Russian athlete whistleblower has online account hacked in major security leak

Russian doping whistleblower Yulia Stepanova’s electronic account at the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has been hacked, it has emerged.

In a statement, the agency said only that its security monitoring had “noted that someone, other than Ms. Stepanova”, had accessed her account.

Stepanova and her husband Vitaly are thought to be in hiding in the U.S. following their incendiary evidence to the Independent Pound Commission which revealed widespread state-sponsored doping by Russian Federation.

The Russian runner who helped expose a system of state-backed doping in her country says she fears for her life and has been forced to move after hackers tried to find her location. It has also contacted law enforcement agencies.

“In our current location we do feel safe, but unfortunately the reaction to our actions in our home country is not positive, a lot of people in general and athletes as well hate us for what we did and we would not go back to Russian Federation right now”.

Her warning comes six months after two former officials with Russia’s Anti-Doping Agency died suddenly in February.

Probably for the better, Stepanova said, considering the steady stream of stories about violence that have marred these games.

The decision came despite the fact that the ruling athletics body IAAF had granted her permission to run as a neutral athlete at events including Rio, owing to her “truly exceptional contribution to the fight against doping in sport”.

That inquiry led to more than 120 Russian sportsmen and women being excluded from the Games, a lot of them from track and field.

“Watching the Olympic Games and reading the news about what is happening there, on some level I’m glad that I didn’t go”, she said.

Yuliya Stepanova, seen here in 2011, is in hiding with her husband, Vitaly Stepanova.

The Anti-Doping Administration and Management System, or ADAMS, is the online tool that allows drug-testers to know where athletes are so they can be randomly tested out of competition.

Stepanova’s account with WADA includes her whereabouts for testing purposes.

The couple said they have already made arrangements for people to take care of their toddler son if something does happen to them.