German journalists with news outlet ARD are reporting that Russia is suspected of manipulating data from the Moscow Anti-Doping lab. The data was provided to WADA as a necessary condition of RUSADA’s reinstatement last year.
ARD reporter Hajo Seppelt tweeted the breaking news on Friday, and fellow ARD investigative journalist Nick Butler added some more information in a retweet:
ARD Doping Editorial Team Breaking News: RUS under suspicion to have manipulated Moscow lab data (provided to @wada_ama early 2019). @wada_ama Compliance Review Committee will inform WADA Exco at Tokyo meeting next week. „Non Compliance“ procedure already initiated. @NickJMButler
— Hajo Seppelt (@hajoseppelt) September 20, 2019
BREAKING: Russia suspected of manipulating Moscow Lab Data handed to #WADA this year. Fresh non-compliance ruling expected. ExCo meeting next week #doping https://t.co/9bv7eLo3p3
— Nick Butler (@NickJMButler) September 20, 2019
The data in question was central to RUSADA (Russia’s anti-doping agency)’s brush with WADA (the World Anti-Doping Agency) last year. WADA reinstated RUSADA in early 2018, despite the Russian agency not meeting the original standards of reinstatement. Part of the new policy for reinstatement was that RUSADA turn over important data from the Moscow Anti-Doping lab. Experts said the data was crucial to help build cases against athletes caught doping, and to exonerate athletes falsely suspected of being aided by what the McLaren Report deemed Russia’s institutionalized doping program.
Russia missed the first deadline to turn over the data, causing RUSADA’s head to publicly appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing concern that Russian athletes would be suspended from international competition if the data was not turned over. WADA was eventually able to retrieve the data, and Russia met its next deadline for turning over samples more than a month in advance.
But now, Seppelt and Butler report that RUSADA is “under suspicion to have manipulated Moscow lab data.” Seppelt says the WADA “non compliance” procedure is already initiated, meaning Russia could be once again deemed non-compliant with WADA rules and could face sanctions.
On the other hand, a later tweet by Butler lays out one potential scenario where Russia appeals the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS):
There is one school of thought that this was the plan from the start. Russia now appeal to CAS, evidence from lims database ruled as not enough and all cases collapse. Not sure that’s fair on #WADA though. Expect some clashes over what non-compliance sanctions are imposed https://t.co/BChifCCZlV
— Nick Butler (@NickJMButler) September 20, 2019
We’ll be following this story as it continues to develop.
I’m shocked. Shocked!
Well, not that shocked.
Shocking!!
Russian athletes, since 1984, were systematically doped by the “Government”.
Every. Single. Athlete.
Why can’t we say communist countries have a vested interest to cheat?
Especially when hosting the Olympics.
Just don’t start! Everyone dopes! Every. Single. Athlete. Russians, Americans, Germans, Chinese. Everywhere where there is a chance to make millions of dollars, people cheat. This way or the other, more or less. That’s the sad truth of life.
What a surprise! (ongue bursting out of cheek)
Just ban Russia already.
Putin, is that your downvote?