WADA Chief Criticises Speed of Russian Reforms

The director general of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has criticised the speed with which Russia has addressed its doping regulations.

Olivier Niggli said of the planned reform process, “It’s not happening at the speed I would have liked to see, but it is happening”.

The WADA-commissioned McLaren Report, published in 2016, implicated over a thousand Russian athletes in an alleged state-sponsored doping program.

Several sports federations have handed Russia a ban from international competition until the country can prove their commitment to tackling the doping issue.

It remains a possibility that Russian athletes will be cleared to participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, but this year’s World Championships will likely be too early.