Confidential medical information of US Olympic athletes has been leaked by a Russian hacking group, the World Anti-Doping Agency has revealed.
The online spy group, known as Fancy Bear, released records of four top female athletes, Venus and Serena Williams, four-time gymnastics gold medallist Simone Biles and basketball player Elena Delle Donne, on Monday.
The hackers published records of so-called “therapeutic use exemptions”, which permit athletes to use certain otherwise banned substances if they have a verified medical reason to do so, the Independent reported.
In making the disclosure, Fancy Bear said it planned to release more information in due course.
The group, also known as Tsar Team, claimed the “therapeutic use exemptions” constituted evidence of doping by US Olympians.
A statement from the group read: “After detailed studying of the hacked Wada databases we figured out that dozens of American athletes had tested positive.
“The Rio Olympic medallists regularly used illicit strong drugs justified by certificates of approval for therapeutic use.
“In other words, they just got their licenses for doping.”
US Anti-Doping Agency chief Travis Tygart said in a statement that it was “unthinkable” for hackers to “illegally obtain confidential medical information in an attempt to smear athletes to make it look as if they have done something wrong.”
He added: “In fact, in each of the situations, the athlete has done everything right in adhering to the global rules for obtaining permission to use a needed medication.”
The agency said it believed the hack was carried out using spear-phishing emails to gather passwords for the Wada Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (Adams) database.
Less than a month ago, the agency confirmed that a hacker had accessed the Adams account for Yuliya Stepanova, the Russian 800-metre runner who blew the whistle on the widespread doping among her country’s Olympic team.
More than 100 Russian athletes were subsequently banned from competing in Rio, following the publication of an independently commissioned Wada report, which found evidence of a Russian state-run doping programme going back at least four years.
