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≡ THE BIG PICTURE ≡
World Anti-Doping Agency President Witold Banka (POL) told reporters in London (GBR) on 30 October that he was “very keen” to work with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency to try and stop the May 2026 Enhanced Games, whose central theme is to be doping-friendly. Banka explained:
“We really want our colleagues from the U.S. to do more to make sure that this event will not happen.
“There are some legal possibilities they can lobby for. USADA has made general comments, but maybe it’s time to try to convince the people who have financed this that it’s dangerous.
“That’s their role and responsibility because the event is going to take place in Las Vegas.”
Last Thursday, USADA chief Travis Tygart slammed back with comments to Inside The Games:
“For an organization reportedly part of a criminal investigation by US law enforcement, the continued and blatantly false attacks from WADA President Banka are a telling smokescreen.
“His attempts to smear America and our U.S. Olympic and professional athletes is a desperate attempt to divert attention away from his failure in allowing China to sweep 23 positive tests under the carpet [in 2021]. This abject failure potentially robbed the world’s clean athletes of 96 medals, including 18 (14 gold) US swimming medals, from the 2021 and 2024 Olympic Games.
“Those who value clean and fair sport should stand up and demand that WADA be fixed.
“We are working closely with our partners FIFA and the [International Testing Agency] to ensure this summer’s World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games are the cleanest on record, and not a repeat of the 2021 and 2024 Games where certain athletes with positive tests were allowed to compete, win, and in a way, have their own Enhanced Games. The Enhanced Games have nothing to do with our athletes, the World Cup, or the Olympics, and President Banka knows this.”
Tygart, the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy and the U.S. Congress have been at odds with WADA since the 2024 disclosure of the positive tests of 23 Chinese swimmers in January 2021, who were cleared by the Chinese Anti-Doping Agency with WADA filing no appeal. The U.S. has withheld its $3.625 million dues payment for 2024 over the issue.
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On Friday, the Athletics Integrity Unit announced 12 suspensions of retired Russian athletes who were found to have been doping during the state-sponsored project from 2011-15 run out of the then-head laboratory of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency in Moscow. Data from the RUSADA Moscow Laboratory Information System (LIMS) and the reports by Canadian law professor Richard McLaren were used to determine the doping positives:
None in this group were big stars; two were men:
● “The AIU has banned Marat Ablyazov (Russia) for 4 years from 7 November 2025 for Use of a Prohibited Substance/Method (McLaren and LIMS evidence). DQ results since 3 July 2013″ (100 m: best of 10.36 in 2013).
● “The AIU has banned Pavel Ivashko (Russia) for 4 years from 7 November 2025 for Use of a Prohibited Substance/Method (McLaren and LIMS evidence). DQ results since 19 May 2014″ (400 m: 45.25 in 2015; European Junior 400 m winner in 2013).
Ten were women:
● “The AIU has banned Veronika Chervinskaya (Russia) for 2 years from 5 December 2024 for Use of a Prohibited Substance/Method (McLaren and LIMS evidence). DQ results from 25 November 2014 until 8 December 2016″ (100 m hurdles: 13.03 in 2018).
● “The AIU has banned Tatyana (Dektyareva) Dementyeva (Russia) for Use of a Prohibited Substance/Method (McLaren and LIMS evidence). DQ results from 18 July 2014 until 8 December 2014″ (100 m hurdles: 12.68 in 2010; World Championships fifth in 2011).
● “The AIU has banned Valeriya Fyodorova (Russia) for Use of a Prohibited Substance/Method (McLaren and LIMS evidence). DQ results from 17 June 2014 until 6 February 2015″ (Triple Jump: 13.69 m/44-11 in 2014; World Junior Champs fourth in 2014).
● “The AIU has banned Inessa Gusarova (Russia) for 2 years from 14 June 2024 for Use of a Prohibited Substance/Method (McLaren and LIMS evidence). DQ results from 16 June 2014 until 16 June 2016″ (800 m: 2:01.00 in 2020).
● “The AIU has banned Svetlana Karamasheva (Russia) for 1 year and 6 months from 17 June 2029 for Use of a Prohibited Substance/Method (McLaren and LIMS evidence). DQ results 26 July 2014 until 7 June 2017″ (1,500 m: 3:59.61 in 2012).
● “The AIU has banned Natalya Kholodilina (Russia) for 2 years from 7 November 2025 for Use of a Prohibited Substance/Method (McLaren and LIMS evidence). DQ results from 6 June 2014 until 13 September 2014″ (20 km Walk: 1:29:49 in 2013).
● “The AIU has banned Yelena Kotulskaya (Russia) for 4 years from 7 November 2025 for Use of a Prohibited Substance/Method (McLaren and LIMS evidence). DQ results since 14 June 2013″ (800 m: 1:57.77 in 2012; European Indoor silver medalist in 2013).
● “The AIU has banned Marina Novikova Pandakova (Russia) for 4 years from 7 November 2025 for Use of a Prohibited Substance/Method (McLaren and LIMS evidence). DQ results since 2 July 2013″ (20 km Walk: 1:27:25 in 2020).
● “The AIU has banned Svetlana Rogozina (Russia) for 2 years from 18 July 2024 for Use of a Prohibited Substance/Method (McLaren and LIMS evidence). DQ results from 15 July 2014 until 23 July 2016″ (800 m: 1:59.54 in 2014).
● “The AIU has banned Margarita (Smirnova) Korneychuk (Russia) for 2 years from 3 June 2024 for Use of a Prohibited Substance/Method (McLaren and LIMS evidence). DQ results from 11 June 2014 until 10 June 2016″ (Heptathlon: 5,798 in 2017).
Even worse was that four of the suspensions were for second- and third-time doping offenses:
● Dektyareva: two-year sanction from 18 December 2014 for a 1st violation.
● Fyodorova: already served a four-year sanction for a 1st violation.
● Kamarasheva: already served a 30-month sanction from 7 June 2017 for a 1st violation, and is currently serving an 8-year sanction from 17 June 2021 for a 2nd violation.
● Kholodilina: already served a two-year sanction from 22 September 2014 for a 1st violation.
The AIU noted that this was the “last batch” of cases from the Moscow lab data for athletics; cases in other sports are ongoing.
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