Russian inspectors likely to carry out doping tests of US athletes

The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) is currently in talks with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) on Russian experts' participation in the collection of doping samples from American athletes.

"We are now reaching an agreement with the American anti-doping agency on doping testing of US athletes. The USADA trust us," RUSADA head Yury Ganus said in an interview with Tass news agency on Wednesday.

"We (RUSADA) have been carrying out doping tests of Canadian ice hockey players and the international anti-doping society completely trusts us now," he added.

Ganus also said that over 90 percent of the personnel and one hundred percent of inspectors from the RUSADA were replaced in the course of a year and a half and the staff of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency currently works at the most important tournaments.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Independent Commission carried out an investigation in 2015 in regard to the activities of the RUSADA, the All-Russia Athletics Federation (ARAF), the Moscow anti-doping laboratory and the Russian Sports Ministry, and announced the results of its probe on November 9 that year.

The commission accused certain athletes and sports officials of doping abuse and involvement in other activities related to violations of international regulations on performance enhancing substances. The work of the Moscow anti-doping laboratory and RUSADA was eventually suspended.

Since January 2016, the doping control in Russian sports has been exercised by RUSADA strictly under the supervision of the British anti-doping agency (UKAD).

In June 2017, the WADA granted the Russian Anti-Doping Agency the right to planning and collection of doping samples under the supervision of Britain's UKAD.

--IANS

ajb/bg