DISINFO: WADA decision against Russia is an unfounded punishment
SUMMARY
[The recommendations of] the International Anti-Doping Agency “Wada” [are] a cruel and unfounded punishment for old problems that Russia was already punished for. The agency denied a whole generation [from participating] as a result of old mistakes by some individuals.
RESPONSE
Conspiracy theory, consistent with recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the World Anti-Doping Agency and the denial of state-sponsored doping scheme of Russian athletes.
The unanimous decision by WADA's Executive Committee was made after Russia's Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) was declared uncompliant with the World Anti-Doping Code (Code) – the document harmonising anti-doping policies in all sports and in all countries.
Read more about the decision here.
On 25th of November, one of WADA's key committees recommended that Russia face a four-year ban from global sports and new restrictions on its athletes and teams at next year’s Tokyo Olympics, subject to a board review in December. WADA reinstated Russia’s anti-doping agency in 2018 but reserved the right to issue stronger punishments if Russia did not provide athletes’ testing data from the Moscow laboratory. Earlier, the International Olympic Committee banned Russia from the Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang in 2018 due to the systemic manipulation of anti-doping rules during the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. Individual athletes from Russia competed under the Olympic flag. "Three years ago, Russia was caught running one of the most sophisticated doping programmes in sports history," writes the New York Times. However, Russian athletes not convicted of doping will be allowed to compete under the Olympic flag.