MOSCOW, September 23. /TASS/. The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) will soon consult lawyers over the recent refusal by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to lift its ban on the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), ROC President Stanislav Pozdnyakov told TASS.

"For the time being, I don’t even know how to react to this [WADA decision not to reinstate RUSADA]. But we will soon hold consultations with lawyers and the law department over this decision," Pozdnyakov said.

WADA announced on September 22 that RUSASA was non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code, due to non-conformities relating to national legislation.

The global anti-doping agency said it would ban Russian athletes from competing under the national flag at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as at the World and European Championships, unless RUSADA complies with the World Anti-Doping Code.

RUSADA has been officially notified by WADA and will have 21 days to appeal WADA’s latest decision, RUSADA Director Veronika Loginova told reporters.