MONTREAL.- The general director of the World Anti-Doping Agency (AMA) declared this Wednesday to AFP that the organization will increase the monitoring of Russian athletes in view of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Gamesafter the recent readmission of these athletes by the IOC.
More than four years after the invasion launched by Moscow about Ukrainehe International Olympic Committee (IOC) lifted part of the restrictions imposed on Russian athletes in early July, opening the door to their participation in the next Olympic event, including in team competitions.
“We are not naive (…) We are going to be vigilant because other athletes will want to feel calm,” said the director general of WADA, Olivier Niggliduring an interview with AFP in Montrealheadquarters of the organization.
As the IOC demanded, “we are going to reinforce this device (…) A series of prior tests should be carried out on international athletes who may attend the Games” by “an entity other than the Russian national agency.”
“But, as of today, we do not have any concrete element that raises the red flag. There is no longer a laboratory (accredited by the AMA) in Russia. All samples are analyzed abroad, they can no longer do their internal cooking as happened in Sochi. Right now, it’s not possible,” Niggli said.
Institutionalized doping in Russia reached its peak during the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014 and remains the most notorious scandal that WADA has had to face since its creation in 1999 as a result of the case Festinawhich impacted the world of cycling.
High cost
The fraud orchestrated at the highest level of the State deprived Russia of its flag, anthem and official symbols in the Tokyo Olympicsin 2021, and in the Beijing Winter Games the following year by decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sports (TAS).
The Russian anti-doping agency (Rusada) remains suspended until further order by WADA.
Lifting this suspension will require an “in-person audit in Moscow”, which has not been possible until now due to “the political situation and the war” in Ukrainethe president of the AMA explained to AFP, Witold Banka.
