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Russians hack WADA database; allege Simone Biles, Serena sisters of doping

Files on Simon Biles and Williams sisters were leaked. Biles took the gymnastic gold were India's Dipa Karmakar came fourth

Simone Biles
Simone Biles
BS Web Team New Delhi
Last Updated : Sep 14 2016 | 10:06 AM IST
A Russian hacker's group, known as 'Fancy Bears', hacked into World Anti-Doping Association's database and leaked the confidential medical files of prominent US athletes, according to a BBC News report.

The medical files leaked by the hackers belonged to the tennis veterans Serena and Venus Williams and teenage gymnastic sensation Simon Biles. 

Soon after when WADA confirmed the hack, Simon Biles came with a statement saying she had been taking medicine for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. 

Simon Biles had won four gold medals at the Rio Olympics and was tested positive for methylphenidate in August, but she was not disqualified. It must be noted here that India's Dipa Karmakar came fourth in the Gymnastics event where Biles clinched the gold.

The hacker group had accused her of taking an "illicit psycho-stimulant", but she said she had "always followed the rules". 

But the USA Gymnastics said in a statement that Biles had taken all the necessary permissions to use the drug. 

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According to a report, the hacker group had already leaked a dozen of files relating to the US athletes. 

"After detailed studying of the hacked WADA databases we figured out that dozens of American athletes had tested positive," the Fancy Bears' group claimed on its website. 

"The Rio Olympic medallists regularly used illicit strong drugs justified by certificates of approval for therapeutic use," it said.

WADA said that the attack was a deliberate attempt to undermine the authority of the association and the global anti-doping system. 

Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was "out of the question" that the Kremlin or secret services were involved in the hacking, reported BBC News.

Interestingly, Russia was forced to send its smallest contingent to the Olympic Games this year as most of its athletes were nabbed by WADA for doping.

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First Published: Sep 14 2016 | 10:03 AM IST

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