WADA urges Russia to admit to state-sponsored doping

PanARMENIAN.Net - World Anti-Doping Agency officials have urged Russia to admit to state-sponsored doping in a bid to regain the rest of the sporting world's trust, according to BBC News.

Former Russian sports minister Vitaly Smirnov, head of Russia's anti-doping commission, said it has never conducted a state-sponsored doping programme.

Wada pushed for a complete ban on Russian athletes from the Rio Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee decided instead to leave the decision to individual sports federations.

It came after an independent report found evidence of widespread state-sponsored doping in Russia in the lead up to the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014.

At a foundation board meeting in Glasgow, Wada announced that the second part of the independent report, compiled by Professor Richard McLaren, is to be released on 9 December.

Sir Craig Reedie, who has been re-elected as Wada president for a second three-year term, said he was confident Wada was "making progress" with Russia.

Wada also announced proposals to seek greater powers to impose sanctions, as well as a new whistleblower programme aimed at protecting and encouraging athletes or officials who seek to highlight doping.

The body said at its board meeting in Glasgow that people are still at risk from cyber-hackers who are trying to access athletes' medical records.

A hacking group known as Fancy Bears has been releasing records of therapeutic use exemptions, which allow athletes to use otherwise-banned drugs because of a verified medical need.