WADA Getting Ready to Reinstate Russia

[MarkvW]

The more you think things are different, the more they are the same.

 

[BullsFan22]

The more you think things are different, the more they are the same.

Can you please tell us how things are the same?

 

[BullsFan22]

Re:

Who is on this "Compliance Committee", the members of it must be known, and that narrows it down to a handful of WADA people who are pushing these corrupt bargains. There is probably some structural pattern within the organization

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/15/sports/wada-beckie-scott-russia-doping.html

As it pertains to cycling, WADA became like a joke when they dropped the Froome case - and the selective pursuit of Russian athletics, only to backtrack on this stuff, of course calls into question the credibility of WADA in other sports.

Maybe Russian operatives have компромат on prominent athletes and/or WADA, so there's gonna be a 'deal' ???
Or maybe just a regular tainted deal, without the extortionate part. Tygart says "it stinks", and the resignations and condemnations mean some antidoping representatives are unhappy about that. Or, at least they want to publicly dissociate themselves from the decision

Tygart says nothing but anti Russian things, all the time. He hasn't even had one constructive thing to say. 'Ban Russia,' 'non-compliant,' 'ruining fair play,' 'corruption.' He's brought nothing to the table.

It seems that nothing the Russians do is right. What exactly are they supposed to do? The athletics federation has been banned for almost three years. What does Tygart want?

All because one guy currently living in California, wasn't happy that he wasn't getting enough money...

 

[roundabout]

https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/20180913_letterfromrussianministry_to_wada.pdf

https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/2018_09_14_letter_from_crc_to_wada_dg.pdf

Given the above there should be no reason to reinstate, but we will see on the 20th I guess

 

[JosephK]

It's kind of a moot point, yes? After the convoluted expunging of Froome's AAF, WADA can say whatever WADA wants to say. It's all for show -- means jack. That is, whatever they use for justification/rationalization carries the same weight as air.

 

[Robert5091]

https://www.wada-ama.org/en/who-we-are/governance/compliance-review-committee

Jonathan TAYLOR QC (Chair)
United Kingdom

Henry GOURDJI (Vice Chair)
Canada

Tom DIELEN
Belgium

Barbara LEISHMAN
Switzerland/UK

Beckie SCOTT
Canada

Bente SKOVGAARD KRISTENSEN
Denmark

(EDIT - see Beckie Scott has resigned https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/trackandfield/beckie-scott-wada-russian-doping-agency-1.4825469

The move comes after that six-person committee recommended on Friday that the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) be reinstated.

)


The Seychelles huh? Chosen for it's high profile sporting prowess?

The Swedish anti-Doping Agency has put it's name on the USADA proposal to keep RUSADA suspended
https://www.usada.org/anti-doping-leaders-urge-wada-to-postpone-russian-reinstatement/

We cannot understand or accept that the simple fact that the two remaining conditions – regarding Russian acceptance of the McLaren Report and access for WADA to the Moscow laboratory – remain unfulfilled, and yet WADA’s leading compliance body is recommending the reinstatement of a country that perpetrated the worst doping system ever seen in international sport.
...This statement was made by anti-doping leaders from around the world, including: Australia, Austria, Canada, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

in Swedish at
https://www.dn.se/sport/sverige-emot-att-erkanna-rysslands-antidopningsbyra/

 

[Robert5091]

https://twitter.com/Athlete365/status/1042402357915660288

The IOC Athletes' Commission have discussed in detail the recommendations of the @wada_ama Compliance Review Committee (CRC) and agreed in principle with the recommendations made. We would like to see a clear process & timeline for receiving & fully verifying the lab data.

They want a date for when RUSADA must agree to WADA's demand on the Moscow lab.

 

[Robert5091]

Swedes and Norwegians saying no to letting the Ruskies back -

https://www.dn.se/sport/sverige-emot-att-erkanna-rysslands-antidopningsbyra/

"WADA's credibility will be defined by this moment" says Norway's rep. (stop laughing at the back there!)

 

[Robert5091]

https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1070175/rusada-reinstated-by-wada-executive-committee

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Executive Committee has defied the outcry from athletes and other organisations by comfortably voting 9-2 in favour of the reinstatement of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) at a meeting in the Seychelles today.

The decision to rubber-stamp the recommendation Compliance Review Committee (CRC) was widely expected, with one member confirming yesterday that all five representatives of the Sports Movement would vote to declare RUSADA compliant.

There was one abstention, insidethegames understands.

It brings an end to RUSADA's three-year suspension, first initiated in November 2015 following allegations on state-sponsored doping in Russian athletics.

WADA President Sir Craig Reedie warned today that RUSADA could be declared non-compliant again if they do not follow a "clear timeline" on access to the samples and data at the Moscow Laboratory.

"Today, the great majority of WADA’s Executive Committee decided to reinstate RUSADA as compliant with the Code subject to strict conditions, upon recommendation by the Agency’s independent CRC and in accordance with an agreed process," Sir Craig said.

WADA vice-president Linda Helleland had already declared her intention to vote against RUSADA's reinstatement after claiming the compromise reached undermines the credibility of the organisation.

 

[Robert5091]

https://twitter.com/wada_ama/status/1042758905938501634

WADA President, Sir Craig Reedie: “Today, the great majority of WADA’s ExCo decided to reinstate RUSADA as compliant with the Code subject to strict conditions, upon recommendation by the Agency’s independent CRC and in accordance with an agreed process. (1/2)

https://twitter.com/wada_ama/status/1042759213364256768

“This decision provides a clear timeline by which WADA must be given access to the former Moscow laboratory data and samples with a clear commitment by the ExCo that should this timeline not be met, it would support the CRC’s recommendation to reinstate non-compliance.” (2/2)

 

[Robert5091]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/wada-reinstates-russian-anti-doping-agency-to-outcry/

RUSADA must now provide WADA with authenticated LIMS data and the underlying analytical data from the Moscow laboratory by December 31, 2018, and all re-analysis of the samples must be completed by June 30, 2019.

Additionally, RUSADA must undergo an audit within the next four months to test their compliance with the WADA code. WADA will continue to have independent experts at RUSADA's headquarters and on RUSADA's Supervisory Board for reports and audits.

So who wants to bet on the Ruskies meeting WADA's demands? A tragic accident maybe at the lab, like a fire or a flooding or a power failure, or maybe it's all on a laptop that gets stolen in Greece.

 

[JosephK]

Re:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/wada-reinstates-russian-anti-doping-agency-to-outcry/

RUSADA must now provide WADA with authenticated LIMS data and the underlying analytical data from the Moscow laboratory by December 31, 2018, and all re-analysis of the samples must be completed by June 30, 2019.

Additionally, RUSADA must undergo an audit within the next four months to test their compliance with the WADA code. WADA will continue to have independent experts at RUSADA's headquarters and on RUSADA's Supervisory Board for reports and audits.

So who wants to bet on the Ruskies meeting WADA's demands? A tragic accident maybe at the lab, like a fire or a flooding or a power failure, or maybe it's all on a laptop that gets stolen in Greece.

Recently acknowledged issues with the testing methodologies, inability to replicate the exact conditions in effect during testing, and Froome's failing kidneys mean the Ruskies must be reinstated, but otherwise WADA will bring the hammer down on PED users in sports worldwide, with conviction. :lol:

Some poor schlub (non-elite level) will be targeted now to be made an example of -- see, world, we (WADA) are on vigil and kicking a$$!

 

[brownbobby]

Re:

https://www.wada-ama.org/en/who-we-are/governance/compliance-review-committee

Jonathan TAYLOR QC (Chair)
United Kingdom

Henry GOURDJI (Vice Chair)
Canada

Tom DIELEN
Belgium

Barbara LEISHMAN
Switzerland/UK

Beckie SCOTT
Canada

Bente SKOVGAARD KRISTENSEN
Denmark

(EDIT - see Beckie Scott has resigned https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/trackandfield/beckie-scott-wada-russian-doping-agency-1.4825469

The move comes after that six-person committee recommended on Friday that the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) be reinstated.

)


The Seychelles huh? Chosen for it's high profile sporting prowess?

The Swedish anti-Doping Agency has put it's name on the USADA proposal to keep RUSADA suspended
https://www.usada.org/anti-doping-leaders-urge-wada-to-postpone-russian-reinstatement/

We cannot understand or accept that the simple fact that the two remaining conditions – regarding Russian acceptance of the McLaren Report and access for WADA to the Moscow laboratory – remain unfulfilled, and yet WADA’s leading compliance body is recommending the reinstatement of a country that perpetrated the worst doping system ever seen in international sport.
...This statement was made by anti-doping leaders from around the world, including: Australia, Austria, Canada, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

in Swedish at
https://www.dn.se/sport/sverige-emot-att-erkanna-rysslands-antidopningsbyra/

Ha ha...Seychelles. Obviously chosen for its central location, cheap accomodation, good transport links and easy accessibility :lol:

I wonder who picks up the tab....

 

[Robert5091]

So did WADA look at the FIFA bribery scandal and say, "we can do that too!"

 

[Robert5091]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...-reinstatement-triumph-money-over-clean-sport

David Howman, who ran Wada from 2003 to 2016 and is now the head of the Athletics Integrity Unit, strongly criticised the president, Sir Craig Reedie, for caving in to pressure from the International Olympic Committee and sports federations eager to stage events in Russia again.

“I am a little disappointed, to say the least,” Howman said. “This looks like they have taken the decision to deviate from a carefully put-together roadmap for entirely pragmatic reasons. Wada has gone from being an organisation that cared about clean athletes to one that cares about international federations that have not been able to stage events in Russia: it’s money over principle. That is a quite a difference, quite a swing, from what Wada once was.”
...
Instead of Russia having to acknowledge its doping was state-sponsored and grant unconditional access to the Moscow laboratory’s data and stored samples before reinstatement (in line with the mutually-agreed “roadmap to compliance” Howman referred to), it now only has to admit that “certain individuals” were to blame, and the lab access comes with conditions and a new timetable. Like many in the anti-doping community, Howman is at a loss to understand why Wada has agreed to this.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ - that's why!

 

[Bolder]

^^not just money, but IMO members of WADA, IOC et al are scared of Russian hacking (as perhaps they should be!). Perhaps some not so subtle digital threats were delivered.

We've seen what Russian cyberwarriors can do if they put their mind to it, just ask the US Democratic party...there was no way they'd bring the hammer down on Russian athletics federation.

 

[Robert5091]

Re:

^^not just money, but IMO members of WADA, IOC et al are scared of Russian hacking (as perhaps they should be!). Perhaps some not so subtle digital threats were delivered.

We've seen what Russian cyberwarriors can do if they put their mind to it, just ask the US Democratic party...there was no way they'd bring the hammer down on Russian athletics federation.

Sponsorship makes up 45% of IOC funding so ... no scandals please!

 

[yaco]

I wonder why people give some much creedence to the utterings of Travis Tygart,USADA and any American Sporting Organisation - They have a track record of hiding positive tests and giving soft penalties - And the athletes who cry crocodile tears is amazing - It's like they are purer than white snow.

 

[veganrob]

Re:

I wonder why people give some much creedence to the utterings of Travis Tygart,USADA and any American Sporting Organisation - They have a track record of hiding positive tests and giving soft penalties - And the athletes who cry crocodile tears is amazing - It's like they are purer than white snow.

Good point. Travis Tygart is a fraud. Look at the recent Jon Jones decision.

 

[movingtarget]

Russia don't dope in the same way they don't carry out assassinations in foreign countries and never make death threats to whistle blowers who take off like their house was on fire. Tygart has done more good than bad and not many so called anti dopers can say that much. Russia's problem has been making the cheating so blatant. If they were smarter they would have sailed through the system like the Jamaican track and field team. If you are going to have a nationalized doping system you have to cover all the bases re payoffs and corruption.but of course there will always be some whistle blowers running for their lives.............

 

[Robert5091]

Sounds like some "mansplaining" went on at WADA's meeting - Beckie Scott's reason for resigning -

https://www.bbc.com/sport/45840481

Wada's all-important 12-person executive committee then held a meeting in the Seychelles to formally approve Russia's reinstatement.

It was there, Scott claims, as she made a presentation, that she faced "upsetting" comments by some of the members representing the Olympic movement "definitely designed to denigrate, to belittle... and to bully".

"I felt an intense amount of pressure going into that meeting. There was laughter when I read out the list of athlete committees who were confronting the decision [over Russia]," she said.

"At the time it was upsetting, and on reflection it's a tactic, a manoeuvre and born out of a long-standing belief that athletes don't have to be part of this conversation."

Scott says she was "disappointed" neither Wada's president Sir Craig Reedie or director-general Olivier Niggli stepped in at the time.

"There was no confrontation or challenging of that behaviour at the time it took place," she said.

"I think it's indicative of the leadership of Wada's alignment with the Olympic movement."

...
Reedie said some athletes did not fully understand Wada's intentions, a suggestion Scott described as "quite offensive".
...
Analysis

Beckie Scott is the nearest thing the Olympic and Paralympic athlete community has to a figurehead.

A highly respected former IOC member, and the most senior athlete representative inside Wada, her explosive claims will be highly damaging for Wada's beleaguered leadership as it faces an unprecedented backlash from western athletes over its decision to reinstate Russia.

With some critics suggesting Wada lacks the independence from the Olympic movement to be fit for purpose, this will only add to the pressure that the regulator is now under. Especially a week after the US indicted seven Russian spies for hacking in connection with the alleged hacking of Wada officials.

 

[Robert5091]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/45909055

Two-time Olympic gold medallist Ed Moses says he was told to "shut up" at a World Anti-Doping Agency meeting.

Beckie Scott, Wada's Athlete Committee chair, told the BBC some officials tried to "bully" her over her opposition to Russian reinstatement.

Moses, who is chair of the US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada), backed calls for an investigation into Scott's claims.

Wada denied Moses or anyone else at the foundation board meeting in May was told to shut up.

"Unfortunately, Scott is not alone in being attacked for wanting to clean things up," said Moses.

In an article for the Brisbane Times (see https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sp...lead-against-ioc-bullies-20181018-p50ai6.html ), the 63-year-old said he was "told bluntly by various individuals not to speak" at the meeting, adding that he was "told to shut up."

 

[Robert5091]

https://apnews.com/d4ab41777da34b1e9d1ae33d16b3a7f5

WADA says Russia critics harming doping fight

Unnerved by public disputes and bullying claims, the World Anti-Doping Agency is urging critics of the decision to reinstate Russia to cease their distracting attacks.

WADA director general Olivier Niggli told The Associated Press it’s more beneficial to work with the country, as the three-year suspension of its anti-doping agency comes to an end, rather than forcing the government to confess to orchestrating the abuse of drugs and cover-ups.
...
WADA has asked for what it described as an independent expert to review recordings and transcripts of the debate ahead of the next meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Nov. 14.
...
Throughout the telephone interview with the AP, Niggli referenced “political” attacks on WADA without specifying who was coordinating them.
...
WADA is willing to let Russia operate its own anti-doping program again despite mounting evidence about how Moscow retaliated against the initial punishment. The U.S. Department of Justice outlined last month how serving officers of the GRU military intelligence body hit the sports world with a wave of cybercrimes to access athlete data at anti-doping agencies that was published online by the “Fancy Bear” group.

“I would hope Russia would stop cybercrimes and other countries in every field of society and life,” Niggli said. “There is a huge political context which goes way beyond our mandate. I hope Russia will be a very good, responsible partner.”

"Political" attacks? Ugh?

Reedie made the same argument to the MPCC - see
https://twitter.com/danroan/status/1055930640787480576

 

[Robert5091]

More fallout from the Russia decision -
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/oct/31/wada-russian-anti-doping-summit-emergency

The World Anti-Doping Agency was accused on Wednesday night of failing clean athletes, being soft on Russian doping and “bullying and disheartening” those arguing for reform in an extraordinary emergency summit at the White House.

The event, which was attended by athletes, sports ministers and multiple national anti-doping organisations, also condemned Wada for its decision to lift the suspension on the Russian Anti-Doping Agency in September. And, in a significant development, the US – a country that provides $4.5m towards Wada’s annual budget of $34m – said “nothing was off the table” if the organisation did not reform.

One of the most powerful speeches of the day came from the British gold medal-winning cyclist Callum Skinner, who said Wada and the International Olympic Committee, which provides half of Wada’s funding, had let athletes down by refusing to heed calls for reform and greater input into decision-making.

“Who and what does Wada and the IOC truly represent? The number one answer should be the athletes,” Skinner said. “But what have we got? Two bodies that suppress the athlete voice, treating it with disdain and dismissing it as misinformed when they should be applauding athlete debate and engagement.
...
The summit on Wednesday reflected the increasing bitter split between Wada and the IOC on one side, and athletes, governments and national anti-doping agencies on the other. The acrimony is expected to intensify in the coming months, with Wada’s Foundation Board meeting in Baku on 15 November expected to be particularly lively.

also at https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/o...esign-WADA-president-White-House-meeting.html

 

[Alpe73]

Each day, with the rolling world and the setting sun, professional sport is a minute part of our social world ecosystem. Don't look for any permanent fix or enduring harmony on these and the many other doping issues. You're setting yourself up for disappointment and frustration. Understand human nature, the imperfections it creates in professional sport. Of course, do your best to keep cheating at bay … but enjoy the entertainment. Don't confuse your moral code with entertainment. Legacies attract a lot of dust in the long haul.