Serena Williams and Venus Williams’ medical files have been leaked on the internet following a hack at the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The hack of the database was claimed by a Russian hacker group who call themselves “Fancy Bears”.
The files that have been leaked contained data on the Williams sisters taking substances that were on the WADA list of banned substances. The International Tennis Federation however says that both Venus and Serena have permission to use the substances for therapeutic uses.
Revenge or cowardly effort to discredit US Olympians?
So is this a cowardly effort to discredit American athletes? Or have the Russians taken revenge for not being allowed to take part in the Olympics in Rio earlier in 2016? Sports Editor Dan Roan of the BBC thinks so.
This is the latest twist in what was already the biggest doping scandal in the history of sport, and further evidence of the bitter divisions it has sparked.
The hack appears to be an act of revenge – retaliation for Wada’s damning report into Russian state-sponsored cheating.
WADA statement
The WADA in the meantime have released a statement where they call the hack cowardly and despicable.
“WADA deeply regrets this situation and is very conscious of the threat that it represents to athletes whose confidential information has been divulged through this criminal act,” said Olivier Niggli, Director General, WADA. “We are reaching out to stakeholders, such as the IOC, IFs and NADOs, regarding the specific athletes impacted,” he continued.
“WADA condemns these ongoing cyber-attacks that are being carried out in an attempt to undermine WADA and the global anti-doping system,” said Niggli. “WADA has been informed by law enforcement authorities that these attacks are originating out of Russia,” he continued. “Let it be known that these criminal acts are greatly compromising the effort by the global anti-doping community to re-establish trust in Russia further to the outcomes of the Agency’s independent McLaren Investigation Report,” Niggli continued.
Venus Williams statement on Twitter (via Ben Rothenberg)
Venus Williams has released a statement regarding the hack and Ben Rothenberg of the New York Times reports:
Venus Williams releases a statement in response to today's hack of WADA which leaked her (+Serena's) TUE records: pic.twitter.com/z2RAVNt6fM
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) September 13, 2016
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