National Anti-Doping Organizations demand clear criteria and transparency in the selection process of «Olympic athletes from Russia»
Photo: Jean-Christoph Bott (EPA-EFE)
Under what conditions may Russian athletes participate in the upcoming Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang? Still unanswered by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the heads of 19 national anti-doping organizations (NADOs) went to a meeting in Bonn on January 17, 2018.
Since the decision of 5 December 2017 to exclude the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) from the 2018 Olympics, the IOC has failed to make the selection process transparent for non-admitted Russian athletes.
The demands of the NADO’s are clear: “We want clear, objective criteria and a transparent selection process of Russian athletes,” said Kamber, Director of Antidoping Switzerland. „I am worried whether the question of whether and how far the back door for Russian athletes is left open. Decisive for the decision is the concrete implementation.“ The whole process should – in the interest of the clean athletes and quick decisions – be transparent. This would help restore confidence in the integrity of the sport.
NADO’s eligibility criteria for Russian athletes include at least 12 months in an accredited doping control program, a minimum of out-of-competition doping tests, the use of a biological passport, and no references to the McLaren -Report. The whole statement of the NADO’s as well as the complete criteria are visible here – «NADO leaders request clear criteria and a transparent process for selection of Olympic Athletes from Russia».
AUTHOR: Matthias KAMBER Tel +41 31 550 21 20 info@antidoping.ch
SOURCE: antidoping.ch
PUBLISHED: January 18, 2018