LONDON: Sir Craig Reedie has reiterated that he will not resign as president of the World Anti-Doping Agency despite criticism of the body’s softening attitude to Russian participation in international competition.

Reedie, who retires from the post next year anyway, said in London that he intended to see his mandate through.

He admitted having been “bruised” by attacks but insisted the deal struck with Russia would give WADA access to the Moscow laboratory which would serve the overall purpose of preventing more cheating.

He said: “How can people describe it as a backroom deal, if I write publicly to the Russian authorities and I copy that letter to all of my executive committee?”

The pressure was maintained by an anti-doping summit in the United States at the White House in which WADA came under attack from the US Anti-Doping Agency chief, Travis Tygart. He accused Reedie of being too close to the International Olympic Committee, which is seen as sympathetic to Russia and which provides half of WADA’s funding.

Reedie, who has been the meat in the sandwich of attacks from both hawks and doves, responded: “Travis should know more than anybody else that over the last few years I have had as much difficulty with the IOC as with anybody.

“I would like to think that at some future date he might address USADA’s efforts to look at the large area of American sport which is not code-compliant. I think that would be a greater contribution to clean sport than continually complaining about what WADA does.”

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