“I think that 270-280 Russian athletes will be allowed at the Olympics”.
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Three days before the Rio Olympics, Reedie’s World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) came under attack from International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach and other IOC members at a meeting in the Brazilian city.
The IOC’s Executive Board decided on July 24 not to pursue a total ban on Russia’s participation in Rio, despite indications that Moscow has been sponsoring widespread doping among its athletes for years at past competitions.
The IOC, meanwhile, is being criticised for not imposing a blanket ban on all Russian athletes for the Rio Games after findings from a WADA-commissioned report by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren were tabled last month.
“I have always been and will always be a clean athlete and have been vocal in my anti-doping stance throughout my career”, she said in a statement.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was told it needed to restore its reputation as the war of words over the timing of its response to the Russian doping scandal escalated on Tuesday.
CAS dismissed the application of Daniil Andrienko and 16 other rowers, who were challenging the World Rowing Federation (FISA) decision to deny them entry into the Rio Games.
Bach added: “Recent developments have shown that we need a full review of the WADA anti-doping system”.
Israeli IOC member Alex Gilady was among the most strident WADA critics, stating the body took too long to act on tip-offs about doping at the top of Russian sport.
According to the details, the commission claimed it had found evidence that Russia’s Sports Ministry and the Center for the Training of Russian National Teams and the Federal Security Service had covered up a doping program in Russian sports.
But even as the sporting side of the Games shifts into higher gear, the Olympic movement is still struggling to douse the troublesome sideshow of the Russian Federation doping scandal.
“Engagement and not isolation is the key to build a more robust anti-doping system”, he said.
Argentinas Gerardo Werthein also hit out at WADAs failure to investigate serious and credible allegations more swiftly as International Olympic Committee members rounded on the anti-doping body.
Some 1.2 million tickets for Olympic events remained on sale ahead of Friday’s opening ceremony, which has been overshadowed by accusations that Russian Federation organised state-run doping.
However, that move has caused huge uncertainty as was proved last night when the CAS backed the ban on Russian weightlifters but could not decide on the eligibility of two swimmers.
“At times WADA has seemed to be more interested in publicity and self-promotion rather than doing its job as a regulator, acting with transparency, and looking after the best interest of clean athletes”.
Sozykin could be banned again, however, with the final ruling down to the three-person International Olympic Committee panel hearing cases in Rio.
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The IOC chief understands now everyone agrees with their decision – but it was made to be as fair as possible.
