Reinstatement Of RUSADA Indicates WADA's Governance Flaws - INADO

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) The Institute of National Anti-Doping Organizations (iNADO) said on Friday in a statement that the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) decision to reinstate the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) showed WADA's governance flows.

On Thursday, WADA President Craig Reedie said most members of the WADA Executive Committee voted to reinstate the status of RUSADA following its suspension in 2015 over violations of the World Anti-Doping Code. Nine out of 12 WADA Executive Committee members voted for the reinstatement of RUSADA.

"One real tragedy is that this decision undermines the credibility of an organization [WADA] which, in many other ways, has created a much better foundation for the application of clean sport programmes and has numerous excellent, hardworking technical staff who warrant support ... The process and the recommendation itself have been roundly criticized by numerous athlete and anti-doping organizations.

Indeed, the fact that these pivotal groups in anti-doping will have no say in a decision which has enormous repercussions for them demonstrates fundamental flaws in the construct of WADA governance," the statement said.

The iNADO pointed out that the decision to reinstate RUSADA was not a sign of good governance in WADA.

"WADA must be an effective and resolute global anti-doping regulator and governor - exclusively," the statement added.

In 2015, WADA declared RUSADA non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code. In 2016, the head of WADA's independent commission Richard McLaren published a report that claimed Russia had a state-supported doping system.

Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, have refuted allegations of the existence of a state-run doping program but admitted there were issues with doping abuse.