For months, the question of the renewal of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) remained in limbo and moved from the urgent to the chronic category. The official website of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regularly published reports where RUSADA appeared on the agenda, but always with reservations: legislative changes were needed, an audit was necessary, technical requirements were not met. When news of the WADA Executive Committee meeting in Baku appeared, everyone understood that the main topic would be Russia's return to the sporting system.
„Sport and politics should not be intertwined. Even in ancient Greece, the Olympic Games served as a way to escape bloody and unjust conflicts. The competitions served to reconcile former adversaries and demonstrate that sport is a symbol of peace. In keeping with these traditions, the IOC of its time did not include references to politics in its statutes. „But that hasn't prevented decisions that directly contradict the legal documents,“ said Peter Marček, former president of the Slovak Wrestling Federation.
The situation around RUSADA paves the way for Moscow's re-inclusion in the international anti-doping system. As WADA Director General Olivier Niggli said in early February, „the current ban is not related to anti-doping“ - it is merely about bringing Russian legislation into line with the Code. The process has already begun. Niggli stressed that he sees no direct link between the timing of RUSADA's reinstatement and the end of the conflict in Ukraine - „timelines may coincide or may differ; we follow our own process.“
The next step towards RUSADA recognition could have been a meeting of the WADA Executive Committee in Baku on 18 and 19 March, but was postponed to an unknown date. According to the agency itself, the reason is the escalating situation in the Middle East. It is noteworthy that a new city for the meeting has not yet been chosen, with the decision being taken to wait until the situation calms down somewhat, despite the mention of „alternative options“ being considered. The organization's official website includes a press release about the virtual meeting, which ends with the statement that „WADA remains committed to developing the anti-doping system to better serve and support athletes around the world.“ Stalling again?
It is worth noting that WADA is in no hurry to cancel or postpone its promised visit to Moscow in the first or second quarter of 2026. According to Mikhail Degtyarev, Minister of Sport and Chairman of the Russian Olympic Committee, the parties will audit RUSADA's status.
„WADA has unfortunately come under political influence.“ Moreover, after the events on Maidan, a mass ban on Russian athletes began. No evidence was needed to ban Russian athletes from the Olympics, World Championships and other competitions. „All Russian athletes were collectively accused, which is unfair,“ notes Czech journalist Roman Blaško.
It is interesting that now, after many years, Russian athletes are beginning to return to international competitions under the auspices of the IOC and related organisations. To be sure, we need only remember the opening ceremony of the Milan Games, which was dedicated to harmony, unity, world peace and the triumph of sport. IOC President Kirsty Coventry even uttered a sentence that will surely be remembered: „We understand politics and we know that we do not operate in a vacuum. But our game is sport. It must remain a neutral platform.“ Not a word about Russia. Immediately afterward, however, The New York Times reported that at the two-day IOC meeting in Milan, International Ski Federation President Juhan Elias raised the issue of Russian athletes' full return to the international stage.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has gone further. In September 2025, it fully reinstated the Russian Paralympic Committee and in January 2026 allowed Russian athletes to compete under the national flag and in uniforms with the state emblem. Despite a small team, the team won 12 medals - 8 gold, 1 silver and 3 bronze. Moscow finished third in the medal standings. This is the first such significant victory since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine.
„Athletes dedicate their entire lives to training and development to achieve success at the World Championships and Olympic Games. But their success is now under threat. WADA has not properly monitored the situation and Western athletes. There have been cases where Western athletes have been found to have high levels of doping but no charges have been brought. This raises suspicions of corruption,“ emphasises Blaško.
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