Australia critical of WADA move to lift ban on RUSADA

Sydney, September 20: The World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) decision to lift the ban on Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) has come in for fierce opposition from athletes and other anti-doping bodies alike with Australia joining the ever-swelling list of critics.

RUSADA was suspended in November, 2015, after an independent WADA report carried out by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren outlined evidence of massive state-backed, systematic doping and cover-ups in Russian sport.

Although the International Olympic Committee (IOC) reinstated Russia in February, the International Association of Athletics Federations' (IAAF) suspension remained in place.

But in a landmark judgement on Thursday, the WADA decided to lift the ban on RUSADA, subject to certain conditions, a decision which greeted with dismay by campaigners including the US Anti-Doping Agency, who accused WADA of caving in to pressure from the IOC.

WADA Executive Committee decides to reinstate RUSADA subject to strict conditions: https://t.co/xYEAy2ZDcj

— WADA (@wada_ama) September 20, 2018

Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) too came down heavily on the WADA move with its chief executive David Sharpe saying administrators must remember that sport was about athletes and the fans.

"Today athletes have every right to feel the system has failed them," he said.

ASADA's criticism came just hours after USADA too came down heavily on WADA.

Statement from USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart on the WADA Executive Committee's decision to reinstate Russa. https://t.co/eFawharH5S pic.twitter.com/qjvADRlwyx

— USADA (@usantidoping) September 20, 2018

ASADA was a signatory to a statement issued prior to the meeting which called for voting on RUSADA's return to be postponed until it had fully met all of the conditions in a roadmap created by WADA.

Sharpe said the decision strengthened his commitment to the pursuit of clean, fair sport.

"More than ever athletes need to be reassured that the focus of anti-doping agencies such as ASADA remain, ensuring there is a level playing field," he added.

“More than ever athletes need to be reassured that the focus of anti-doping agencies such as ASADA remains, ensuring there is a level playing field.”
See ASADA's full media statement on the decision to lift the ban on Russia below 👇#cleansport #ourcommitment pic.twitter.com/GhR8Qll2ot

— ASADA Anti-Doping (@anti_doping) September 21, 2018

"ASADA is committed to working internationally with its national anti-doping partners to close the gap and strengthen their programs."

WADA president Craig Reedie said reinstating RUSADA was subject to strict conditions, including "a clear timeline by which WADA must be given access to the former Moscow laboratory data and samples".

He said that if that was not met, the ban on RUSADA would be reinforced.