Russian Anti-Doping Agency Suspended: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

The World Anti-Doping Agency announced Wednesday from Colorado Springs, Colorado, that Russia is among six countries whose anti-doping agencies have been suspended due to non-compliance.

Joining Russia as nations who have been declared non-compliant by the WADA are Argentina, Andorra, Israel, Bolivia and Ukraine. The WADA added Brazil, Belgium, France, Greece, Mexico and Spain are countries on the compliance watch list.

Sports Illustrated's Chris Chavez notes what could lie ahead for those the WADA is monitoring ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:

A tweet from WADA further clarified the definition of the "non-compliance" label:

After Russia hosted the most recent Winter Olympics in Sochi, a WADA Independent Commission report from November 9 concluded there are "deficiencies" in Russian athletics' anti-doping system. The WADA will also strengthen investigations units for Russia, as well as compliance and whistleblowing departments.

The Russian Athletics Federation has been provisionally suspended after the WADA successfully requested the ban through the International Association of Athletics Federations. This action was based on the conclusions made by the independent committee in the November 9 report (page 21 of the PDF file).

The director of Moscow's anti-doping laboratory has also been forced out, per WADA's Wednesday announcement.

An unnamed athlete and her husband have become whistleblowers regarding the alleged doping in Russian athletics. Those who have been accused of doping are filing a lawsuit against the whistleblowers, according to a report from Russian news agency RIA-Sport (h/t Reuters). One of the athletes is filing a suit against a German TV channel that aired a film on doping in Russian sports, per RIA-Sport.