Russia's anti-doping agency to be reinstated, confirms WADA

RUSADA was suspended in 2015 following allegations of widespread state-sponsored doping.

Image Courtesy: Reuters

After much speculations over reinstating Russia's Anti-doping agency RUSADA, the World's Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on Thursday confirmed that it will go ahead with it's decision. 

"Today, the great majority of the WADA Executive Committee (ExCo) decided to reinstate RUSADA as compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code, subject to strict conditions," said WADA President Craig Reedie, who had faced widespread criticism at the widely-expected decision.

"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."

Most members of the WADA voted to reinstate Russia's anti-doping agency RUSADA.

RUSADA was in 2015 suspended following allegations of widespread state-sponsored doping. This can also be perceived as a conditional reinstatement as WADA decision is subjected to certain conditions. 

The director general of RUSADA Yuri Ganus welcomed the decision but said there was still much work to do to satisfy WADA. 

Ganus said that it was a positive sign for other suspended Russian sports bodies which includes athletics federation and Paralympic committee, which want to be reinstated. 

According to news agency Reuters, Ganus said, "There's a lot of work ahead, there are conditions ... in order to definitively be reinstated we need to meet these conditions. So it's a conditional reinstatement."  

(With Reuters Inputs)