Russia Seeks Relief From Doping Sanctions, But WADA Says It's Not Ready

Craig Reedie, president of the World Anti-Doping Agency

Russia said its anti-doping agency should be reinstated in November, but the World Anti-Doping Agency said it still has "significant work" to do before that happens.

Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov said on March 13 that Russia will "work diligently" toward a clean culture and listed what he said was progress on restructuring its anti-doping system after years of cheating scandals.

"We are open for all kinds of inspections of individual athletes and organizations," he said at a meeting in Lausanne. "We are ready to pass any kind of external inspection."

In Moscow, Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko told TASS on March 13 that Russia is "implementing everything required by the road map" laid out by WADA for Russia's reform.

WADA's investigations have found rampant state-sponsored doping in Russia, and it has prescribed steps to get back in compliance with anti-doping rules.

WADA President Craig Reedie told the Lausanne meeting that while Russia has taken steps forward in the past year since its track-and-field team was banned from global competition in 2015, they have not gone far enough.

"There remains significant work to do. [RUSADA] must demonstrate its processes are autonomous and independent from outside interference," Reedie said.

Based on reporting by Reuters and TASS