WADA President Craig Reedie said that "he will re-examine the independent report into alleged systemic doping in Russian athletics to determine whether further investigations are necessary," according to OMNISPORT. WADA's athletes' committee believes "more action is necessary," with a letter to Reedie last week calling for the organization to "extend the mandate of the independent commission to sports in Russia other than athletics, as well as other countries named in the report." Addressing this topic at WADA's annual symposium in Lausanne on Monday, Reedie said, "If concrete evidence comes to light as part of the independent testing program under way in Russia and in our discussions with RUSADA [the Russian Anti-Doping Agency] -- that, let us not forget, covers all Russian sports -- and the evidence warrants further investigation, we will not hesitate to act." Reedie said that he was "dismayed" by suggestions he had not "shown enough gratitude to Yuliya and Vitaly Stepanov," the whistleblowers whose allegations prompted the independent commission's report. Reedie: "While I have publicly thanked the Stepanovs for what they exposed, it's true that I did not personally reach out to them. I did, however, ensure that key members of WADA's management team were in contact with the Stepanovs before, during and after the independent commission's investigation" (OMNISPORT, 3/14). REUTERS' Brian Homewood reported Reedie said that athletes and millions of sports fans worldwide have "demanded answers following the spate of doping and governance scandals which have hit sport recently." Reedie: "The public's confidence in sport was shattered in 2015 like never before, the public mood has soured and there is a general feeling that they're all at it. Sport has had its wake up call. Sport must ensure better governance if public and athletes are to uphold confidence in system" (REUTERS, 3/14).
RUSSIAN REQUEST: INSIDE THE GAMES' Michael Pavit reported Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko revealed a request has been made to WADA to find out whether the organization "carried out scientific research prior to adding meldonium to the list of banned substances." Mutko "previously denied that the drug had been given to national teams and called for it to be removed from the list of prohibited substances," but has now confirmed the Ministry of Sport is asking WADA to "provide scientific research on the issue." Mutko: "Now we have sent a request to WADA asking it to give us information if they carried out research on meldonium washout period and if they could provide it to us. At the same time, I would like to tell all our athletes, specialists and doctors: this drug needs to stop being taken" (INSIDE THE GAMES, 3/14).
