Polish sport has shaken, as Iga Siwatek must have shaken, after a group of hackers revealed the alleged positive doping of many Polish athletes, including the WTA No.1. A group of Ukrainian hackers called Beregini allegedly hacked the data of the Polish anti-doping agency POLADA.
The agency’s website reportedly went offline last week and remained inactive until yesterday. In the meantime, on Telegram, some details about the material hacked by Berengi have been released, including some alleged positive doping of Polish athletes.
According to the hackers, Iga Swiatek’s doping case dates back to 2021, when she (alleged) tested positive for EPO.
— Will (@BushidoToken) August 14, 2024
Not only Swiatek, but also cyclist Katarzyna Niewiadoma, and soccer player Robert Lewandowski.
The Polish anti-doping agency has however denied any involvement of the athletes with alleged positive doping tests.
“In connection with the hacking attack, we inform you that the data is used by cybercriminals for various purposes, including disinformation. Fake news has appeared that discredits Polish athletes who do not deserve this attack. None of them have tested positive,” wrote POLADA in a statement.
pic.twitter.com/923h3VcP7x
— Polska Agencja Antydopingowa (@POLADA_official) August 14, 2024
Tennis Integrity unity has stated that it is not aware of any evidence against the Polish tennis player. The Athletic has contacted the entourages of Swiatek and Lewandowski, and has reported that team Swiatek explained that they are referring to POLADA’s denial.
Hi @CincyTennis 👋🏼 pic.twitter.com/euhgC4oOu7
— Iga Świątek (@iga_swiatek) August 15, 2024