Out of resignation over the judgment of the World Anti-Doping Agency against Russia, the former Paralympics participant Victoria Aggar has resigned from the Wada athletes' committee. "I do not feel that the Wada still exists," Aggar wrote in a detailed statement.
So today I resigned from the WADA athlete committee. My statement attached explains why. pic.twitter.com/KJL51j6eyY
- Victoria Aggar (@Victoria Aggar) December 12, 2019The events of the past two years have fundamentally shattered their belief in an organization "in which I felt it initially served a great purpose to protect the integrity of sport." She can no longer be part of an organization that sets politics above principles, Aggar continues.
"Too many political games (or machinations), too many conflicts and too much self-interest have led to too many bad decisions, compromises and broken promises". It was the "biggest blow" for the athletes that Wada ignored the demands of their own athletes committee, Aggar wrote. The former rower, who won a bronze medal in Beijing in 2008, was among nine out of 17 members of the athletes committee who voted for a complete ban on Russia.
On Monday, the Wada had imposed a four-year ban on Russia due to rigged doping data. Russian athletes are allowed to compete in major sporting events under certain conditions as "neutral athletes". More on this:
- The chronology of the Russian doping scandal
- First reactions: "The Wada says something and does something else"
- Comment: Not being there is everything
- Video analysis: "Labeling fraud in large parts"
