Polish Anti-Doping Agency hacked with widespread leak seemingly affecting Iga Swiatek and other top athletes

The Polish Anti Doping Agency (POLADA) was subject to a widespread hack from a Ukrainian hacker group called Beregini with the records of athletes such as World No.1 Iga Swiatek seemingly leaked.

Although the nature of the attack on POLADA is yet to be confirmed, the anti-doping agency's website went down last week and remained offline as of Tuesday. The files were allegedly leaked on platform Telegram.

But social media users were given further details on Wednesday with Swiatek named as part of the doping records released by a social media user. Albeit this user since deleted the information and it seems to be fake with POLADA releasing a statement telling people not to believe or duplicate the news.

"In connection with the hacker attack, we inform that the data is being used by cybercriminals for various purposes, including broadly understood disinformation. Fake news discrediting Polish athletes has appeared in the public space. Please do not duplicate it. None of the listed athletes received a positive result and none of the presented dates correspond to the conducted anti-doping controls," they wrote translated from Polish.

Initially confirmed on social media earlier this week, the leak sees not only doping records but also phone numbers, addresses and medical info all out in the public domain. But athletes have since commented on this too with Wojtek Pszczolarksi, a prominent cyclist from the country sending a direct tweet to POLADA asking what has happened and whether they will get an email with correction and details.

He then shared a notice sent to him by POLADA stating that names, home addresses, email addresses and phone numbers of several athletes have been published online. The website also remains down as of 14 August.

"The findings indicate that the attack is the action of a group supported by the services of an enemy state," POLADA said to Przeglad Sportowy who broke the news.

"Currently, the case is the subject of an investigation and a detailed technical analysis. POLADA has taken the necessary steps to secure the systems and submit a notification to the appropriate law enforcement authorities. We are in constant contact with the Police, CERT Polska, the Personal Data Protection Office and the Ministry of Sport and Tourism."