Earlier this week in Moscow, a group of compliance experts from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) completed a full audit of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA). The audit was completed in accordance to prior conditions that were established so that RUSADA would restore its compliance status to the World Anti-Doping Code (Code).
This audit, which lasted two days, was required as stated in both RUSADA‘s Roadmap to Compliance and WADA‘s Executive Committee decision made back on September 20, 2018.
This is not the first time RUSADA has been audited. A similar investigation was done over a year ago in September 2017.WADA Director General Olivier Niggli believes RUSADA took an important step this week, according to a press release.
“This audit is another important milestone along the way towards RUSADA being a fully trusted anti-doping partner,” Niggli said. “A huge amount of good work has been going on behind the scenes to ensure RUSADA has the level of expertise, good practice and independence required.”
After the results from the audit are reviewed, a detailed report will be completed with recommendations for the future actions of RUSADA.
“Establishing a strong RUSADA is very important for clean sport,” Niggli said. “The audit team will identify any necessary corrective actions that, once implemented by RUSADA, will lead to an improved anti-doping program.”
Earlier this year, WADA modified the terms of reinstatement for the Russian agency, dropping requirements for Russia to publicly accept the findings of the McLaren report, allowing them instead to accept the lest damning findings of the IOC disciplinary commission report; and accessing just the underlying data of the Moscow testing laboratory rather than accessing the actual laboratory itself. That data access will happen on Monday, December 17th, WADA announced today, when a 5-person committee will travel to Moscow.
