24 September 2018

WADA Athlete Committee statement

As clean athletes we are devastated with WADA’s decision to reinstate RUSADA without the completion of the road map. RUSADA is back, yet there has been no public acceptance of wrongdoing, and the samples still sit locked away in the Moscow lab. We had expected that WADA would stand up for clean athletes and clean sport, instead, we have seen nuance and pragmatism overtake justice and accountability.

The road map that clean athletes and WADA had been relying on ended with WADA coaching Russia on how to ask for concessions, changing the terms, and the world’s athletes being cut out. An impasse should not result in the authority that sets the rules folding to the one that broke them. Having seen the conditions change once, we have little assurance in them not changing again. 

Russia has used its athletes, committed the biggest doping scandal of the century, corrupted the anti-doping and sport movements, and has now been welcomed back on a promise, without even complying with the rules. This is not good enough.

Athletes from around the world have spoken up, and yet again they have been shut out and not listened to. We have no vote at the decision making table that sets the rules for us. Worse, our views are dismissed while we are told that the entire anti-doping system is athlete-centric and there to protect clean athletes. We are the ones who train, compete and dream of winning medals, who demand fairness, and we are the ones that lost out when the rules are broken, and when sanctions are not followed.

Ultimately this decision by WADA shows that the views of clean athletes are not valued. Despite this, we will continue to fight for what we know is right, for clean sport and clean athletes.

With the support of:

• IAAF Athlete Commission
• Badminton World Federation (BWF) Athlete Commission
• EU Athletes
• British Athlete Commission
• Irish National Olympic Committee Athlete Commission
• German National Olympic Committee Athlete Commission
• Netherlands National Olympic Committee Athlete Commission
• Kelly Sotherton – British Track & Field
• Felipe Contemponi – Argentina Rugby
• Ulrich Karmann – Member of Swiss Olympic Committee Athlete Commission
• Rutger Smith – Netherlands Track and Field
• Caitlin McClatchey – British Swimming
• Anna Watkins – British Rowing

• This media statement was originally published by Beckie Scott, Chair of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) Athlete Committee via her Twitter feed on 24 September 2018. Click here for the original. 

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