WADA, which has previously revealed that the confidential information was stolen during a hack of its database, confirmed today that there had been another batch of information leaked by Fancy Bear, involving 10 American athletes, five Germans, five Britons and one each from the Czech Republic, Denmark, Poland, Romania and Russian Federation.
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This is an August 12, 2016 photo of Gold medalist Bradley Wiggins of Britain as he poses on the podium of the Men’s team pursuit final at the Rio Olympic Velodrome during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The World Anti-Doping Agency confirmed late Wednesday night that Russian cyber hackers have leaked more confidential information about 25 more Olympic athletes.
The group says the TUEs are “licenses for doping” and that WADA is “corrupt and deceitful”.
“We condemn this criminal activity and have asked the Russian Government to do everything in their power to make it stop”, WADA director general Olivier Niggli said.
The group is thought to be carrying out the cyber attack in retaliation to WADA after the governing body released a report into the country’s state-sponsored doping programme, and requested a wholesale ban of the Russian Olympic team.
The Russian authorities have denied any involvement.
American tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams and four-time 2016 gymnastics gold medallist Simone Biles were among those whose information was initially revealed earlier this week.
Russian cyclists have urged the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Cycling Union (UCI) to set up an independent international commission for verification of the doping claims made by former chief of the Moscow Anti-Doping Center Grigory Rodchenkov. He also employed intramuscular injections of Triamcinolone acetonide thrice for the same condition.
Froome had two TUE’s for corticosteroid prednisolone before the 2013 Critérium du Dauphiné and the 2014 Tour de Romandie, the latter raising some eyebrows.
“We do not support what the hackers do, but what they did can not but be of interest to the global community, and most of all to the sports community”, Putin said at a regional leaders summit in Central Asian Kyrgyzstan, Russian news agencies reported. “WADA is unable to determine the extent of the data breach and is receiving intelligence and advice from law enforcement and IT security agencies on this and will continue to keep the IGF informed”.
“You can’t link up the battle with cybercrime with redressing the rights of athletes, these are questions that fall into different categories”, Zakharova said.
The hackers released details of medication taken by the athletes, mainly from the United States, under therapeutic-use exemptions that allow for the use of banned substances.
While Froome, who was seen using an inhaler during the 2014 Criterium du Dauphine, said he was not concerned by the leak.
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A British Cycling spokesman followed suit, saying: “We’re proud of our strong anti-doping culture at British Cycling”.
