MOSCOW (Sputnik) — A WADA-initiated independent investigative commission rolled out a report on Monday accusing Russia of numerous violations of global anti-doping codes. It recommended that the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) suspend Russia from international athletics, including the 2016 Olympic Games.
"Today, the WADA Commission on code compliance assessment declared RUSADA non-compliant with the WADA code," Zhelanova told R-Sport news agency.
"This decision is still to be endorsed by the WADA Foundation Board that will meet in Colorado Springs (US) on November 18," she continued, adding the Board was also to rule on the accreditation of a Moscow lab at the heart of the scandal.
Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko asked WADA President Craig Reedie on Friday to expedite re-accreditation procedures for the lab on the grounds that a decision to revoke its license would stem government financing and "cause its highly-qualified staff to quit, thus undermining Russia's anti-doping system," Zhelanova observed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the sports minister on Wednesday to conduct an internal investigation into these accusations, which Mutko denied, saying that athlete doping was a global concern and there was no reason to isolate just one country.
