Putin said, “We don’t support what the hackers have been doing, but what they have done can’t fail to attract public attention internationally”.
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“It seems as if healthy athletes are taking drugs legally that are prohibited for others”, Putin said at a regional leaders summit in Kyrgyzstan, according to Russian news agencies.
Froome, among those whose medical record was leaked, defended his right to a therapeutic use exemption (TUE).
The hacking group claims on its website that it stands for “fair play and clean sport” and that TUEs are “licenses [sic] for doping”, describing Wada as “corrupt and deceitful”.
The second batch includes a total of 25 athletes, including 10 from the United States, five from Germany, five from the United Kingdom, one from the Czech Republic, one from Denmark, one from Poland, one from Romania, and one from Russian Federation.
WADA called the hack “retaliation” after it released reports detailing the cheating and called on Russian Federation to help stop the hacking of its computer systems.
It also said that it is reaching out to the national anti-doping organisations and global federations whose athletes are impacted by the latest data release to provide support.
His comments came just hours before hackers released a third batch of drugs test data involving 11 more athletes.
WADA director general Olivier Niggli apologised to athletes who had their data released, and UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) chief executive Nicole Sapstead also condemned the attacks and outlined the organisation’s process on TUEs.
The hackers, said to be a Russian group, have illegally accessed the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) database and first released private medical data of American athletes on Tuesday, including multiple Grand Slam-winning tennis sisters Venus and Serena Williams and quadruple Olympic gold medallist gymnast from Rio, Simone Biles, showing banned substances the athletes have allegedly taken under the approval of their respective governing bodies as Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs).
WADA previously warned of cyberattacks after investigators it had appointed published reports into Russian state-sponsored doping.
Meanwhile, three-time Tour de France victor Froome has TUEs for prednisolone, a steroid that can be used for chest complaints.
On Friday, IOC President Thomas Bach called the leak “an unacceptable and outrageous breach of medical confidentiality that attempts to smear innocent athletes who have not committed any doping offence”.
In nine years as a professional Ive twice required a TUE for exacerbated asthma, the last time was in 2014, said Froome, who won his third Tour de France title in July.
And while Reedie remains adamant there has been no involvement from the Russian government, he says the hack could have serious consequences for the country’s bid to re-enter the world of athletics.
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Fancy Bear is known for having extensively targeted defense ministries and other military systems in ways that often align with the strategic interests of the Russian government itself, leading to allegations that the group is directly affiliated with the GRU – Russia’s main intelligence service. “They are also used for treating injuries but I don’t think it would be an overwhelming burden if the door was closed on abusing corticosteroids for performance by extending the requirement of TUEs to out of competition. The program is a rigorous and necessary part of elite sport; and, it has overwhelming acceptance from athletes, physicians, and all anti-doping stakeholders”, the agency said.
