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SPORTS Friday 19 May 2017

WADA looks for power to sanction cheating countries, sports

EDDIE PELLS disregard WADA’s recom- WADA, whose report on
AP National Writer mendation that the entire doping corruption inside
MONTREAL (AP) — After Russian Olympic team be the Russian track team led
Olympic officials ignored banned from Rio. that sport’s international
their advice to suspend If the changes are ap- federation to suspend the
Russia from the Rio de Ja- proved, the IOC, along team from Rio.
neiro Games, World Anti- with national Olympic The IOC decision in Rio
Doping Agency leaders committees and anti-dop- thrust the fate of Russian
are looking to fast-track ing agencies, would have athletes into the hands
new rules that could pre- to adhere to a new system of leaders of the individu-
vent a similar scenario for of sanctions, subject to ap- al sports federations, which
future games. peals. allowed 271 of them to
WADA’s foundation board The guidelines call for ath- participate.
approved a plan Thursday letes from a non-compliant With the Winter Games
that could give the agency country to be ineligible nine months away, the
new powers to suspend a if that country’s Olympic IOC is in the middle of two
country’s Olympic federa- committee or anti-doping investigations based on in-
tion for egregious anti-dop- agency make a deliber- formation from a report by
ing violations. ate attempt to circumvent Richard McLaren.
If enacted at the next anti-doping rules. McLaren’ report, deliv-
board meeting, the rules This is the sort of change ered in December, found
would go on the books dur- that would normally wait evidence of wide-scale
ing the Olympics next Feb- until the next rewriting of doping corruption in Rus-
ruary, though they would the WADA code, which In this March 13, 2017, file photo, Craig Reedie, president of the sia, including switching of
come into play too late for would go into effect in world anti-doping agency (WADA), delivers his speech during drug-tainted urine samples
the Pyeongchang Games. 2021. Instead, the board the opening day of the 2017 WADA annual symposium in Laus- with clean ones at the So-
Still, for WADA, it’s an unusu- heeded compliance re- anne, Switzerland. chi Games.
ally urgent move, one that view committee chairman Associated Press It appears any decision
was sparked by the Rus- Jonathan Taylor’s call for From there, WADA regula- “It can get done. It’s not about Russia’s eligibil-
sian doping scandal and a quick review and a vote tions call for a three-month rocket science,” said Dick ity for Pyeongchang will
the International Olympic on the new rules at the No- wait until the rules go on Pound, the Canadian be made under current
Committee’s decision to vember board meeting. the books. member of the IOC and rules.q