WADA chief defends deal with Russia
WORLD Anti-Doping Agency president Sir Craig Reedie has hit back at critics of the controversial decision to lift the Russian AntiDoping Agency’s suspension, asking them what they would have done differently.
WADA’s executive committee reinstated RUSADA at a meeting in the Seychelles last week, provoking fury from athletes groups and national anti-doping agencies who believe the Russians have still not met two key criteria from a ‘roadmap to compliance’ agreed in 2016.
This relates to a public acknowledgement from Russia that their doping was “state-sponsored” and allowing independent access to the Moscow laboratory at the centre of the scandal, a site that has effectively been sealed off by the authorities as a crime scene since November 2014.
With Russia refusing to budge on these two points, WADA felt obliged to find a compromise that broke the deadlock but was faithful to the roadmap - and that is what Reedie believes WADA has delivered.
On a conference call with reporters, the 77-year-old Scot said it is “understandable” athletes are still angry with Russia.
“But I have a question for the athletes and that is what, in practice, is the alternative option?” he said.“There is a crucial element in what we have been doing and that is getting access to samples and data that will allow ongoing cases to continue.
“So athletes complaining? Fine. I am used to that. But I really want to know what their alternates are.”
Asked if he thought the current furore had damaged WADA’s credibility, Reedie said he hoped not and suggested that some athletes have not grasped what WADA has done or what powers it has.
“If you look back at the 21 months since the roadmap was put in place there has been complete refusal by the Russian authorities to meet the last two conditions,” he said.
“Now I think athletes maybe just think we should continue with that. But I question that policy. Sitting back, hoping we got the information we wanted and then allowing RUSADA to become compliant doesn’t seem to be a way forward. The athletes really need to know that in the Moscow lab there around 2,800 samples which we would very much like to see in terms of completing cases - both ongoing cases and new - against athletes who have cheated.”
he stressed he was not angry with athletes for criticising WADA, saying he was annoyed with national anti-doping agencies for “using any opportunity” they get “to complain about their lack of representation” at the top levels of sports governance - something that is being looked at by a WADA governance working group.