iNADO urges WADA to make sanction mechanism consistent and transparent

The Institute of National Anti-Doping Organisations (iNADO) commends WADA’s Intelligence and Investigation Team and the group of independent forensic experts for securing evidence that, laboratory information under the authority and control of the Russian Government, has been selectively and systematically tampered with in an effort to obstruct ongoing WADA investigations.

This constitutes yet another failure to the fundamental principles of clean sport and demonstrates an appalling indifference of Russian authorities towards the work of anti-doping organisations.

iNADO now urges WADA´s Executive Committee in its upcoming meeting on December 9th to adopt the recommendations of the Compliance Review Committee. Once the decision is final WADA must work with relevant Code signatories and use criteria that:

1. Ensure that all organisations affected implement the recommendations strictly,

2. and require any mechanisms allowing individual Russian athletes to compete as well as any mechanism allowing already awarded competitions to remain in Russia to be consistent, transparent, and independently verified.

There is an eminent risk of losing trust in the anti-doping system if these steps are not followed. Doubts left previously in handling the Russian case must not be allowed this time. “We owe this to the sport fans and, more importantly, to all clean athletes.” said iNADO CEO Jorge Leyva.

The crises of the past years have demonstrated flaws in the anti-doping system and WADA has sought remedies, but the current situation is again unprecedented. INADO believes that by following these two steps and working with committed NADOs, athlete groups, and others WADA can rebuild trust in the system.

The current situation demonstrates again that anti-doping in every country and sport should be free from interference. This is an opportunity for WADA, the global anti-doping regulator, to improve the rules of the anti-doping system by making sure corrupt institutions are sanctioned meaningfully. iNADO will offer whatever support it can to help WADA work through this challenge and make the anti-doping system better.

Jorge Leyva

CEO, INADO

info@inado.org