MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd January, 2020) The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)'s decision to provisionally suspend the approved status of Moscow's National Anti-Doping Laboratory has not come as a surprise, the head of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), Yuri Ganus, told Sputnik on Wednesday, adding that RUSADA will now have to submit the blood samples to foreign laboratories.
According to WADA, the provisional suspension, implemented under the December's decision to recognize RUSADA as non-compliant with the anti-doping code over alleged laboratory data manipulations, will be in place pending independent disciplinary proceedings. The suspension means the laboratory cannot carry out blood samples analysis.
"This was foreseeable, we were preparing for this. The Moscow anti-doping laboratory was handed over to the Moscow State University, but everything in fact remains in the old building. Unfortunately, in the very beginning, we first faced problems with the physical samples and then with the electronic database. And this measure by [WADA] is foreseeable. They have already refused to accept samples today. We are well prepared in terms of logistics, and we are already carrying the samples to foreign laboratories. This will be more expensive," Ganus said in a phone conversation with Sputnik.
