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IOC, WADA Members Chastised By Federal Lawmakers Over Russian Doping Response

Federal lawmakers yesterday "excoriated international sports officials" for what they called a "bungled response to the Russian doping scandal, with delayed investigations, insufficient sanctions and a lack of interest in rooting out cheating that has tarnished the Olympic brand," according to Rebecca Ruiz of the N.Y. TIMES. In a two-hour hearing called by the House Energy & Commerce subcommittee, Democrats and Republicans "chastised representatives" of the IOC and WADA, whose own reps "spoke little, accepting relentless criticism with few rebuttals." But WADA Deputy Dir General Rob Koehler "defended the organization’s response to the scandal, pointing to the independent investigations it had ultimately commissioned, which amassed evidence of the vast scope of Russia’s cheating that the IOC and others are continuing to review." U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Pa.) said that the inquiry was "justified and that Congress’s concern went beyond" its $2M annual contribution to the global regulator. Murphy: "It isn’t just the money the United States puts into this. If it takes money to motivate things, fine, but the real reason is: I want sports to be fair" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/1). 

PHELPS SPEAKS OUT: Michael Phelps also attended the hearing, saying that throughout his Olympic and World Championship career "not once did he feel those international competitions were completely free of dopers." Phelps: “I can’t describe how frustrating it is to see another athlete break through performance barriers in unrealistic timeframes, knowing what I had to go through to do it." Phelps also "discussed improvements that could bolster trust in the process and safeguard the integrity" of swimming at the highest levels. In DC, Rick Maese notes much of yesterday's hearing "focused on the complicated relationship between the IOC, the various international sports federations and WADA." But Congress has "limited influence over the IOC or WADA." The U.S. "contributes more money to WADA than any other nation in the world" -- more than $2M of the organization’s $27.5M annual budget (WASHINGTON POST, 3/1). In Baltimore, Childs Walker writes Phelps' testimony "represented the strongest step he’s taken toward becoming a leading voice in the anti-doping movement." Members of the House Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations "expressed astonishment at Phelps’ testimony and the pervasive culture of cheating" (Baltimore SUN, 3/1). 

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