Serena & Venus’ Wada files hacked

The World Anti Doping Agency (Wada) has confirmed that a group of Russian hackers, nicknamed Fancy Bear, have leaked the personal files of a number of leading American athletes, including Serena and Venus Williams.

The documents indicate that both Serena and Venus had taken a number of restricted substances between 2010 and 2015, including prednisone, prednisolone, methylprednisone, hydromorphone and oxycodone. Wada has confirmed that neither athlete had committed any offence because they had been granted therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs) by the relevant governing bodies.

Venus Williams released the following statement in response to the news:

Statement from Venus Williams on today’s hack on WADA, which led to the release of her confidential medical data. pic.twitter.com/fEYvWHgnfC

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) September 13, 2016

Meanwhile, in a robust response to the hack the director general of WADA Olivier Niggli said: “Wada condemns these ongoing cyber attacks that are being carried out in an attempt to undermine Wada and the global anti-doping system. Wada has been informed by law enforcement authorities that these attacks are originating out of Russia.

RELATED: Sharapova decision due in October

“Let it be known that these criminal acts are greatly compromising the effort by the global anti-doping community to re-establish trust in Russia further to the outcomes of the Agency’s independent McLaren Investigation Report.”