A compromise which paved the way for the lifting of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency’s (RUSADA) suspension has been defended by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) as Beckie Scott resigned from the Compliance Review Committee (CRC) after the group recommended the reinstatement of the organisation.
Correspondence published by WADA today following leaks to BBC Sport provides confirmation that President Sir Craig Reedie and director general Olivier Niggli agreed to soften RUSADA’s two remaining criteria on its compliance roadmap in a bid to end the deadlock.
WADA had initially demanded a public acceptance of the McLaren Report but the CRC said a letter from Russian Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov – which stated the country “fully accepted the decision of the International Olympic Committee Executive Board that was made based on the findings of the Schmid Report” – satisfied the first requirement.
The Schmid Report largely substantiates the McLaren Report as it outlines the involvement of Russian Ministry officials in the state-sponsored doping scheme but its language is not as strong as the document from the Canadian lawyer.
The CRC also said a “commitment” from Russia to provide data and access to the samples stored at the Moscow Laboratory via an independent expert met the second criteria.
Kolobkov promised they would do this “as soon as possible” after RUSADA’s reinstatement, which is likely to come at the WADA Executive Committee meeting in the Seychelles on Thursday (September 20).
The compromises were first sent to Russia by WADA on June 22, with Sir Craig initially admitting he was frustrated at the lack of response from officials in the country.
“We have accepted your offer of June 22,” Kolobkov said in his letter to WADA.
“I hope that WADA will perform its undertaking and reinstate the compliance of RUSADA at the next meeting of the WADA Executive Committee.”
