MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has confirmed that it had obtained the Moscow Laboratory's database with doping tests for the January 2012 — August 2015 period, which, according to The New York Times, it could allegedly provide new evidence of alleged use of doping and lead to new penalties against Russia.
According to to the agency's press release, "WADA’s independent Intelligence and Investigations (I&I) Department acquired new intelligence concerning the former WADA-accredited Moscow Laboratory."
READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: 'I Am Not Trying to Prove Russia Wrong' — Richard McLaren
Doping Scandal
The doping scandal around Russia has emerged in 2015, when World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accused Russia of multiple anti-doping violations and suspended the Moscow laboratory of RUSADA, the Russian National Anti-Doping Agency. Richard McLaren, the head of the WADA commission, previously presented a two-part report on doping violations in Russia, which alleged the existence of a state-supported doping system, a claim strongly denied by President Vladimir Putin and other officials, who, however admit that the country has doping-related issues it is working to resolve.
While the IOC is expected to decide on whether Russian athletes will be allowed to compete in the 2018 Olympics in December, Russian investigators have concluded that McLaren report's arguments of an alleged doping tests swap were baseless.
READ MORE: No Proof Found of McLaren's Claims of Russian Athletes Doping Tests' Swap
Most recently, Putin has yet again stated that there are cases of doping use in Russian sports, as well as in many other countries, adding that Russia is addressing them.
