Thu, May 16, 2019
WADA cleared of bullying allegations
The World Anti-Doping Agency have been cleared of bullying and harassment allegations made by Olympian Beckie Scott in October 2018.
Scott claimed the organisations most senior officials had made ‘inappropriate remarks and gestures’ towards her during the WADA Executive Committee meeting held in September after reinstating the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA). She consequently resigned from the WADA Committee in protest of the Russia reinstatement.
The Olympian accused officials of ‘bullying’ her after her ethical and uncompromising stance against Russian state-sponsored doping. She said ‘There was laughter when I read out the list of athlete committees who were confronting the decision [over Russia]’ and that the treatment she faced was “indictive of a general attitude of dismissal and belittling of the athlete voice.’
The allegations put the World Anti-Doping organisation in a fragile state and an independent review was carried out. The investigation looked into numerous documents and interviewed several witnesses, including those who attended the meeting. The final report was realeased along with an audio of the meeting and concluded that although some behaviours were deemed aggressive or disrespectful, no-one in the meeting rose to the level of bullying or harassing Ms Scott.
Beckie Scott and Ed Moses pulled out of the review in April and said they were ‘extremely disappointed’ by the ruling but would 'continue to work on behalf of the athletes and their right to clean, fair and doping-free sport.’ WADA have confirmed they are satisfied the investigation was carried out in best practice.
To view the full report, visit here.
