ISINBAYEVA TO BE REMOVED AS RUSADA CHAIRPERSON
Montreal, May 19: Never known for haste, the World Anti-Doping Agency delivered two pieces of news on Thursday that could strengthen its ability to expedite the end of the Russian doping scandal.
In one move, the Wada foundation board pressed forward with a proposal to fast-track rules changes that would give it power to suspend noncompliant Olympic committees. That could prevent a repeat of last year, when the International Olympic Committee disregarded Wada’s recommendation to ban Russia from the Rio Games.
And in the day’s big surprise, a Wada official said pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva would be out as the chair of Russia’s antidoping agency (Rusada) by the end of the month.
“It’s good to hear there will be change there,” said Joseph de Pencier, the CEO of the Institute of National AntiDoping Organisations. “Now, there’s much more to come. We don’t know who will be the new leader. There’s an awful lot that’s still in process.”
Isinbayeva’s appointment as the Rusada chair has been widely panned by Wada, track’s international federation (IAAF) and others. Wada’s Dick Pound labeled it a “provocation,” mainly because Isinbayeva has been a steadfast critic of Wada’s investigations into her country, calling them an anti-Russian plot.
Wada director general Olivier Niggli said Yelena could remain on the Rusada board. He said the move, which will place a board member who is independent of Russia’s Olympic committee at the head of the agency, is important because “it’s not just for one person or one situation.”