MOSCOW — Russia says World Anti-Doping Agency experts have started copying data from a Moscow laboratory which could implicate numerous Russian athletes in past drug cases.
Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov says in televised comments that “work has started with the equipment, setting the equipment up and copying the database.”
He adds “work is proceeding with full coordination” between Russian authorities and WADA.
WADA demanded in September that Russia turn over the data by Dec. 31 in return for lifting a nearly three-year suspension of Russia’s national anti-doping agency. Many Western athletes and organizations criticized WADA for letting Russia provide data after the deadline.
An earlier WADA delegation left Moscow empty-handed in December after Russian officials alleged its equipment wasn’t certified under Russian law.
