Disinfo: WADA's decision is unfounded and illegal

Summary

The decision of WADA is illegal and unreasonable. Therefore, it should be objectively examined by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). On a formal far-fetched pretext, the status of RUSADA was temporarily suspended.

Disproof

One of the methods of Kremlin disinformation is to deny the authority of international organisations and independent agencies and question their missions. See examples: "The exclusion of Russian athletes in the Olympics is a form of war" and "There is no evidence that Russian athletes have been using doping". The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was established in 1999 as an international independent agency composed and funded equally by the sport movement and governments around the world. Its key purpose is to carry out the World Anti-Doping Code (Code) – the document harmonising anti-doping policies in all sports and in all countries. WADA reports cases of non-compliance to its stakeholders who have jurisdiction to impose sanctions, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The Olympic charter was amended in 2003 to state that the adoption of the Code by the Olympic movement is mandatory. Only sports that adopt and implement the Code can be included and remain in the programme of the Olympic Games. If a country does not ratify the International Convention against Doping in Sport, it may be subject to sanctions from the IOC and from other sports organisations, including losing the right to host the Olympic Games. The Russian Olympic Committee, the Russian Anti-Doping Agency 'RUSADA' and the Paralympic Committee have accepted the WADA Code. On November 25th 2019, WADA said its independent Compliance Review Committee (CRC) was recommending that RUSADA be declared non-compliant with the Code. Russia’s handling of WADA’s requests during the investigation of doping violations is “an extremely serious case of non-compliance” with several “aggravating features,” WADA stated. Commenting on the latest WADA CRC recommendations, head of RUSADA Ganus said “you can use political slogans as much as you like,” but the “reality of the situation” is that Russia’s sports authorities “did not do what could have been done” to explain the alterations to the database. There are no legal grounds to dispute the non-compliance (decision)."

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 178
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 09/12/2019
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Russia
  • Keywords: Olympics, WADA, Sanctions
see more

Disinfo: There is no evidence of Russian involvement in the war in Donbas

Ukraine is talking about some war. Ukraine is talking about something that in Europe, at least in Germany, cannot be understood. Everyone knows perfectly well the data of the BND (the German Foreign Intelligence Service) confirming that no one has ever seen Russian troops in Ukraine.

Disproof

One of the most common disinformation narratives about the "conflict" in Donbas, claiming that Russia has nothing to do with the war in Ukraine. See a similar case denying Russia’s involvement in the conflict in Eastern Ukraine. There is irrefutable evidence of direct Russian military involvement in Eastern Ukraine. The EU has condemned the clear violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity by acts of aggression by the Russian armed forces since February 2014. In addition, Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted in 2015 Russia's military presence in Ukraine. More on Russian military presence in Eastern Ukraine by StopFake and Bellingcat.

Disinfo: Territories of Donbas controlled by Ukraine are under Ukrainian occupation

[Ukraine] has captured parts of DNR and LNR. (…) Let’s not pretend! Ukraine has seized these territories; Ukraine controls them by using force.

Disproof

Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that Ukraine started a war in Donbas and occupied the territories of the so-called “DNR” and “LNR”. The territories of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts (regions) are internationally recognised parts of Ukraine. The EU has on numerous times mentioned that Ukraine’s borders must be respected. On 27 March 2014, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 68/262 confirming Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Moreover, Russia had also pledged to respect the borders of Crimea in the Budapest Memorandum of 1994 and in the Ukraine-Russia Friendship Treaty of 1997.

Disinfo: 72.5% of Ukrainians support a compromise between Ukraine and Russia at all costs in order to achieve peace in Donbas

There is a fresh poll of Ukrainians, which shows the following. To the question: “Do you think it is necessary to compromise with Russia and the leaders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics, to achieve peace?” 72.5% of Ukrainians answer yes.

Disproof

Manipulation of the poll results. It is designed to create the narrative that most Ukrainians support achieving peace in Donbas at any cost. A nationwide public opinion survey was conducted by the Democratic Initiatives Foundation by Ilko Kucheriv in collaboration with the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology from 4-19 November 2019. According to it, only 14% of Ukrainians believe that for the sake of peace it is worth agreeing on any compromises. Another 58.5% believe that for the sake of peace it is worth agreeing on compromises, but not all. This position - "compromise, but not all" - is prevalent in all regions of Ukraine.