WADA defends reinstatement of Russia's Anti-Doping Agency
Sir Craig Reedie promises testing for the 2020 Olympics will be rigorous
Last Updated: 25/09/18 7:25pm
The World Anti-Doping Agency has defended its decision to reinstate Russia's Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA).
RUSADA had been suspended since November 2015 for alleged state-sponsored doping, but the move to reinstate them last week has been criticised by athletes and also UK Anti Doping who said it was "deeply troubling for clean sport".
WADA President Sir Craig Reedie told Sky Sports News: "I have a written letter from Russia's Minister of Sport accepting the conditions that we imposed for the reinstatement of RUSADA.
"One of them was to accept effectively the Schmidt report, which they did, and the important part there was an admission that there was involvement of officials from the Ministry of Sport.
"Secondly, they have guaranteed us access to the laboratory and the time limit we set was December 31.
"I take the view that it is unlikely that senior ministerial officials in Russia would make those guarantees when they weren't prepared to make them."
He added: "It is better to move forward, above all to get access to the data we need because there are 2,800 samples we need to look at.
"It is really important that we have a functioning anti-doping agency in Moscow.
"I can't understand why people would prefer to do nothing and carry on with the situation that existed before when quite clearly there was no move at all from Russia to make any change on the two conditions that had been imposed."
The International Association of Athletics Federations President, Seb Coe, says they will await an independent report before a decision is made on reinstating Russia.
Reedie added the anti-doping testing for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be rigorous.
"Every effort will be made to make sure that every athlete who appears in the Olympic Games in Tokyo is a clean athlete.
"I'm not going to guarantee that we don't have the occasional sinner but I can guarantee you that every possible effort will be made that it doesn't happen before the Games."
