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WADA says has database proving widespread Russian doping

By Steve Keating

 

FILE PHOTO: Craig Reedie, President of the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) addresses the WADA Symposium in Ecublens, Switzerland, March 13, 2017. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

 

(Reuters) - The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said on Friday it had obtained a database that confirmed allegations of widespread state-sponsored doping in Russia made in the McLaren report.

 

WADA said it was confident the file acquired by its Investigations and Intelligence department is the Moscow anti-doping laboratory's testing data from January 2012-August 2015.

 

Despite repeated calls for Russia to cooperate with international bodies to stamp out doping, Russian authorities have always denied the state's role in the scandal.

 

WADA said it was finalising the forensic analysis of the enormous backup file and expected to provide more information at its executive committee and foundation board meetings in Seoul on Nov. 15-16.

 

The doping agency said it had briefed the International Olympic Committee’s Schmid and Oswald Commissions, which are conducting investigations into Russian doping.

 

The new information could be a damaging blow to Russia's chances of competing at February's Pyeongchang Winter Games.

 

The IOC has said it will decide at its executive board meeting from Dec. 5-7 on the participation of Russian competitors in Pyeongchang.

 

Last year, a WADA commissioned report by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren found that more than 1,000 Russian competitors in more than 30 sports were involved in a conspiracy to conceal positive drug tests over a period of five years.

 

Investigations also uncovered sample tampering at the Sochi Olympics, including the switching of samples through a hole in the laboratory wall.

 

Russia escaped a blanket ban at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro although it was, and remains, barred from competing in international athletics events.

 

The country's Paralympic Committee and anti-doping agency RUSADA are also still suspended over the doping scandals.

 

NEW INTELLIGENCE

 

WADA said its independent Compliance Review Committee on Friday was considering the new intelligence, which will shape the recommendation it intends to make to the foundation board on whether to declare RUSADA compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code.

 

"WADA continues to stand firmly behind the outcomes of the Agency’s independent McLaren Investigation,” WADA president Craig Reedie said in a statement.

 

“This new intelligence serves to reinforce our requirement of Russian authorities that they too publicly accept the outcomes; so that, we can all move forward in rebuilding public trust and confidence in Russian sport.”

 

One of the conditions placed on Russia before it could be rule compliant was that authorities responsible for the country's anti-doping program, including the Ministry of Sport and the National Olympic Committee, publicly accept the outcomes of the McLaren Investigation, which uncovered widespread state-sponsored doping at the Sochi Olympics.

 

But in recent days Russian officials have pushed back on doping allegations, arguing that they have been politically motivated.

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested on Thursday that allegations of a state-sponsored doping program in Russia were an attempt to sow discontent ahead of the country’s presidential elections and retaliation for alleged Russian meddling in the U.S. election.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-11-11

[boomerangutang]

This is a saga goes back at least decades, when East German women dominated sprinting events.  Have you seen pics of those E.German women?  They look more masculine than cage fighters.

 

It's sad for Russian athletes (particularly those who don't dope-up) - who only have a relative few years to shine.  Those who do dope are mostly products of a system that's been established for decades.  Not an excuse, but when you have coaches and directors hustling you with pills/injections and telling you "look, this is what everyone does. No problems. Just do what you're told.  You want to win for Mother Russia, don't you?!"

 

It affects para-athletes, winter sport people, Olympians, and beyond.  

 

[boomerangutang]

Who remembers, during the Athens Olympics in 2004, there was a small young Chinese woman who won the 10,000 meters, beating the 2nd place finisher by less than a second.

 

She ran with her arms hanging by her side, instead of bent at the elbow like every other runner.

 

I thought doping might be involved because Chinese women have traditionally done poorly in long distance running, but maybe I'm out to lunch.

Edited November 11, 2017 by boomerangutang

[Jack Mountain]

Lance Armstrong, what have you done? Now everybody thinks it's easy ...