Dear Sir Reedie, WADA President,
On behalf of Athletics Canada’s Athletes’ Council and fellow Canadian track and field athletes, following the voice of athletes, coaches and clean sport advocates around the world, we strongly urge WADA and its executive committee to stand firm on the roadmap for the reinstatement of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA).
The roadmap for RUSADA to be allowed back is clear, and it is crucial that it is followed and completed before any kind of reinstatement. The failure to do so dooms the credibility of the Olympic and Paralympic movement, and deeply hurts the integrity of all athletes, coaches, federations and anti-doping groups that play by the rules.
We think that the two conditions left for RUSADA to meet with the original roadmap are fair and achievable but more importantly are necessary given the critical issues reported by the McLaren Investigation.
Clean athletes around the world rely on WADA for protection and promoting ethical sport. In the wake of the biggest doping scandal of our era, it would be a disaster for the anti-doping movement to have the global regulator walk back on the original roadmap and reinstate RUSADA prematurely.
WADA’s top priority should be to stand and protect clean athletes, and we sincerely hope our voice has been heard.
Please, on September 20th, do not U-turn.
On behalf of the Athletics Canada Athletes’ Council,
Jillian Drouin – Athlete Council Chair
Jenn Brown – Athlete Council Chair
Charles Philibert-Thiboutot – Athlete Council Chair
Athletics Canada’s Athlete Directors and Athletes’ Council’ Co-Chairs
Angela Whyte – Athlete committee member
Micha Powell – Athlete committee member
Christabel Nettey – Athlete committee member
Alister McQueen – Athlete committee member
Segun Makinde – Athlete committee member
Lanni Marchant – Athlete committee member
Dustin Walsh – Athlete committee member
Inaki Gomez – Athlete committee member