THE decision of the International Olympic Committee not to impose a total ban on Russian athletes competing in the Rio Olympic Games has come under fire from the World Anti Doping Agency, which joined an increasing number of organizations criticizing the IOC decision in the wake of state-sponsored doping allegations.
In a statement, WADA said it would work to “ensure the best possible outcome for clean athletes” in Rio, but regretted that the IOC ignored its call for a ban of Russia after the WADA-commissioned McLaren Report found evidence of a government-backed doping system in a range of sports.
WADA had urged the IOC to ban all athletes submitted by the Russian Olympic Committee for both the Rio Games and the Paralympics, with individual exceptions to be considered by the IOC for participation under a neutral flag.
WADA also recommended that Russian government officials be denied access to the Rio Games.
In its statement, WADA president Craig Reedie said it is “disappointed that the IOC did not heed WADA’s Executive Committee recommendations that were based on the outcomes of the McLaren Investigation and would have ensured a straight-forward, strong and harmonized approach. The McLaren Report exposed, beyond a reasonable doubt, a state-run doping program in Russia that seriously undermines the principles of clean sport embodied within the World Anti-Doping Code.”
IOC president Thomas Bach said Sunday that the body opted against an outright ban in order to protect the rights of clean Russian competitors.
WADA also blasted the IOC decision to give individual sports federations the prime responsibility to determine every Russian athletes eligibility stating it was “a recipe for confusion.”
“While WADA director general Olivier Niggli said that while they “fully respect the IOC’s autonomy to make decisions under the Olympic Charter, the approach taken and the criteria set forward will inevitably lead to a lack of harmonization, potential challenges and lesser protection for clean athletes.”
Niggli also expressed disappointment that an IOC ethics’ commission ruled that whistleblower athlete Yulia Stepanova could not go to Rio, even competing as a neutral.
“WADA has been very vocal in supporting Yulia’s desire to compete as an independent athlete. Ms. Stepanova was instrumental in courageously exposing the single biggest doping scandal of all time. WADA is very concerned by the message that this sends whistleblowers for the future,” Niggli said.
