RUSADA does not conduct laboratory examinations of doping samples. Instead, the Russian Anti-Doping Agency works with special laboratories that are accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). A list of these accredited laboratories can be found on theWADA website.
The National Anti–Doping Organizations (NAOs) and these laboratories are separate entities. They interact as follows:
- Samples must be collected and transported to the laboratory.
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The laboratory analyzes the samples and notifies the athlete if a positive test for prohibited substances or methods is found.
It is important to note that the laboratory never knows the identity of the athlete, as all personal information is kept confidential.
Currently, there are no WADA-accredited laboratories in the Russian Federation. RUSADA often uses laboratories in countries such as Turkey, Belgium, Austria, and Germany to test athletes' samples.