Russia doping ban: Panel advises Wada to bring end to Rusada ban - BBC Sport
The World Anti-Doping Agency's compliance review committee (CRC) recommends the reinstatement of Russia's anti-doping agency Rusada.
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The World Anti-Doping Agency's compliance review committee (CRC) has recommended the reinstatement of Russia's anti-doping agency Rusada.

It had been suspended since 2015 over alleged state-backed doping.

Wada said the committee had reviewed a letter from the Russian sports ministry it said had "sufficiently acknowledged the issues identified in Russia".

Travis Tygart, from the US Anti-Doping Agency said: "Frankly, it stinks to high heaven."

Earlier this week a group of UK athletes demanded the ban remains until Rusada overhauls its systems.

Wada said that the CRC "accepted that the new commitment to provide access to the data and samples in the Moscow laboratory to Wada via an independent expert would be sufficient to justify reinstatement".

Wada will vote on whether to reinstate Rusada on 20 September.

Tygart, the chief executive of the Usada, said Wada should release any information received from Russia showing they are compliant.

"To date, no Wada officials have been given access to the Moscow Laboratory to access athletes' samples, and there has been no public acceptance of the McLaren Report," he said.

"It is no wonder clean athletes are shocked and outraged at Wada's sudden about-turn curiously just days before its crunch meeting, and one day after clean athletes came out in force across the world to implore WADA to respect their rights."

On Thursday it was reported that Wada were expected to recommended that Rusada remain suspended.

Russia's readmission would be "a catastrophe for clean sport", the UK Anti-Doping Athlete Commission said.

It warns that "athletes will no longer have faith in the system" if Russia is allowed back.

Rusada has been suspended since 2015 after it was accused of covering up drug abuse - including while the country hosted the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics - in a report by lawyer Richard McLaren.

The UK Anti-Doping Athlete Commission says Russia is yet to comply with all the conditions of Wada's roadmap to compliance.

"To ignore these conditions, ignores the wishes of the athletes you are there to protect," it added in an open letter to Wada president Sir Craig Reedie.

Russian anti-doping director Yuri Ganus said earlier this month that he was pessimistic about his country's chances of being reinstated.