Lizzy Yarnold criticised the IBSF for their anti-doping whereabouts list ©Getty Images

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has defended the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) following criticism from Olympic champion Lizzy Yarnold for omitting Russian skeleton athletes from their 2017-2018 whereabouts list.

The IBSF revealed a list of 35 athletes who will be subjected to regular anti-doping checks during the upcoming Winter Olympic season.

There were no Russian skeleton competitors listed despite Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren producing evidence that more than 1,000 Russian athletes were allegedly implicated in a scheme where samples were tampered with and manipulated at events including the 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi.

Two Russian bobsleigh athletes - Anastasia Kohcherzhova and four-man team member Andrey Lylov - were named on the registered testing pool.

Under WADA's Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS), athletes in the pool are required to guarantee their whereabouts for one hour per day.

"Under the Code and International Standard for Testing and Investigations, both International Federations and National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADOs) are encouraged to discuss who will be responsible for the collection of whereabouts information from athletes that they both have an interest in," a WADA spokesperson told insidethegames.

"This collaboration maximises the use of resources and the International Federation has access to the whereabouts information for athletes in a national Registered Testing Pool (RTP) and can request testing on such athletes through the NADO if required."

Yarnold, who led calls for a boycott of this year's World Championships, which were eventually moved from Sochi to Königssee in Germany, following the publication of the report, told the Press Association that she "did not understand how there are three GB athletes in the pool of 11 and no Russians, especially after the findings of the McLaren Report".

Four Russian athletes, including Olympic skeleton champion Alexander Tretiakov, were provisionally suspended after they were named in the McLaren Report among the athletes implicated in doping.

But eight days later, an IBSF independent tribunal lifted the provisional ban after concluding there was "not yet sufficient evidence" to maintain it.

The Briton, who won the Olympic gold medal in women's skeleton at the Sochi 2014 Games, called for the IBSF to expand the pool.

"I’m surprised there are no Russian skeleton athletes on the list and there seems to be a limited cross-section of athletes from different nations," Yarnold, who was included on the list, said. 

"Especially in Olympic year, should the testing pool not be expanded? 

"I’ve been a part of the IBSF random testing system since 2012 and support it a million percent. 

"I want our sport to be at the forefront of the anti-doping movement and the ADAMS system is crucial in our fight against doping in sport, so I hope the policy-makers will look at how to expand the list."

Latvian skeleton boss Dainus Dukurs also criticised the IBSF.

Double Olympic medallist Martins Dukurs and brother Tomass were among the skeleton athletes included on the list by the IBSF.

"How is this helping a doping-clean sport when none of Russian skeleton athletes are on the list?" Dainus said.

insidethegames has contacted the IBSF for comment.