Hansen upset at WADA decision over Russians

EUROPEAN Athletic Association President Svein Arne Hansen voiced his disquiet yesterday at the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) decision to reinstate Russia’s antidoping authority. RUSADA was suspended in November 2015 after evidence of massive state-backed, systematic doping.

‘Like many in the sport of athletics, I am concerned about Thursday’s decision of the Executive Committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA),’ Hansen said in a statement.

‘This decision, following a compromise on the conditions of the Roadmap for reinstatement set out by WADA, was presumably meant to move the situation forward but appears to be a backward step.’

The International Association of Athletics Federations’ suspension of the Russian Athletics Federation remains in place.