The Russian Athletics Federation "launched a series of defamation lawsuits over a German documentary featuring claims that doping had become endemic to Russia's track and field scene," according to Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber of the MOSCOW TIMES. The federation's lawyer, Artem Patsev, said, "We demand that the concrete allegations [made in the documentary] that are false and defamatory be refuted." The individuals targeted by the lawsuits include the staff of the German TV network, investigative journalist Hajo Seppelt, as well as track and field coach Oleg Popov, runner Yulia Stepanova and her husband, Vitaly Stepanov, "a former employee of Russia's national anti-doping agency RUSADA." Popov, Stepanova and Stepanov "were featured in the documentary." Valentin Balakhnichev, who at the time was president of the athletics federation, said in a statement in December that the documentary had been a "provocation meant to undermine Russian sport." Balakhnichev "has also embarked on his own legal proceedings against the filmmakers" (MOSCOW TIMES, 2/18).
OHURUOGO CRITICIZES DIACK: The BBC reported Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu criticized Int'l Association of Athletics Federations President Lamine Diack for saying the sport faces a "crisis" over doping allegations. Diack said that he was "shocked" by claims that IAAF officials were implicated in covering up doping in Russia. Ohuruogu: "It's very hard to promote our sport when he doesn't know what the hell is going on. ... I think that kind of sentiment is uncalled for. Even if he felt that way personally he should have kept that private" (BBC, 2/18).
