SEOUL: The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will decide whether to reinstate scandal-hit Russia on Thursday after explosive doping revelations put a question mark over its participation in next year’s Winter Olympics.
Less than three months before the Games in Pyeongchang, a green light from WADA would be a huge plus for Russia as it fights to avoid a possible ban from the event by the International Olympic Committee.
Russia was declared “non-compliant” by WADA after the McLaren report alleged state-sponsored doping from 2011 to 2015, culminating at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi — where the hosts topped the medals table.
Russia’s secret service and sports ministry were accused of orchestrating an elaborate plot that included using a “mousehole” to switch dirty samples at the doping laboratory in the Black Sea resort.
Last week, WADA said it had obtained an “enormous” internal database of Russian drug test results from 2012-2015, findings from which are expected to be reported to Thursday’s foundation board meeting in Seoul.
Ripples from the controversy have spread wide after President Vladimir Putin accused the United States of inventing drugs allegations to influence next year’s presidential election.
“In response to our alleged interference in their election, they want to create problems for the election of the president of Russia,” Putin said last week.
“Russia never had and, I hope, will never have a system of state doping of which we are being accused,” he said.
Sports minister Pavel Kolobkov has admitted he’s pessimistic about Russia’s readmission by WADA, which is demanding that it “publicly accept” the McLaren report’s findings.
“It is difficult as they have demanded the unconditional recognition of the McLaren report that we cannot accept as it contains too many discrepancies,” he told the R-sport agency.
Russia partially accepts the findings of the report, compiled by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren, but Putin and others have strenuously denied the existence of a state-sponsored doping program.
Progress has been made, and WADA has already partially lifted its ban on the Russian anti-doping agency, giving it the right to collect samples. It also audited the body in September.
But WADA also wants access to urine samples stored in Russia’s Moscow anti-doping laboratory as one of the key demands of its “road map” to return to compliance.
However, even if WADA stops short of declaring Russia compliant in Seoul, it may not be fatal to the country’s chances of competing in Pyeongchang.
The IOC ignored WADA’s calls to ban Russia from last year’s Rio Olympics over the McLaren report, instead leaving the decision to individual sports bodies.
The Olympic body is expected to announce Russia’s fate at an executive board meeting in December in Lausanne, where it will hear the results of two investigations into Russian doping.
Anti-doping body mulls Russia reinstatement as Olympics loom
Anti-doping body mulls Russia reinstatement as Olympics loom
From Jeddah to the world stage: Bader Idrees and Saudi Arabia’s tennis rise
RIYADH: As tennis continues to gain momentum throughout Saudi Arabia, several local players are beginning to emerge on the national and international scene. One of them is Saudi national team player Bader Idrees, whose journey mirrors the Kingdom’s evolving relationship with the sport.
Idrees’ first exposure to tennis came at a time when the local game was still developing. His interest began in early 2010 after watching his older sister train regularly.
“I was five years old when I used to watch my older sister playing tennis every day,” he told Arab News. “One of her coaches recommended that I try it out, and from the first hit, I fell in love with the sport.”
Now 20 years old, Idrees finds himself progressing alongside a country that is investing heavily in tennis. Over the past three months alone, Saudi Arabia has hosted the Six Kings Slam, the WTA Finals, and the Next Gen ATP Finals, an indication of its growing ambitions on the global tennis stage.
A defining moment in Idrees’ development came at the 2025 WTA Finals, where he reached a personal milestone in his role as a hitting partner for some of the world’s best players.
“It was one of the best experiences I’ve had so far,” he said. “To actually see the players and train with them was an eye-opening experience for me.”
The exposure offered by hosting elite tournaments has had a direct impact on aspiring Saudi athletes, providing valuable insight into the professional game.
“Seeing how players prepare for matches — from how they behave off the court to actually practicing on the court — was an amazing experience,” he said.
Beyond individual growth, Idrees believes the broader sporting ecosystem benefits from welcoming international events to the Kingdom.
“Hosting these events motivates every Saudi athlete,” Idrees said. “Foreign players get to know the country and the players who represent it, and it pushes us to perform better knowing that the world is watching.”
That motivation has translated into concrete goals. Idrees is planning a busy start to the year, with four international tournaments scheduled for January.
“I feel very positive about what I’ve accomplished so far, so hopefully I can kick off with a strong start in 2026.”
Despite recent progress, Idrees credits his early development at home as the foundation of his success.
“I don’t think I would be at this level if I weren’t in Saudi Arabia, and if I didn’t meet my coach Wajih there, who played a big role in my journey,” Idrees said.
To further advance his career, he later relocated to Cairo, where increased competition and exposure helped accelerate his development.
“That experience, combined with my coach’s motivation, made me believe I could truly go pro,” he said.
The journey was not without challenges. Idrees reflected on the limitations that once existed in the local tennis landscape.
“Tennis has grown massively in Saudi Arabia over the last few years,” he said. “But before that, we didn’t always have the best facilities or infrastructure. That’s why seeing the progress now makes me happy.”
Today, that transformation is happening at a rapid pace — something Idrees notices each time he returns home from international competition.
“Month by month,” as he puts it.
Whether in Riyadh, Jeddah, or Dammam, the changes are increasingly visible. Looking ahead, Idrees is optimistic about the next generation of Saudi players.
“I wouldn’t be surprised to see the kids playing at the under-10 and under-12 level find themselves in the top 500 or 300 within the next 10 years,” he said. “I see the discipline and motivation in them, and it truly is something special.”
He is also realistic about his own development compared with today’s young talents.
“I wasn’t at this level at 10, 12 years old,” he admitted. “Training with kids at that age now, I’m genuinely impressed. It’s why I’m feeling very positive about their future.”
With growing infrastructure, elite-level exposure, and rising ambition, Idrees’ story represents more than personal achievement. It highlights how Saudi Arabia’s expanding role as a host of global sporting events is reshaping its tennis landscape — and how a new generation of players may be poised to make an impact on the world stage in the years ahead.
