Scandal! Representatives were warned about anti-doping tests, they are threatened with a ban on participating in the Olympics

International Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Illustrative photo.

Christinne pussy, Reuters

WADA launched an investigation called “Operation Hercules” in 2019. It found that the National Anti-Doping Organization (NADC) had informed athletes of impending doping tests as early as 2012.

“Operation Hercules has convincing and validated evidence that NADC was involved in the practice of telephoning athletes or contacting them through coaches when they were invited to come to the NADC for testing the next day,” said Gunter Younger, director of the WADA investigation team. “Evidence suggests that NADC often practiced this before important international events, and it happened that the entire national team came to NADC for testing at once,” he added.

Investigators also have evidence that the National Anti-Doping Organization has marked at least six specimens taken during competitions as out-of-competition this year. This was to help meet the minimum number of out-of-competition tests required for athletes to start at the Tokyo Olympics. All of these tests were negative after analysis, WADA said.

The report of the investigation will now be taken over by a special commission, which will make a recommendation to the WADA Executive Committee as to whether the NADC may be considered unsatisfactory in this regard. Should the World Agency decide that the NADC has violated the WADA Code, Ukraine could be banned from participating in the Beijing Winter Olympics.