(Reuters) – Athlete groups renewed calls for further reforms of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) as the embattled body began executive committee and Foundation Board meetings on Wednesday.
Governance reforms is at the top of the agenda, that includes an update on Russia’s appeal against a four-year ban before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, that the executive committee will tackle followed by the Foundation Board.
Russia was sanctioned last year after the WADA concluded that Moscow had planted fake evidence and deleted files linked to positive doping tests in laboratory data that could have helped identify drug cheats.
Also to be discussed is the impact of COVID-19 on anti-doping efforts and testing and WADA’s 2021 budget.
The U.S. sparked controversy earlier this year when it threatened to pull funding unless it received greater representation on WADA’s boards and committees.
Athlete groups and some National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADOs) are demanding WADA speed up reforms calling for more independence, transparency and accountability.
In a joint statement 14 athlete groups and 14 NADOs, including the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) called for “substantive change” at WADA.
“We all will benefit from a stronger and more effective WADA that builds trust with athletes and effectively carries out its mission,” said the statement.
“WADA’s standing can only be improved through meaningful reforms that embrace both independent athlete representatives and NADOs as essential components of global anti-doping governance.”
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto. Editing by Christian Radnedge)
