THE World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have confirmed that the organisation's independent Compliance Review Committee have met to discuss 'inconsistencies' with data supplied by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA).
The Agency commissioned a report on the data from the Intelligence and Investigations department, as well as independent forensic experts, and will bring a formal recommendation to the agency's executive committee on 9 December.
A statement on WADA's website read: "The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirms that WADA’s independent Compliance Review Committee (CRC) met yesterday, 17 November, to consider a report from the Agency’s Intelligence and Investigations Department (I&I) and independent forensic experts and, accordingly, to discuss the ongoing compliance procedure brought against the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA).
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"In line with the process, the CRC will now bring a formal recommendation to the WADA Executive Committee (ExCo), under the chairmanship of WADA President Sir Craig Reedie whose term of office runs until 31 December 2019. The ExCo is scheduled to meet on 9 December to discuss the recommendation.
"The WADA I&I report was based on its assessment of a number of inconsistencies found in some of the data that was retrieved by WADA from the Moscow Laboratory in January 2019. This assessment included consideration of responses from the Russian authorities to a list of detailed and technical questions, including follow-up questions, raised by WADA I&I and the independent forensic experts.
"These questions gave RUSADA and the Russian Ministry of Sport an opportunity to explain the inconsistencies, as part of WADA’s decision on 17 September 2019 to open a formal compliance procedure against RUSADA.
"WADA continues to pursue this matter robustly and as quickly as practicable, while ensuring that due process is respected, as outlined in the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories."
If Russian athletes are found to have been doping by the executive committee, then the country could find itself excluded from international sporting events including next summer's Olympics in Tokyo and Euro 2020.
St Petersburg is one of the 12 host cities for Euro 2020, with the European Championships being held across the continent to mark the 60th anniversary of the tournament.
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Russia have already qualified for the Euros after finishing second in Group I, ahead of Scotland in third. It is currently unknown what the procedure to replace Russia would be in the event that they are expelled from the tournament.
UEFA's list of disciplinary procedures says that they will recognise the authority of another sporting body in relation to doping, stating: "In so far as they are compatible with Uefa's rules, measures taken by a government body or another sporting body in relation to doping are recognised by Uefa."
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