Regulations on Russia’s Independent Anti-Doping Commission Creation in Process

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Creation of regulations on Russian independent public anti-doping Commission is in the process and everything is going in the working mode, President of the Russian Tennis Federation (RTF) Shamil Tarpishchev, who is a member of the Commission, told Sputnik.

Earlier in the day, Russia’s independent public anti-doping Commission held a closed meeting to discuss the process of implementing the priority plan to prevent doping in sport.

"Very respected people are in the Commission, the working situation is normal, the tasks are clear, creation of regulations on the Commission is in the process, all in working mode," Tarpishchev said.

According to the official, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) recognize the Commission’s legitimacy and pledge their active support to it.

"The Commissions meeting was very constructive, proper and many good thoughts were expressed. There is a common understanding what to do, this is the most important," Tarpishchev added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed in July to establish an independent public anti-doping commission headed by IOC honorary member Vitaly Smirnov. Commission’s members are Olympic and Paralympic Champions, representatives of sports and public organizations, cultural figures and media executives.

The doping scandal, simmering since 2014, escalated in July when WADA presented a report accusing Russia of running a state-wide doping program and urging the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to consider a blanket ban on the entire Russian team. The IOC instead opted to let individual sports federations to make the decision.

In turn, the International Paralympic Committee banned all Russian Paralympic athletes from the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.