Friday, 21 September 2018:
Athletes have every reason to feel the global anti-doping system has failed them, the Australian Sports Anti-doping Authority (ASADA) says.
ASADA chief executive David Sharpe says the lifting of a ban on Russia's anti-doping agency RUSADA could adversely impact athlete confidence in the system.
"Athletes have every right to feel the system has failed them," Sharpe said in a statement on Friday.
RUSADA was suspended in November 2015 after an independent report, commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and performed by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren, outlined evidence of state-backed, systematic doping and cover-ups in Russian sport.
WADA overnight lifted the ban, subject to various conditions.
WADA had repeatedly said since RUSADA would not be reinstated until it satisfied key criteria on a 'road map' to return, including recognising the findings of the McLaren report and allowing access to stored urine samples at RUSADA's Moscow laboratory.
But a WADA executive committee approved a lesser version of the first point - an acceptance of the IOC's Schmid Report, which endorsed the core findings of the McLaren Report - and set another "clear timeline" for the implementation of the second.
ASADA's Sharpe said he was supportive of Russia returning, but only when they met the strict conditions originally put forward.
"ASADA was a signatory to the statement issued prior to the (WADA) meeting last night which called on WADA to postpone voting on RUSADA's return until they had fully complied with the 'road map'," Sharpe said.
"More than ever athletes need to be reassured that the focus of anti-doping agencies such as ASADA remained, ensuring there is a level playing field."
WADA's decision came despite fierce opposition from athletes and other anti-doping bodies.
US Anti-Doping Agency head Travis Tygart said it was the "biggest decision in WADA's history".
"And it delivered a devastating blow to the world's clean athletes," Tygart said in a statement.
"By ripping up the very 'road map' it created, WADA's decision to reinstate Russia despite the nation not having met the two remaining 'road map' conditions is bewildering and inexplicable."
WADA vice-president Linda Helleland was the most senior member of the agency's leadership to express opposition to reinstatement.
"WADA's number one job is to be true to our values of fair sport," Helleland said in a statement.
"And today we made the wrong decision in protecting the integrity of sport and to maintain public trust in the anti-doping work. Today we failed the clean athletes of the world."
Although the International Olympic Committee reinstated Russia in February, the International Association of Athletics Federations' suspension remains in place.
Some Russian athletes have competed as neutrals in international competition after proving their anti-doping credentials.
