Support The Moscow Times!

Russia's Suspended Athletics Federation Takes Heart From WADA's Doping Decision

Valery Sharifulin / TASS

The World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) reinstatement of Russia's anti-doping agency RUSADA on Thursday has given the country's suspended athletics federation hope it too may be reinstated, its president said in comments carried on its website.

Earlier on Thursday, WADA voted, subject to certain conditions, to lift the ban on RUSADA, which was suspended in 2015 following allegations of widespread state-sponsored doping.

“I won’t hide it, the mood is good,” Dmitry Shlyakhtin, the federation's president, said. “The reinstatement of RUSADA, of course, increases optimism (regarding the athletic federation’s reinstatement).”

Russia’s athletics federation was suspended in 2015 over a WADA-commissioned report that alleged the existence of state-sponsored doping in the sport. Some Russian track and field athletes have since been cleared to compete internationally as neutrals despite the ban.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the sport's global governing body, will convene in December to discuss progress made by Russia’s athletics federation.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more