MOSCOW, March 29. /TASS/. President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Witold Banka spilled the tea in a conversation with Russian pranksters Vladimir Kuznetsov ("Vovan") and Alexey Stolyarov ("Lexus"), the president of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) told TASS on Friday.

"I believe that Banka said some things he should and shouldn’t have. They got him good," Pozdnyakov said. "Certainly, he spilled the tea on things we usually only talk about in private."

As part of their prank show, ‘Vovan’ and ‘Lexus’ spoke earlier in the week with WADA chief Banka, who told them that he would do everything to make sure that as few foreign athletes as possible come to Russia for the 2024 World Friendship Games this fall.

Banka also told the Russian pranksters that the Russian Chess Federation should be watched more closely after it switched from the European Chess Union (ECU) to the Asian Chess Federation (ACF).

2024 World Friendship Games

Moscow and Yekaterinburg in Russia’s Urals region are slated to co-host the 2024 World Friendship Games on September 15-29.

In December 2023, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) cautioned National Olympic Committees (NOCs) against participating in the World Friendship Games in Russia next year, as this would violate the global Olympic body’s recommendations.

Last November, WADA chief Banka warned that certain sanctions could be in place against international athletes willing to participate in the 2024 World Friendship Games. He said in particular that: "The possible participation in those competitions of those who are parties to the WADA Code, may have certain consequences.".