ICSD Statement on the Fight against Doping

On 5 December 2017, the IOC took the decision to suspend the participation of Russian Athletes in the forthcoming PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

To prevent any misunderstanding, the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) considers it necessary and expedient to publish the existing views. 
The ICSD is the global governing body of all sports for deaf people around the world; an organization recognized by the International Olympic Committee as well as WADA Code Compliance. Following all the principles of the above-mentioned organizations and aimed to Clean Sport, the ICSD takes care of every athlete with no regards to their nationality, religion, or gender as athletes should all be equal and treated as such.

DECISION MAKING
On 7 August 2016, the International Paralympic Committee Executive Board suspended the Russian Paralympic Committee due to its inability to fulfill its membership responsibilities and obligations, in particular its obligation to comply with the IPC Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Code.

On 6 December 2017, the International Olympic Committee Executive Board suspended Russian Olympic Committee from the 2018 Winter Games.

Comments: Therefore, it is the prerogative of the ICSD Executive Board to take action accordingly and, of course, with no automatic suspension of the Russian Deaf National team as a result.

DR. MCLAREN"S REPORT
In July 2016, the central findings of Dr. McLaren report were that hundreds of Russian athletes across 30 different sports had benefited from what he called “the Disappearing Positive Methodology.” 
In September 2017, Dr. McLaren had dismissed all his charges of the state interference.

Comments: one of the main challenges of the McLaren report was to prove the existence of doping government system during the 2013 IAAF Moscow World Championships and 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games. Due to a lack of evidences, the conclusions of McLaren's report were not accepted, including the alleged existence in Russia of an institutionalized doping program.

The ICSD contacted directly WADA in the matter of four (4) Deaf Athletes that were listed in the McLaren report. As a result of discussions there were no claims that relate to any deaf athletes (even Russian deaf athletes) or the ICSD anti-doping policy.

ICSD DOPING CONTROL STATISTIC
The current doping situation is something we need to continue to monitor and enforce the doping violation regulations. No systematic doping consumption was detected.

Doping Control Tests in 2017
Russian Federation: 80 Athletes - 25% from the total number of Athletes - 1 positive result.

According to this statistic, the Russian team is the most verifiable with the highest number of Athletes submitted to doping control testing.

The idea of sports being played without politics interfering is an "impossible dream”. All of the above organization aimed precisely to support clean athletes, clean sport and to make dream possible. That is exactly why the final decision of the IOC is to allow Russian clean athletes to compete under the Olympic flag.