The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Executive Committee has voiced serious concerns about the Friendship Games hosted in Russia and the overall preparedness of the event with regard to athlete safety and integrity. The committee emphasized that the health and well-being of competitors must be safeguarded, and warned that any competition not operating under rigorous anti-doping oversight could put athletes at risk and undermine essential standards in sport.
The agency underscored that without the protections guaranteed by a robust anti-doping program, participant health could be jeopardized. WADA urged all signatories to exercise caution and to avoid lending legitimacy to the event, noting that the anti-doping framework cannot be guaranteed under current conditions. The statement placed clear emphasis on sustaining high-level health protections and maintaining trust in global sport governance.
WADA also highlighted that confidence in the anti-doping system within Russia remains diminished. This perception feeds into broader concerns about the effectiveness and enforcement of anti-doping measures during international competitions hosted in the country, and it raises questions about the reliability of testing, reporting, and compliance with established rules.
The Friendship Games are scheduled to take place in Moscow and Yekaterinburg from September 15 to 29. The location and timing have drawn scrutiny from the international sports community, given ongoing debates about sanctions, eligibility decisions, and the enforcement of anti-doping standards across borders.
Earlier in the year, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) advised international sports federations that Russian and Belarusian athletes should not participate in certain events. The IOC stated that this stance was designed to align with broader geopolitical considerations and the goal of preserving fair competition on the world stage. The guidance reflected a longer-standing effort to balance competitive opportunities with concerns about eligibility and the integrity of international sport.
To qualify for participation in the Games, Russian athletes were required to accept updated participation terms that included a pledge to honor the Olympic Charter and its core tenets, including the notion of the Olympic movement’s peaceful mission. The IOC described these conditions as essential for maintaining a shared commitment to sportsmanship, safety, and the overarching values that underpin Olympic competition. This approach signals the ongoing emphasis on charter compliance as a prerequisite for involvement in major events.
In another development, former athlete Roman Kostomarov raised questions about the decision-making process that determines whether Russian competitors will be invited to the Olympic Games, highlighting the complexity of governance in international sport and the number of stakeholders whose agreements shape participation. The dialogue surrounding this issue reflects the ongoing negotiation between athlete rights, national representation, and the standards enforced by international bodies.” (Citation: WADA press materials and IOC communications across 2022-2024)