Confidentiality Breaches in Mclaren's Report Undermines WADA Credibility

The International Swimming Federation (FINA) said Sunday that violations of confidentiality regarding McLaren's report on possible doping cases at 2014 Sochi Olympics undermined the credibility of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — FINA concluded that it "expects the IOC to apply the principles and values shared by the Olympic Movement."

"FINA is concerned by the premature calls from US [USADA] and Canadian Anti-doping authorities to ban Russia from Rio 2016 Olympic Games several days ahead of the publication of the independent McLaren report [WADA]… Such breaches of confidentiality and the perception of a breach of independence of the report undermine its credibility," the statement read.

On Saturday, R-Sport agency obtained a copy of the letter sent by Head of the USADA Travis Tygart to president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach in which he requested to suspend Russian Olympic and Paralympic Committees from participating in 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro prior to the publication of the McLaren's report.

In May, US media reported, citing former director of the Russia-based anti-doping laboratory Grigory Rodchenkov, that dozens of Russian athletes at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, including at least 15 medal winners, were using doping throughout the Games as part of a "state-run program." WADA has launched a probe into the claims under the lead of Richard McLaren who has already investigated reports of Russian athletes using doping.

McLaren will present his report on July 18 in Toronto.