Swiss experts dismiss allegations of wrongdoing

The Swiss Laboratory for Doping Analyses has repeatedly been commissioned by WADA to carry out drug probes Keystone

The head of Switzerland’s anti-doping laboratory has rejected accusations that his institute failed to meet the required standards in a probe into Russian athletes.

Martial Saugy said the report by the independent commission of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) gave the wrong impression that the Lausanne-based laboratory in 2012 acted contrary to specific instructions and destroyed samples.

“We did nothing illegal and always respected the procedures,” Saugy is quoted as saying in several Swiss newspapers on Wednesday.

He said of the 67 samples of urine of Russian athletes, at least 12 did not contain enough liquid to re-analyse them for possible traces of doping.

The remaining 55 samples were tested but the result was virtually identical with the findings of the Russian anti-doping body.

The Swiss laboratory is one of the accredited institutes involved in doping control for sports.

Ban

The commission on Monday said it was “not satisfied with the explanations given for the destruction of the samples” sent from Moscow.

It added that there was not sufficient evidence that the Swiss experts were involved in a conspiracy with the Russian laboratory.

The international panel recommended that the Russian Athletics Federation be banned from the sport after widespread doping offences and bribe taking. It would prevent Russian athletes from taking part in Olympic Games and international championships.

The director of the Russian laboratory on Tuesday announced his resignation.