WADA threatens to blacklist foreign athletes for taking part in World Friendship Games

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MOSCOW: The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) may apply sanctions against foreign athletes who will participate in the 2024 World Friendship Games, WADA President Witold Banka said.

"The so-called World Friendship Games in Russia have been announced for next year. We would like to sound a note of warning due to them, we have serious doubts from the viewpoint of anti-doping prospects. This possible event will be organized in a country that lacks compliance, and we have no information about the anti-doping program during those competitions," he said.

"The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) still lacks the compliance status, so from our viewpoint those competitions put the athletes’ health and the competitions' sustainability in jeopardy. The possible participation in those competitions of those who are parties to the WADA Code, may have certain consequences," Banka added.

WADA has had no contacts with the organizing committee of the 2024 World Friendship Games, Director General Olivier Niggli noted. "We have no information, we have had no contacts with Russia. We do not understand how the competitions will be organized," he said.

Earlier, the International Olympic Committee sent a letter to national Olympic committees, in which it recommended that they elect not to participate in the 2024 World Friendship Games.

The 2024 World Friendship Games will be held in Moscow and Yekaterinburg on September 15-29, 2024.

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