Sport Ireland has joined the international call for an independent investigation into allegations of bullying at the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA).
In an interview with the BBC, Beckie Scott claimed that she was "treated with disrespect and bullied" during her time on the WADA Compliance Review Committee.
Scott, from Canada, is a former Winter Olympics gold medallists and after her allegation, Ed Moses – a double Olympic gold medallist and athletics hero – said he was told to "shut up" at a WADA meeting.
Moses is chair of the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), though WADA have disputed his version of events.
This has given rise to calls for an investigation into these claims – something Sport Ireland and the Athletes’ Commission of the Olympic Federation of Ireland have joined.
"Beckie Scott is the voice of clean athletes worldwide and what she revealed in her interview with the BBC is shocking, but not unsurprising given the general attitude to the views of athletes throughout the entire RUSDA reinstatement debacle," said Sport Ireland Chief Executive John Treacy.
"Ms Scott is a highly respected advocate for clean athletes everywhere and has been an exemplary professional throughout what has been an extremely turbulent time for the global fight against doping in sport.
"To hear of the allegations that she was treated with such disrespect by a number of members of WADA’s executive committee at its meeting is deeply upsetting and should never happen.
"To reiterate what we, and all advocates for transparency and integrity in the global doping system, have said all along - the most important people in all of this are the clean athletes. Their voices need to be heard and they need to be listened to."
It was Scott’s first interview since stepping down from WADA’s Compliance Review Committee following its decision to recommend the reinstatement of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), despite two important criteria of WADA’s own Roadmap to Compliance remaining unfulfilled.
The reinstatement of RUSADA was subsequently ratified by WADA’s executive committee.
During the interview, Scott outlined claims that she was ‘treated with disrespect and bullied’ by some senior officials at WADA’s executive committee meeting in the Seychelles last month over her public opposition to the recommendation to reinstate RUSADA’s compliance.
Shane O’Connor, Chairman of the Athletes’ Commission of the Olympic Federation of Ireland, said: "We have already made clear that WADA’s decision to move the goalposts on its own McClaren report recommendations is unacceptable and has caused serious damage to the credibility of WADA and to all who try to protect clean sport.
"Beckie Scott was right to resign. She stood for the principles of clean athletes all over the world. We respect her decision and stand united behind her."
Sport Ireland Director of Participation and Ethics, Dr Una May, added: "In Ms Scott’s own words, the actions of those making these important decisions is ‘indicative of a general attitude of dismissal and belittling of the athlete voice’ and this is symptomatic of appalling manner in which athletes are treated when it comes to matters of international importance.
"It is important that an independent investigation into these allegations be established by WADA without delay so that any wrongdoing be corrected as a matter of urgency."
