The umbrella organization representing national anti-doping agencies (iNADO) has complained about "troubling omissions" in the IOC's latest proposal to catch and sanction cheating athletes, according to Brian Homewood of REUTERS. INADO said that the declaration produced by the IOC after a meeting of world sports leaders on Saturday had "failed to directly mention the issue of state-sponsored doping in Russia or condemn cyber attacks by the so-called Fancy Bears group." The IOC "promised more power and funding" to the World Anti-Doping Agency, following the meeting held behind closed doors in Lausanne, Switzerland. INADO, which represents the national anti-doping agencies of 59 countries, said that the IOC's five-page declaration included some "constructive principles" but these had been overshadowed by the failings. INADO CEO Joseph de Pencier said, "The IOC's track record since the release of the McLaren Report has only confounded the global anti-doping system. With this latest declaration, the IOC only comes part way to restoring its credibility for the clean athletes of the world." In a statement, iNADO said, "There is nothing explicit about state-sponsored doping in Russia, or about the moral responsibility of the IOC to push Russian sport and sport leaders to necessary cultural change in that country for genuinely protecting clean sport." However, it "welcomed proposals to make anti-doping more independent, improve support for whistleblowers and standardize testing." INADO: "The IOC has taken some steps in the right direction -- but other steps are needed urgently" (REUTERS, 10/9).
