Kremlin offers to help WADA fight hacking

AFP, MOSCOW: The Kremlin on Thursday said it was ready to help the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in fighting cybercrime after the agency urged Russia to stop hacks that have leaked medical records of star athletes. “If we’re talking about a request for help, then no question, if we receive such an appeal,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists in a conference call. “Russia consistently backs fighting cybercrime, consistently invites all states and international organisations to cooperate in this area, and this position of Russia is well known,” Peskov said.
On Tuesday, WADA announced that Russian cyber-espionage group Tsar Team (APT28), also known as Fancy Bears, had broken into its Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS) database.
The hacking group released information gleaned from the files of sports stars including US Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams.
They said the leaks were “retaliation” for the agency’s role in uncovering “state-sponsored doping” in Russia which led the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) ban the country’s track and field team from this year’s Olympic games in Rio.
There is no suggestion that any of the athletes whose records have been leaked have broken the rules.
WADA director general Olivier Niggli said the hacking of the agency would hamper Russian efforts to reintegrate into the sports world.

Kremlin offers to help WADA fight hacking

AFP, MOSCOW: The Kremlin on Thursday said it was ready to help the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in fighting cybercrime after the agency urged Russia to stop hacks that have leaked medical records of star athletes. If were talking about a request for help, then no question, if we receive such an appeal, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists in a conference call. Russia consistently backs fighting cybercrime, consistently invites all states and international organisations to cooperate in this area, and this position of Russia is well known, Peskov said. On Tuesday, WADA announced that Russian cyber-espionage group Tsar Team (APT28), also known as Fancy Bears, had broken into its Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS) database. The hacking group released information gleaned from the files of sports stars including US Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams. They said the leaks were retaliation for the agencys role in uncovering state-sponsored doping in Russia which led the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) ban the countrys track and field team from this years Olympic games in Rio. There is no suggestion that any of the athletes whose records have been leaked have broken the rules. WADA director general Olivier Niggli said the hacking of the agency would hamper Russian efforts to reintegrate into the sports world.