Cyberattack on WADA Breaks Int’l Community Trust in Russia

WADA’s Director General Olivier Niggli said that Russia's alleged cyberattacks on WADA jeopardizes the effort by the global anti-doping community to re-establish trust in Russia further to the outcome of the Agency’s independent McLaren Investigation Report.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia's alleged cyberespionage group attack on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) jeopardizes the attempts of the international community to restore trust in Russia following a report on doping violations in the country, WADA’s Director General Olivier Niggli said Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, hacking group Fancy Bear leaked WADA documents claiming that the agency allowed US tennis players Serena and Venus Williams, as well as gymnast Simone Biles, to take banned substances in various years for therapeutic purposes.

"WADA has been informed by law enforcement authorities that these attacks are originating out of Russia. Let it be known that these criminal acts are greatly compromising the effort by the global anti-doping community to re-establish trust in Russia further to the outcomes of the Agency’s independent McLaren Investigation Report," Niggli said as quoted in WADA statement.

In July, WADA commission led by Richard McLaren presented a report based on the investigation results, in which Russia was accused of running a state-wide doping program.