Frustration is looming over the upcoming Olympics to be held in Rio de Janeiro this year 2016, Russia’s athletes were tested and accused of ‘state sponsored doping’ and therefore disqualified in November 2015 and are yet to be accepted in the games that will be held in Rio this year, the frustrated sports minister Vitaly Mutko justifies by saying that the whatever country does will be the under the guidance of the IAAF anti-doping standards, however, it’s been said that Russia will find out in May 2016 which is when the next IAAF council meeting is held , whether Russia will be allowed to participate in the games.
RUSSIA AND WADA
Russia was only the beginning for restoring the trust to sports, other countries revealed by the IAAF president Lord Coe such as Ethiopia, Morocco, Ukraine and Belarus are also under scrutiny in as regards doping but mostly Morocco and Ethiopia while the others like Belarus and Ukraine have been put on the watch list as well, there hasn’t been any immediate sanctions as this is said to be a alarming call to the participating nations, sanctions will be put in play if the warning is not taken seriously and this is mainly to ensure that there is a fair and open competition.
Following the publication of an independent World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report which exposed the doping in Russia athletes, cover-ups and extortions in its athletes, for Russia to be reconsidered as a participant in the Olympics world games it must meet the WADA and IAAF rules.
SUSPENSION OF RUSADA
These also make sure that the suspended Russia Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) MUST operate without interference from the country’s security services seeing as it was involved in the doping in the first place. The authorities have made a significant progress so far, they have met many of the verification criteria expected of them by WADA and IAAF such as replacing the president and council in charge of sports in Russia.
Clean athletes who have participated in the Olympics have expressed their disappointment for having let the doped athletes participate and further encourage that investigations are furthered and all the other countries suspected, WADA supports clean athletes and hence its efforts to clean up shop and advocate for open and fair competitions starting in 2016. Such complains were put forward in an open letter by the chair of committee that represents athletes in WADA Beckie Scott.
