RUSADA chief urges Russia to comply with WADA team
98 views · Published 3 December 2018 · 2:09 · Indexed 27 September 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(28 Nov 2018) A delegation from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) visited the Moscow laboratory at the centre of Russia's doping cover-ups on Wednesday, seeking data which could lead to more bans for the country's top athletes. Russia must provide computer data from the lab before 31 December or risk having its national anti-doping agency suspended again, two months after its controversial reinstatement. WADA has found extensive evidence that Russia routinely falsified drug-testing results, including at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, but must now hope authorities provide genuine data from past years. Russia must also submit athletes' stored samples for analysis by 30 June. The head of the Russian anti-doping agency, known as RUSADA, urged the government to cooperate with WADA, saying that time was running out to avoid new sanctions for non-cooperation. WADA visited the lab, where key evidence is sealed off by Russian law enforcement, on Wednesday but isn't expected to return with the data, instead arranging for a second team to arrive and collect the files. If WADA does re-suspend RUSADA, that could severely obstruct the country's ability to host major sporting events. The previous RUSADA suspension didn't stop Russia from holding this year's football World Cup, when FIFA excluded all Russians from any role in collecting players' drug-testing samples. WADA hasn't said it will automatically suspended RUSADA if the data isn't provided on time. WADA rules say if it can't ensure adequate testing of a country's athletes "it may be necessary to exclude athletes" from events including the Olympics. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/732c6dffcc89c38fad2b63dbe3481344
