Paris 2024: Wada still 'deeply sceptical' about Russia's anti-doping practices
Last updated on .From the section Sport
The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) remains "deeply sceptical" about Russia's anti-doping practices, says its president Witold Banka.
In 2019, Wada handed Russia a four-year suspension from all major sporting events in relation to a state-sponsored doping scandal.
That was later reduced to two years, but Russia remains banned because of the country's invasion of Ukraine.
A number of Russians are set to compete as neutral athletes at Paris 2024.
"What I can tell you is that they all remain subject to testing," said Banka.
Russia has always denied running an institutionalised doping programme but acknowledged some shortcomings in its implementation of anti-doping rules.
Speaking at Wada's annual symposium in Lausanne, Banka said Russia's anti-doping agency - Rusada - was conducting the necessary amount of testing and all samples were being transferred to Wada-accredited laboratories.
"Despite this and given the history, Wada remains deeply sceptical and worried when it comes to Russia," he said.
"We must remain vigilant and leave no stone unturned to ensure that all the proper education and testing has taken place in advance of Paris."
Following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, athletes from Russia and Belarus are barred from competing under their respective flags at this summer's Olympics in Paris.
The conditions of their inclusion at the Games include competing without the flags, emblems or anthems of their country.
In January of this year, Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva was given a four-year ban for doping. She returned a positive sample at the age of 15, with the test taken shortly before her dazzling performances caught global attention at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.