The World Anti-Doping Agency wants three outside experts to oversee the cleanup of Russia's anti-doping system. A WADA report in November accused Russia of operating a state-sponsored doping program in track and field and also led to the national anti-doping agency RUSADA being stopped from carrying out tests, following accusations that it covered up drug use by Russian athletes. As RUSADA tries to earn back its right to run Russia's anti-doping operation, WADA announced that it will appoint two "international experts" to oversee the process and wants a third to sit on RUSADA's board.

Meanwhile, the U.K. Anti-Doping agency said it has been asked by WADA to run Russia's doping test system across all sports while RUSADA is suspended and is close to signing a contract. WADA said this would mean "targeted and intelligence-led testing" for Russian athletes. Even if Russia's ban from track and field is lifted in time for the Olympics, no Russian athlete will be allowed to compete internationally without having been tested at least three times. Natalia Zhelanova, an advisor on anti-doping to Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, told Russia's Tass agency that she expected UKAD to work with RUSADA and that the pair would start joint operations "by February."