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Russia may be banned from Olympics if it fails to fulfill WADA conditions — official

The World Anti-Doping Agency confirmed on September 20 that the Russian Anti-Doping Agency has been reinstated

MOSCOW, September 21. /TASS corr. Albert Starodubtsev/. Russian athletes may be banned from performing at the Olympic Games and other international competitions if they fail to fulfill two crucial conditions presented in the last decision of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on reinstating the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), Head of the Council of Europe’s Sport Conventions Division and member of RUSADA Supervisory Board Sergey Khrychikov informed TASS.

Earlier, the WADA Compliance Review Committee (CRC) recommended that the WADA Executive Committee reinstate RUSADA, which the committee did on Thursday. However, a WADA source specified that they must be provided access to the Moscow Anti-Doping Laboratory’s data before the end of the year so that it can be fully assessed by June 30, 2019. If Russia fails to fulfill these conditions, RUSADA will once again be declared non-compliant.

"After yesterday’s decision by the WADA Executive Committee, RUSADA is at a crossroads," Khrychikov said. "The Russian Anti-Doping Agency has the possibility to overcome the crisis once and for all, if it meets all the conditions specified yesterday by the WADA Executive Committee in due time. However, if it fails to realize them, Russia’s positions will significantly deteriorate. Yesterday, WADA put its faith into Russia."

The sports official added that Russia’s previous non-compliance status was not very strict in a practical way. "WADA had no mechanisms in place to introduce new sanctions, because RUSADA acquired this status before the new compliance standard came into force (ISCCS, International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories - TASS)," he said. "There were restrictions, but not critical ones."

"However, if after yesterday’s reinstitution, RUSADA fails to comply with the crucial conditions specified by the executive committee in time, it may end tragically - Russian athletes may even be banned from participating in the Olympic Games," Khrychikov stressed.