RPC Press Release on the RPC’s progress of meeting the paragraphs of the Road map for implementation of RPC Reinstatement criteria

01 September 2017

On August 25, 2017, the RPC Coordination Committee forwarded to the IPC Taskforce and the IPC the RPC Progress Report on reinstatement of the RPC membership in IPC for August 2017. The RPC Coordination Committee provided the entire RPC Progress report on implementation of RPC Reinstatement criteria since the RPC’s suspension up to the present moment at the meeting between the RPC Coordination Committee and IPC Taskforce that was held in Bonn in August 29, 2017.

In terms of implementing one of the most significant paragraphs of RPC Reinstatement Criteria, that is to develop strong anti-doping culture, to promote an open environment that encourages whistleblowing and to increase the level of athletes’ and athlete support personnel’s awareness in the field of anti-doping activities, the RPC has developed and agreed with the IPC Taskforce the following materials and documents:

1. RPC Anti-Doping Educational Program

2. RPC “Hotline”

3. RPC Regulations on Ethics, conflict of interests and fight against corruption.

4. Mechanisms to ensure the proper enforcement of any consequences imposed in respect of anti-doping rule violations.

5. Procedure of systematic publication of all decisions imposing sanctions on persons under its jurisdiction in respect of anti-doping rule violation.

6. Mechanism of athletes’ notifications on inclusion to registered testing pool (RTP) and the necessity to enter whereabouts information into ADAMS

7. Athlete and athlete support personnel anti-doping declarations

8. Statement of non-infringement of anti-doping rules

9. Educational courses for the coaches and specialists of National Sport Teams of Russia via the e-learning educational platform of RUSADA called “Triagonal”.

Upon the IPC Taskforce’s recommendation on August 19, 2017 the RPC gave a start to the RPC Educational Anti-Doping Program and officially launch the RPC “hotline”. Simultaneously, the above documents were presented to the Russian and international sports community (the link to the event of August 19, 2017, and of August 23, 2017).

By implementing the other essential section of RPC Reinstatement Criteria devoted to anti-doping testing of Russian athletes, the RPC composed, and provided to the IPC Taskforce and the IPC, WADA, UKAD and RUSADA the List of Russian athletes (hereinafter as – the List), who the RPC would wish to put forward for participation in IPC-sanctioned competitions, were the RPC to be reinstated. The list will be updated each quarter of a year. Currently, the List consists of 934 Russian athletes, listed in accordance with the agreement with the IPC Working Group and the IPC, on a priority basis in accordance with our understanding of the priority of their inclusion in the testing pool. The RPC assists in the implementation of the testing plan, including support for the provision of visas to international inspectors with the agreement of the Russian Foreign Ministry, as well as admission to "closed" cities according to the mechanism developed and implemented by the Ministry of Sport of Russia.

In the framework of implementing the “RPC governance and structure” Section of RPC Reinstatement criteria, the significant step was made towards signing the RPC-IPC Agreement on interaction in the field of personal data management, which allows to provide the IPC Taskforce with the personal data of the RPC Governing Board members and other persons coming under the RPC’ jurisdiction, requested by the IPC Taskforce.

The RPC in conjunction with the ROC continues its work to assist the RUSADA in reinstating its WADA’s Code-compliance. The detailed information on the progress of the RUSADA’s implementation of the Road map was published by the WADA on August 3, 2017 (link to the document).

In August 28, 2017, the RUSADA Supervisory Council meeting took place, where the second stage of the elections to the candidacy of the agency Director General were held. On August 31, 2017, at the general meeting of the RUSADA’s Foundation Board the candidature to the position of the RUSADA’s Director General was approved – Uriy Ganus.

On August 29, 2017 at the meeting in Bonn (Germany) between RPC Coordination Committee and the IPC Taskforce there have been discussed all the paragraphs of the Road Map for implementation of RPC Reinstatement Criteria (link to the event as of August 29, 2017).

August 28, 2017 the meeting of the RUSADA Supervisory Board took place, at which the second stage of the election of the General Director of the Agency was held. On August 31, 2017, at the General meeting of RUSADA founders, the candidature of RUSADA's General Director Yuri Ganus was approved.

The IPC Taskforce confirmed the information on implementation of the majority of the Road map’s paragraphs, including those ones, implementation of which is with an ongoing process in force and will continue to be in force for its implementation after the RPC’s suspension would be lifted.

At the meeting, the paragraphs of the Road map were identified, which implementation depends upon the information provided by the IPC Taskforce:

· Confirmation, that the RPC is in compliance with all requirements of the World Anti-Doping Program (including, in particular, the World Anti-Doping Code) and the IPC Anti-Doping Code.

· Confirmation, that the participation in IPC-sanctioned competitions (e.g., Paralympic Games, World Championships and other IPC-approved events) of Para athletes and athlete support personnel under the RPC’s jurisdiction will not jeopardize the integrity of those competitions.

· Confirmation of RPC’s compliance with its own Constitution

· Analysis of the RPC Governing Board members’ and other persons’ under the RPC’s jurisdiction personal data, to determine the notion of “governmental official”

· Approval of the RPC Anti-Doping rules

· Confirmation of the effective mechanisms are set in place to ensure the proper enforcement of any consequences imposed in respect of anti-doping rule violations.

The paragraphs of the Road map were identified, which have to be implemented by the RPC:

· RUSADA’s reinstatement status to be declared as WADA’s Code-compliant.

· IPC’s approval of the paragraphs implementation included into the “Budget” Section of RPC Reinstatement criteria.

· To address to the McLaren report’s findings in coordination with other soirts instittions.

· Independent Public Anti-Doping Commission’s response to the IPC Taskforce letter.

The IPC Taskforce’s Report on the RPC Progress made towards implementation of RPC Reinstatement criteria in IPC’s memberships will be reviewed and discussed during the forthcoming meeting of the IPC Governing Board, which is going to be held in September 3-4, 2017 in Abu-Dhabi (United Arabic Emirates).

The IPC, as it was declared by the IPC Media and Communication Director – Graig Spence, will provide with the updated information on the RPC’s memberships reinstatement on September 6, 2017.

At the same time, the RPC together with the All-Russian Federations for disability, in accordance with the agreement of 17 International Sports Federations developing 19 Paralympic sports of 28, continues training Russian athletes for major international competitions, including world and European championships in various sports.

Athletes of the Russian national teams in Paralympic sports since early 2017 took part in five world championships (wheelchair tennis, cycling, wheelchair curling, table tennis, canoe) and 5 European Championships (triathlon , wheelchair tennis, judo, canoe, football 5x5).

Until the end of this year, national teams for Paralympic sports will take part in 7 world championships (rowing, badminton, cycling, archery, triathlon, taekwondo, wheelchair fencing) and 7 European championships (bocca, sitting volleyball, goalbol, equestrian, table tennis, wheelchair rugby, taekwondo).

Active training of Russian athletes for the XII Paralympic Winter Games of 2018 in Pyeongchang (Republic of Korea) and the XVI Paralympic Summer Games in 2020 in Tokyo (Japan) is continuing in accordance with the approved plans and schedules.