Russia says anti-doping watchdog to be reformed, not scrapped (Reuters)
(Adds RUSADA statement) MOSCOW, Nov 19 (Reuters) – Russia will reform its scandal-hit anti-doping watchdog, RUSADA, but will not abolish it altogether, Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said on Thursday. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) suspended RUSADA on Wednesday as part of a crackdown on drug cheating in Russia which has already seen the country banned from international athletics. Mutko’s comments suggested Russia was prepared to bring in reforms, though partly on its own terms, in order to avoid the threat of being barred from next year’s Rio Olympics.