The World Anti-Doping Agency dealt a blow to Russia's hopes of competing at next year's Winter Olympics by refusing to reinstate the country's suspended anti-doping operation, and Russia responded by insisting, as it has all along, that the government had nothing to do with doping. Craig Reedie, the chairman of WADA and a member of the International Olympic Committee, acknowledged that improvements have been made but full compliance had not been achieved. IOC has ultimate sayThe IOC has final say on Russia's participation at the upcoming Winter Olympics, and Reedie refused to be drawn in on what impact Thursday's decision might have. Alexander Zhukov, the president of the Russian Olympic Committee and also a member of the International Olympic Committee, told WADA members that "We absolutely deny the existence of a state-sponsored doping system." Thursday's WADA ruling could mean Russia misses a second Paralympics after being excluded from Rio de Janeiro last year.

Source: CBC News November 16, 2017 04:37 UTC