WADA Calls For Russian Ban From Rio Olympics After Report Confirms ‘Unprecedented’ Doping Scheme
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Russia ‘Directed’ Athlete Doping For Years
A report says that Russia’s government and secret service directed systematic cheating in sports since 2011.
SkyNews: Russia has systematically covered up doping in “all sporting disciplines” since 2011, an official report has found.
The sports ministry and secret service “directed and oversaw” the manipulation of urine samples, the World Anti-Doping Agency said.
It resulted in at least 312 falsified results up until at least last year’s world swimming championships, WADA said.
The state-sponsored cheating happened after an “abysmal” medal count at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010, according to the report.
The cheating involved clean urine being frozen and switched for doped urine, often passed through secret holes in laboratories.
As well as the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014, Russia’s cheating also included the 2013 track world championships in Moscow.
The doping continued in the 2015 swimming world championships in Kazan, chief investigator Richard McLaren said.
Russia’s track and field athletes are already banned from the Olympic Games in Rio, beginning this summer.
The independent findings will increase pressure for all Russians – not just those in track and field events – to be banned from the games.
The report was commissioned following claims made by a Russian whistleblower, former director of anti-doping Dr Grigory Rodchenkov.
He claimed that dozens of athletes, including at least 15 medalists in Sochi, were part of an extensive state-run doping programme.
An independent commission report, led by Canadian law professor and sports lawyer Richard McLaren, published on Monday revealed evidence of widespread state-sponsored doping by Russian athletes at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
McLaren, who was a member of WADA’s independent commission which last year exposed widespread doping and corruption in Russian athletics, said the Russian Ministry of Sport oversaw the manipulation of athletes’ analytical results and sample swapping.
Here are some reactions from the world of sport:
TRAVIS TYGART (CEO of USADA)
“The McLaren Report has concluded, beyond a reasonable doubt, a mind-blowing level of corruption within both Russian sport and government that goes right to the field of play… and most importantly, our hearts go out to athletes from all over the world who were robbed of their Olympic dreams.
“Looking forward, we must come together as an international community — comprised of those who truly believe in the spirit of Olympism — to ensure this unprecedented level of criminality never again threatens the sports we cherish.”
IOC PRESIDENT THOMAS BACH
“The findings of the report show a shocking and unprecedented attack on the integrity of sport and on the Olympic Games. Therefore, the IOC will not hesitate to take the toughest sanctions available against any individual or organization implicated.”
PHILIP CRAVEN, PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE (IPC)
“We are truly shocked, appalled and deeply saddened at the extent of the state sponsored doping program implemented in Russia ahead of Sochi 2014. The findings of the McLaren report mark a very dark day for sport.
“Once we have the further details we have requested from both parties, the IPC Governing Board will convene for a telephone conference. The Board will discuss the findings of the report and decide what relevant action needs to be taken to protect clean athletes competing in Paralympic sport.
“This may include provisional measures and sanctions with regards to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.”
SCOTT BLACKMAN, UNITED STATES OLYMPIC COMMITTEE CEO
“The McClaren Report confirms what we have stated previously: the current anti-doping system is broken and urgently requires the attention of everyone interested in protecting clean athletes.
“We look forward to working with the IOC, WADA and the entire Olympic family to address the flaws in the current system so that a uniform approach to anti-doping can be implemented and enforced around the world.
“In the meantime, we are focused on preparing Team USA to compete at the upcoming Rio Games and will rely on the IOC, WADA and the international federations to impose sanctions that are appropriate in relation to the magnitude of these offenses, and that give clean athletes some measure of comfort that they will be competing on a level playing field in Rio.”
NICOLE SAPSTEAD, CEO OF UK ANTI-DOPING
“Now is the time for the entire sporting community to come together to find a way forward and ensure that the right processes, legislation and safeguards are in place to protect the rights of all athletes to clean, fair and honest competition.”
