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RIO DE JANEIRO -- The split between Olympic leaders and global anti-doping officials over the Russian doping scandal continues to deepen.The World Anti-Doping Agency fired back on Monday, a day after IOC President Thomas Bach suggested the agency was to blame for the last-minute chaos over the participation of Russian athletes in the Rio de Janeiro Games.Bach said the agency should have acted sooner on evidence of state-sponsored doping rather than release the damning report by Canadian investigator Richard McLaren so close to the games, which open on Friday.While it is destabilizing in the lead-up to the games, it is obvious, given the seriousness of the revelations that he (McLaren) uncovered, that they had to be published and acted upon without delay, WADA President Craig Reedie said in a statement Monday.Reedie, who is also an IOC vice president, told The Associated Press that he wanted to set the record straight after Bachs comments by explaining the agencys handling of the allegations against the Russians.He seemed to use WADA as a diversion in some way, Reedie said. We thought in all honesty we needed to just explain the position and what we tried to do.WADA and Bach have been at odds since the agency publicly recommended that the IOC impose a total ban on Russias Olympic team following McLarens report detailing state-directed doping across more than two dozen winter and summer sports.Its unfortunately just before the games, Reedie told the AP. It was caused by very, very serious evidence of wrongdoing. There was little time to resolve it, and so it was likely to destabilize the situation.Asked about the divisions with the International Olympic Committee, he said: Most of us will get over this. Its all perfectly civilized.On Sunday, Bach defended the IOCs decision not to ban the entire Russian delegation, and said the IOC was not responsible for the timing of the latest WADA report, which came out on July 18.On July 24, the IOC placed the burden on international sports federations to determine if Russian athletes should be allowed to compete in Rio. More than 100 Russian athletes -- including the track and field team -- have been excluded, with more than 250 declared eligible by the federations so far.The IOC is not responsible for the timing of the McLaren report, Bach said. The IOC is not responsible for the fact that different information which was offered to WADA already a couple of years ago was not followed up. The IOC is not responsible for the accreditation or supervision of anti-doping laboratories.WADA, which was created by the IOC in 1999 to lead the anti-doping fight, and receives half of its funding from the IOC, issued a long statement defending itself.WADA wishes to factually clarify that the agency acted immediately on allegations concerning Russia when it had corroborated evidence and the power to do so under the World Anti-Doping Code, it said.WADA said it set up a commission headed by Dick Pound to investigate allegations of systematic doping made in a documentary by German broadcaster ARD in December 2014. The agency said it acquired new powers to investigate in January 2015.Pounds report, which was released in November 2015, detailed widespread cheating in track and field and led the IAAF to ban Russias entire team. Pound said he also found that doping in Russia was likely not restricted to track and field, and that Russian secret service officers were present in the Sochi and Moscow laboratories. But Pound said he did not uncover concrete evidence that the Russian government was manipulating doping controls.WADA said it acquired strong evidence of Russian state involvement in early May, when CBS 60 Minutes and The New York Times published allegations by Moscows former lab director, Grigory Rodchenkov. That led to McLarens investigation, which corroborated Rodchenkovs claims that dirty samples of Russian athletes were replaced with clean ones during the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.Since then, WADA director general Olivier Niggli said, the agency facilitated the transfer of relevant information that is available to date about individual Russian athletes to the various international federations.Responding to Bachs swipe about supervision of the Russian doping labs, WADA said its focus is on the technical abilities of the labs. It noted that it suspended the Moscow lab in 2015 after violations were cited in Pounds report.Addressing corruption within the anti-doping system -- including state or secret service interference in laboratory operations -- will be one of the topics discussed during a WADA conference in September, the agency said.---AP National Writer Eddie Pells contributed to this report. Nike React Sale . Barcelona also left injured defenders Carles Puyol, Javier Mascherano and Jordi Alba out of its squad for the trip to Glasgow. That means that Marc Bartra will probably start again in the centre of the defence alongside Gerard Pique. Nike React Element Cheap . -- Mike Smith never saw his first NHL goal go in. http://www.nikereactoutlet.com/ . -- Stanford squashed Oregons national championship hopes again, schooling the Ducks in power football. Nike React Cheap . Luis Suarezs double powered Liverpool to a 4-0 victory over Fulham, and Southampton easily overcame Hull 4-1 to continue the south coast clubs impressive start to the season. Liverpool and Southampton sent Chelsea down to fourth place as the west London club was held to 2-2 at home. Nike React Clearance . From filmmaker Nanette Burstein (On the Ropes), The Price of Gold revisits the saga that rocked the figure skating world ahead of the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Winter Games: the assault on Nancy Kerrigan, and the plot that led its way back to her rival Tonya Harding. Some of the sports stories The Associated Press is covering Thursday. A full Sports Digest will be sent by about 3 p.m. All times EDT:- ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Some nine months after spoiling the Jets playoff chances, Rex Ryan and the Bills play their home open against the AFC East rival. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos. Starts 8:25 p.m.- CHICAGO -- The Cubs try for their first NL Central title in eight years when they host the Brewers. A win or a loss by the Cardinals gives the Cubbies the division crown. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos. Starts 8:05 p.m.- CINCINNATI -- No. 6 Houston faces Cincinnati in a matchup of schools trying to get into the Big 12. UPCOMING: Starts at 7:30 p.m.- SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Ara Parseghian still bristles 50 years later at the belief No. 1 Notre Dame played for a tie against No. 2 Michigan State in one of the most famous games in college football history. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos.- GENEVA -- A two-time Wimbledon singles champion, two Tour de France winners and an Olympic discus gold medalist had the same answer Thursday to the latest leak by hackers of confidential medical information: so what? SENT: 700 words, photos.- CHICAGO -- Brad Keselowski is the top seed for NASCARs playoffs, but all eyes are on Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart after their dustup last weekend. The dispute could spilll over into Sundays Chase-opening race.dddddddddddd UPCOMING: 700 words, photos. Developing from mid-afternoon interviews.- NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahomas Baker Mayfield and Ohio States J.T. Barrett meet in a quarterback showdown when the Sooners play host to the Buckeyes. UPCOMING: 500 words, photos by 5 p.m.UNDATED -- The dozen NFL players who have joined Colin Kaepernicks national anthem protests of social injustices have faced consequences ranging from loss of endorsements to racist comments on social media. But none of them are deterred. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos by 7 p.m.- EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France -- Teen star Lydia Ko starts her bid to win a third major when she defends her title at the Evian Championship. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos.- PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Tom Coughlin and Graeme McDowell have next to nothing in common except an Irish heritage and the highest achievement in their sport. Only when McDowells latest restaurant opened did they realize they were on the same page in charitable giving. SENT: 700 words, photos.- TORONTO -- Unlike the Olympics, the World Cup of Hockey doesnt feature any cupcake opponents for the top contenders. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 6 p.m. ' ' '