Russian athletes in danger of missing 2018 Winter Olympics because of doping scandal
World Anti-Doping Agency gives Russia failing grade on cleaning up its anti-drug programme
The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) placed Russia’s fate for the upcoming Winter Olympics on perilous ground, refusing to reinstate the country’s suspended anti-doping operation while Russia remained insistent the government is not to blame.
At its meeting on Thursday in South Korea, Wada handed Russia the equivalent of a failing grade, saying two key requirements for reinstating the Russian Anti-Doping Agency had not been fulfilled:
Russia must publicly accept results of an investigation by Canada’s Richard McLaren that concluded the country ran a state-sponsored doping programme, and Russia must allow access to urine samples collected during the time of the cheating.
“We can’t walk away from the commitments,” said Craig Reedie, the chairman of Wada and also a member of the International Olympic Committee, which will ultimately decide Russia’s fate.
Reedie refused to be drawn in on what impact Thursday’s decision might have on the IOC.
“We do not have the right to decide who takes part in international competition,” he said. “I am quite certain that the IOC would prefer that Rusada was compliant.”
