Chairman of the State Duma Committee Mikhail Degtiarev
Degtiarev
Mikhail Vladimiroviсh
commented on the reinstatement of the rights of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA): ”The WADA decision is long-awaited for our country. It reflects the recognition of the enormous work that Russia has done to fight against doping, including the ideological component of fostering zero tolerance to doping, and improving anti-doping legislation, including toughening penalties for the use of prohibited substances, and active preventive work with the younger generation of athletes.
Over the past few years, all Russian athletes participating in international competitions have been under total multi-level doping-control organized by WADA. Numerous checks have shown no use of prohibited substances by our athletes in the overwhelming majority of cases. All this, as well as a well-defined position of the country's leadership, led to a compromise solution that allowed RUSADA to be reinstated.
The reinstatement of the Russian agency should become a signal to the entire world sports community that it's time to stop exerting political pressure on the sport. Thirteen Western countries led by the UK and the US openly called WADA not to reinstate RUSADA. Such methods of manipulation destroy world sports.
In the future, in order to strengthen Russia's position, we shall reinstate our representation in WADA that we had before“.
