Athletes and sport deserves better

The lifting of the ban on Russia’s anti-doping agency Rusada by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) this week has justifiably been criticised by campaigners, athletes and world athletics bodies from around the world. The surprise decision, subject to various conditions, opens the door for Russian athletes to return to international competition. In November 2015, Rusada was suspended following an independent Wada report carried out by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren.

The report outlined evidence of a deluge of statebacked systematic doping and cover-ups in the sport in Russia. The country was banned from the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games in South Korea.

Although there will be no immediate effect on the current bans on the Russian federations for athletics, weightlifting and paralympics, their return will soon follow after the reinstatement of the Russian Olympic Committee, even though Wada repeatedly insisted Rusada would not be reinstated until it satisfied key criteria on a “roadmap for return”. Part of this condition included recognising the findings of the McLaren Report and allowing access to stored urine samples at Rusada’s Moscow laboratory. This has not happened.

The softening of Wada’s stance has drawn criticism that they have succumbed to pressure from the International Olympic Committee and federations keen to host events in Russia again.

British marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe perhaps put it best. “I think it’s a sad day for clean athletes when the very organisation that is supposed to protect them and their rights compromises on that duty.”

Few, if any, individuals or groups have been held accountable for the widespread doping. So, how can a line in the sand be drawn if the guilty culprits have not been brought to book?

International athletes and the sport deserves better.