Russia hosted the World Championships for the first time this year from July 24 to August 9, during which 645 samples were collected for analysis by the FINA Doping Control Review Board, led by Professor Andrew Pipe, as part of the in-competition testing programme.

These comprised of 457 urine and 188 blood tests, while there were a further 418 blood screenings as part of the Athlete Biological Passport programme.

The tests were analysed in the then WADA-accredited laboratory in Moscow, under the supervision of independent observers from the accredited laboratories in Barcelona and London.

WADA, however, suspended the accreditation of the Moscow Antidoping Centre yesterday following a recommendation from its Independent Commission, chaired by Richard Pound, whose report published on Monday (November 9) had been heavily critical of the laboratory's performance.

It also led to the resignation of laboratory director Grigory Rodchenkov, who had been accused of covering up positive doping tests, extorting money from athletes and destroying 1,417 samples before inspectors visited.

In light of this, FINA says every sample collected during this year’s World Aquatics Championships will be transferred to Barcelona.

"Of course this is a difficult time for sport, and as sports people we at FINA are shocked and saddened by WADA’s Independent Commission report," said FINA President Julio Maglione.

"FINA upholds a strong and unequivocal stance on the practice of doping as we aim to eradicate doping from Aquatics.

"FINA is committed to do everything necessary to become the world’s cleanest sport."

In a statement released by FINA today, the international governing body also noted that the majority of out-of-competition doping control tests conducted during the 2014 season had been analysed by the laboratory in Moscow, judged fully compliant with the WADA Code at the time.

Following the announcement, however, of the official investigation, FINA made the decision to move the overwhelming majority of the analysis of Russian athletes' samples out of Russia.

"FINA expresses its deep concern after the publication of WADA’s Independent Commission report and its impact in worldwide sport in general," read the statement.

"As a pillar of the Olympic Movement, FINA, as world governing body for aquatics, undertakes a strong and robust policy in order to optimise the efficacy of our anti-doping strategies; to preserve the validity and integrity of FINA competitions; and to protect the clean athletes in the five continents."

This year, over 80 per cent of the samples collected in Russia were said to have been analysed in the WADA-accredited laboratories in Barcelona and the German city Cologne, while the samples of Russian athletes living or training outside Europe were analysed in the WADA-accredited laboratories in Montreal and Salt Lake City.


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