Doping-Russia agency needs "significant" work to get suspension lifted -WADA

Russia's anti-doping agency (RUSADA) still has significant work to do to get its suspension lifted, the World Anti-Doping Agency said on Monday.

WADA President Craig Reedie said the RUSADA, suspended following the major doping scandal affecting the country, had taken steps forward in the past year.

Russian track and field athletes were banned from the Rio Olympics while a WADA-commissioned report found state-backed doping affecting more than 1,000 athletes in the country.

Reedie said RUSADA had made steps forward towards re-compliance but more needed to be done.

"There remains significant work to do (for RUSADA). It must demonstrate its processes are autonomous and independent from outside interference," Reedie told an international meeting.

In November 2015, a WADA commission said Russia had systematically broken anti-doping rules.

WADA subsequently revoked the status of the Moscow Anti-Doping Laboratory and stated that RUSADA did not comply with WADA standards.

Russia's athletics ban has also continued into 2017 and may include the August world championships after a Task Force monitoring the nation's anti-doping programme refused last month to put any dates on a "road map" for a return.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)