WADA Heavily Influenced by Int'l Organizations - Doping Film Producer

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is under heavy influence from international sports organizations, which is not the best way to fight doping around the world, German journalist and producer of the film on doping in Russian sports Hajo Seppelt said.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – In December 2014, Germany’s ARD television broadcaster released Seppelt’s film The Doping Secret: How Russia Creates Champions. Following the broadcast, WADA’s Independent Commission opened investigation into Russian athletes’ use of performance enhancing drugs.

“I wouldn’t say that [WADA] isn’t clean. I would say that there is too much influence from sports organizations. Approximately 50 percent of [WADA’s] money comes from sports federations. The president of WADA is also the vice-president of the International Olympic Committee. I don’t think this is the best way [to fight doping around the world],” Seppelt told R-Sport in an interview.

In January, Russian Anti-Doping Agency RUSADA disqualified a number of athletes for violation of anti-doping rules, including Olympic champions Sergei Kirdyapkin, Valery Borchin and Olga Kaniskina, and a world champion Sergei Bakulin.

In November, however, Russia was temporary suspended from track over recent accusations.

In the same month, WADA declared that it also put Brazil, Spain, Mexico, Greece, Belgium, and France on a watch list.