Does the leaked data from the Polish anti-doping agency prove that stars Robert Lewandowski or Iga Swiatek tested positive? – Independence

2024-08-19 16:55:44

Poland’s anti-doping agency was the victim, in early August, of a data leak carried out by pro-Russian hackers. But he rejected the content of a list that said the most famous Polish athletes had been convicted of doping.

Robert Lewandowski, FC Barcelona player and former Bayern Munich star test positive for steroids in 2022? World tennis number 1 Iga Swiatek, also tested positive the same year for EPO? Wednesday August 14, a few days after the end of the Paris Olympic Games 2024, a list of eleven athletes, all Polish nationals, was distributed on social networks with, for each, the date corresponding to the anti- positive doping, and product names we think we see. In addition to two soccer and tennis stars, we see in the list Katarzyna Niewiadoma, the very recent winner of the Tour de France of women, and Olympic champions in sports or ski jumping. In recent days, many international media have reported these suspicions against these top athletes. The Polish anti-doping agency, although admitting that it has been the subject of a data leak, denied the information targeting the ten stars whose names were circulated, assuring that the aforementioned controls did not take place.

At the origin of this issue, we found the Pro-Russian hacker group Beregini. On August 6, 2024, in the middle of the Olympic Games, the collective published on the social network Telegram a list of 22 links intended to bring together “Complete database of Polish athletes with results of doping controls for all prohibited substances, including drugs”. The hacking statement did not reveal the names of Polish sports stars suspected of doping.

Stir up anti-Ukrainian sentiment in Europe

On his website, Beregini introduces himself as “Ukrainian female hacker group”the enemy of the Ukrainian government and who has good relations with Russia Vladimir Putin. He mainly identified about them DFR Laba laboratory that specializes in the subversion of the American think tank of the Atlantic Council or by the American cybersecurity companies GroupSense and Mandiant, as it specializes in nuclear activities for the benefit of Russia. In February 2022, Beregini was classified by our fellow fact-checkers from the German research field Amendment for spreading many false documents, which look like official letters from the Ukrainian or Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The purpose: to stir up anti-Ukrainian sentiment in Europe, and especially in Poland.

On August 8, Polish sports magazine Sports Review reveal this data leak. Polish Anti-Doping Agency confirms is released late“As a result of a hacker attack, data belonging to the Polish Anti-Doping Agency (Polada) was leaked. The results showed that the attack was the act of a group supported by the activities of the enemy state.. On the same day, Polish rider Wojtek Pszczolarski revealed an email that Polish athletes received warning them about the cut. In this message, Polada warns athletes of the type of stolen data and indicates that it involves first and last names, residential addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses.

We have to wait until August 14 for the list of eleven athletes who tested positive for doping products to appear on social networks and attract the attention of the media. On the social network the list mentions their last name, first name, date of birth, product of examination and date of examination. Robert Lewandowski is now alleged to have tested positive for stanozolol, an anabolic steroid, on March 12, 2022. Tennis spokesperson Iga Swiatek was presented as having tested positive for EPO on July 5, 2021. The rumor then received by some international media. , as a German newspaper Facingwhich mentions the names of the two athletes as alleged to have failed the tests.

“I didn’t test that day”

The Polish anti-doping agency responded the same day to the distribution of this list by confirming that it was “news report” and said that“None of the athletes mentioned received a positive result and none of the dates presented were subject to doping controls”. Appearing in this list, the cyclist Katarzyna Niewiadoma, the future winner of the 2024 women’s Tour de France, responded from the French race to deny the rumor, which says that she tested positive for marijuana in May 2023. “I never tested that day, I never tested positive for marijuana and, moreover, Polada made it clear that it was a lie talking about me and all other Polish athletes.” said the athlete from Dutch media A.D.

Another source that supports the hypothesis of false accusations: The German National Anti-Doping Agency (Nada), which is responsible for conducting anti-doping controls in the Bundesliga, refers to Check Accounts of Robert Lewandowski “It is not controlled by Nada [le 12 mars 2022]». That day, the Bayern Munich team, in which Lewandowski played, was against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. The German company assures that “The match in question is under the jurisdiction of Nada Germany and has no control”. He added that“there is no such thing as “bad analysis” for this athlete”. He explained that basically, Polada can do checks abroad. However, the latter confirmed that Lewandowski did not check that day.

At the origin of the rumors, the @triviumcolombia account ended up being removed from the list. And to clarify that it cannot confirm the information as shown in this list leak (now unable to enter). The Internet user behind the account admits that he did not access the hackers’ files and indicates that his source is published from August 12, 2024 “on a 4chan blog, with the same useless links provided by hackers”. Check Accounts see this publication in which a list of eleven athletes appears. @triviumcolombia finally finished that “sapa may have happened but the names and reputations are bullshit unless the hackers provide the files”.

Conclusion: I think hacking may have occurred but the names and assertions are bullshit unless the hackers provide the files. 3/3

–  e-Tour de Dope™ (@triviumcolombia) August 14, 2024

The site Trust Third, that also follows the spread of rumours, suggests manipulation. After bringing the Polada agency, the site took note of that “False news about doping by famous Polish athletes has already appeared on several sites. These sites seem to be prepared for this action. The whole thing gives the impression of an organized campaign. “

Join through Check AccountsIts founder Adam Haertle told us that you can get all the data to “flow” before it’s lost. “I searched for all the ‘famous’ names (both before and after the accused famous athletes were published) and found no trace of famous athletes in the data.” It is also believed that the first list appeared on 4chan on August 12. In the context of his investigation, allegations of doping against eleven Polish athletes were criticized “not documented in the data that has been reported.” Contrary to what the Beregini hacker group said, Adam Haertle also revealed the data leak as not happening “that dump files from thirty thirty employee laptops [de la Polada]and not a complete database.

Contact via Check AccountsThe Beregini team did not respond to our questions about the list of eleven Polish athletes distributed. At this stage, it is impossible to say that the list is from data leakage. And so the eleven athletes in question tested positive for doping products.