The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has confirmed that confidential athlete data relating to the Rio Olympics had been hacked by a Russian cyber espionage group that had published some of it and was threatening to release more.

“WADA condemns these ongoing cyber-attacks that are being carried out in an attempt to undermine WADA and the global anti-doping system,” said director general Olivier Niggli in a statement.

“WADA has been informed by law enforcement authorities that these attacks are originating out of Russia.”

Russia’s track and field team, with the exception of one athlete based in the United States, were banned from the Rio Games in August over what WADA said was a state-backed doping program.

– Reuters