“Overall, we intend to substantially correct the organizational actions of our anti-doping structure – RUSADA [Russian Anti-Doping Agency] to ensure fill independence of national anti-doping structures,” Putin said at a session of the council on sports.
The Russian president said that certain steps in this direction had already been made, for instance, an independent anti-doping commission was created, chaired by Intentional Olympic Committee (IOC) member Vitaly Smirnov.
In early September, Smirnov said that RUSADA would replace the board of founders and, perhaps, its board of directors, adding that the new Russian anti-doping agency would receive independent funding without intermediaries.
On Friday, the Russian Sports Ministry announced that it would withdraw its representation from the RUSADA starting on Saturday to ensure transparency of the anti-doping watchdog.
In July, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) presented a report accusing Russia of running a state-wide doping program and urging the IOC to consider a blanket ban on the entire Russian team. The IOC instead opted to let individual sports federations decide on the matter.
In turn, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) banned all Russian Paralympic athletes from the 2016 Summer Paralympics and 2018 Winter Games.
