The World Anti-Doping Agency continued to crack down on Russian drug cheats by suspending the country's anti-doping agency amid calls to extend investigations to other countries and sports.
The decision to suspend the Russian Anti-Doping Agency for non-compliance follows the international anti-doping commission's report that detailed a widespread doping scandal in the country.
A Moscow lab which processed blood and urine samples from Russian athletes on behalf of the Russian athletics federation had already been decertified and handed a six-month provisional suspension.
Photo: 123rf
The former WADA President Dick Pound, who headed the independent commission, said the probe found cover-ups, bribes to conceal positive tests, destruction of samples and evidence of Russian state security services of colluding with the country's athletics federation to enable athletes to freely dope.
Russia were barred last week by athletics world governing body, the IAAF, and can only return to competition once they have proven they have set up a new framework to stop doping.
Israel, Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia and Ukraine were also found non-compliant of the WADA Code and can no longer conduct anti-doping programs.
Brazil, which will host next year's Summer Olympics, France, Belgium, Greece, Mexico and Spain were placed on a compliance "watch list" and have until March to get their house in order bring their anti-doping program in line with the WADA Code.
-Reuters
