The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has expressed confidence that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will make a decision to resolve the dispute between WADA and the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) before the Tokyo Olympic Games next year.
Last year, WADA Executive Committee had endorsed the recommendation by the independent Compliance Review Committee that RUSADA be declared non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code for four years. After that, RUSADA had filed an appeal in the CAS against WADA decision.
"Now that the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games have been postponed, WADA is confident that a decision will be available well in advance of the Games in 2021," WADA said in a statement after its second Executive Committee meeting of the year on Friday.
"As outlined in March to the anti-doping community, under CAS rules, WADA cannot comment on this pending case or any other pending cases," the statement added.
WADA's Intelligence and Investigations (I&I) Director, Gunter Younger, gave an update that the I&I had completed its investigation of 298 Russian athletes that it targeted as part of 'Operation LIMS' and has provided detailed case packages to a total of 28 anti-doping organisations.
The 2020 edition of the Tokyo Olympic Games was pushed back to 2021 in wake of COVID-19 crisis that has hit the entire world. Tokyo Olympics was supposed to be held in July-August this year but had to to postponed due to coronavirus pandemic. The new dates for the Olympic Games have been set as July 23 till August 8 next year.
( With inputs from IANS )