Doping-WADA alarmed over Russia's relaunched 'Friendship Games'

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has "significant reservations" about Russia's relaunched "Friendship Games", Director General Olivier Niggli said on Friday, citing a lack of information on doping controls.

Russia announced in May that it was bringing back the multi-sport event, which is set to take place in September, 40 years after its first edition.

"WADA has significant reservations about this from an anti-doping perspective," Niggli said in his report to the WADA Foundation Board in Montreal on Friday.

"We have no information about what kind of anti-doping program, if any, will be in place during that event or which body will be implementing such a program given (the Russian Anti-Doping Agency) is still non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code."

Russia's already embattled anti-doping system took a major hit at the 2022 Beijing Games with the doping case of figure skater Kamila Valieva.

Last month, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said the Russian Olympic Committee was banned with immediate effect for recognising regional organisations from territories annexed in Ukraine.

"Under the (World Anti-Doping Code) an international event such as this should not be awarded to a country whose National Anti-Doping Organisation is non-compliant," said Niggli.

"How can athletes have any confidence that they would be competing in a safe and fair environment?"