consider it at its meeting," the spokesperson said.

"We will announce the decision of ExCo when the time comes. We will also make the recommendation known at that time."

Written by Aaron Bauer

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