Russia's anti-doping agency RUSADA has signed a cooperation agreement with UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) for assistance with drug-testing programmes in the country, the Russian sports ministry said Monday.

"In compliance with an agreement with the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA), RUSADA and UKAD will be responsible for planning the testing of Russian athletes," Natalia Zhelanova, an aide to the Russian sports minister, told TASS news agency.

Zhelanova added that the agreement was temporary and would only remain in force until RUSADA -- which was found non-compliant by WADA for "routinely" violating international testing standards -- is reinstated.

The International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) provisionally suspended Russia in November after a report published by a WADA independent commission found evidence of state-sponsored doping and large-scale corruption in Russian athletics.

Russia -- whose anti-doping laboratory was also suspended over the report -- has vowed to retrieve IAAF membership in time for its track and field athletes to compete at this summer's Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. 
SourcE: AFP