World Anti-Doping ncy is giving Russia three weeks to explain possible signs of tampering with data from its doping laboratory that was critical to prosecuting cases against athletes alleged to have cheated at 2014 Olympics and or major events. WADA heard about possible tampering at its executive committee meeting Monday in Tokyo. Turning over data was a key requirement for reinstatement of Russia’s anti-doping ncy, and WADA has formally opened a compliance procedure that could lead to a new ban if data was manipulated.

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Russian technical specialists will have access to review

Russia’s sports minister Pavel Kolobkov said his office had been told about discrepancies between data turned over by a whistleblower and data from lab, which was being used to corroborate whistleblower information. He indicated that Russian technical specialists will have access to review. “What, exactly, se inconsistencies are and what y are related to, that will be cleared up by experts in field of digital techlogy from both sides, who are already cooperating,” Kolobkov said. “From our side, we will continue to offer all possible assistance.”

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WADA acting against doping cases

data was handed over to WADA in January after Russia breached an earlier deadline of Dec. 31, 2018. It has been used to support suspensions against 12 Russian weightlifters, including 10 former world or European championship medalists, and cases in winter sport of biathlon. WADA said it would continue to pursue cases while this latest review is ongoing. WADA has been criticized for reinstating RUSADA under terms less stringent than original roadmap. But director-general Olivier Niggli told Associated Press he stood by decision. “I believe it was actually a very important decision and absolutely right decision,” Niggli said. “I’m convinced that we would t have data if we had t taken that decision, so we would t even be talking about it today. re would still be a cloud of suspicion and thing would have gone forward.” Niggli conceded tampering could force WADA to drop some of cases, “but re will be a good number of cases which can still move forward.”

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Russians athletes to compete as neutral participants

WADA would t set a firm timetable on a decision. case is heating up a few days before start of track world championships in Doha, where 30 Russians will compete as neutral athletes while Russia’s track federation remains under suspension by sport’s governing body. Russian track federation said Monday it kws of 14 open investigations against its athletes, including former Olympic gold medalists Anna Chicherova and Elena Lashmava. federation said it found out during failed attempts to secure neutral status, which would have allowed m to compete at world championships. Both Chicherova and Lashmava have already served doping bans for or offences and would likely have been refused status regardless.

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