Russia could be barred from competing in athletics at next summer’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro after an independent commission working for the World Anti-Doping Agency "uncovered widespread doping and cover-ups among its athletes," according to Teddy Cutler of the LONDON TIMES. In a document that has sent "shockwaves through the sport," WADA blamed "widespread inaction" from the IAAF, the Russian athletics federation and the Russian anti-doping agency (RUSADA) for permitting athletes to compete in London three years ago. Russian athletes won 82 medals in London, "including 24 Golds, across all sports." WADA also called for Russian athletes to be banned from competing at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, calling on the IAAF "to suspend the country from athletic competition." IAAF President Sebastian Coe said that he was consulting the IAAF council over possible sanctions against Russia, including banning its athletes, having said that he would prefer to "engage rather than isolate" the nation. A WADA report said, "The IC [independent commission] has noted a cumulative lapse of action from the IAAF, ARAF [Russian Athletics Federation] and RUSADA in conjunction with pursuing suspicious profiles" (LONDON TIMES, 11/9). In London, Owen Gibson reported Russia has been accused of having a huge "state sponsored doping program." Former WADA President Dick Pound, who chaired an independent commission, said that the "very damaging" findings were probably the tip of the iceberg. He said that the widespread rule-breaking was "worse than we thought." The WADA commission said that there was evidence of "interference with doping controls up to the middle of this year" including more than 1,400 samples destroyed in Dec. '14, as well as "cover-ups, destruction of samples, payment of money to conceal doping tests." It found that Moscow anti-doping lab Head Grigory Rodchenko admitted to "intentionally destroying 1,417 samples." The report said that the lab "should lose its accreditation." The 323-page report outlines a culture of cheating in which Pound said Russian coaches were "out of control" and expected the Russian anti-doping agency to protect its athletes rather than catch them. Pound said that it was "inconceivable" that Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko "was not aware of the scale of the problem." Pound: "It was impossible for him not to be aware of it. And if he's aware of it, he's complicit in it." Mutko, who leads the 2018 World Cup organizing committee, denied wrongdoing to the WADA inquiry panel, "including any knowledge of athletes being blackmailed" (GUARDIAN, 11/9).
POUND RECOMMENDS SUSPENSION: In London, Ben Rumsby wrote the report found "a deeply rooted culture of cheating" in Russian athletics. Pound: "For 2016, our recommendation is that Russia is suspended. The outcome may be that there are no Russian track-and-field athletes in Rio." The report also confirmed it had turned over "considerable data" to Interpol after unearthing evidence of "criminal conduct." Coe responded to the report by confirming that "the governing body's council would consider banning Russia." Coe: "The information in WADA’s independent commissions report is alarming. We need time to properly digest and understand the detailed findings included in the report. However, I have urged the council to start the process of considering sanctions against ARAF. This step has not been taken lightly." The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, whose investigation brought about the downfall of cyclist Lance Armstrong over a "similarly systematic approach" to cheating, "welcomed the WADA commission's report." USADA CEO Travis Tygart said, "USADA applauds the work of the WADA Independent Commission in exposing a Russian effort to take over sport through unlawful means" (TELEGRAPH, 11/9).
KEY POINTS: In London, Ben Bloom reported the "seven key points" from the WADA report:
- Russia "may be banned from athletics at the Rio 2016 Olympics."
- There is a "deeply rooted culture of cheating" in Russian athletics.
- Russian athletes "are being abused and exploited."
- The Russian state "knew what was going on."
- The IAAF is "heavily involved in corruption and bribery."
- WADA is "not without blame in this whole episode."
- Other sports and countries "may be at it as well" (TELEGRAPH, 11/9).
REUTERS' Brian Homewood reported the scandal revolves around accusations that money was demanded from top athletes to "bury" medical tests showing drug use. The scandal could prove "as damaging to world athletics" as the corruption affair now shaking FIFA. There has never been any suggestion that FIFA corruption "has affected results on the pitch." The reach of corruption in global sport could in part be explained by a "huge influx of sponsorship in recent decades into bodies lacking effective governance and supervisory procedures." The IOC was "hit by a graft scandal" 15 years ago, while cricket and cycling have also "been tainted" (
REUTERS, 11/9). In N.Y., Rebecca R. Ruiz reported the report also said that members of Russian law enforcement agencies were in the Moscow lab and involved in the efforts to interfere with the integrity of the samples, creating “an atmosphere of intimidation” on lab processes and staff members. The report said, "What made these allegations even more egregious was the knowledge that the government of the Russian Federation provides direct funding and oversight for the above institutions, thus suggesting that the federal government was not only complicit in the collusion, but that it was effectively a state-sponsored regime" (
N.Y. TIMES, 11/9).
THE SOVIET BLOCK: The AP's Leicester & Dunbar reported Pound said, "It may be a residue of the old Soviet Union System. ... The outcome may be that there are no Russian track and field athletes in Rio." He added that there "may still be time for Russia to avoid that, if it starts reforming immediately." Pound: "I think they can do it, I hope they can." The report said agents from the Federal Security Service even "infiltrated Russia's anti-doping work at the Sochi Olympics." One witness told the inquiry that "in Sochi, we had some guys pretending to be engineers in the lab but actually they were from the federal security service." Staff at Russia's anti-doping lab in Moscow believed its offices "were bugged by the FSB." This was part of a wider pattern of "direct intimidation and interference by the Russian state with the Moscow laboratory operations" (AP, 11/9). In London, Steph Cockroft reported the WADA commission said that Mutko issued direct orders to "manipulate particular samples," a claim he denies. Although the WADA report says the probe has not found written evidence of government involvement, it said that it would be "naive in the extreme" to conclude that events could have taken place "without the explicit or tacit approval of Russian governmental authorities." ARAF President Vadim Zelichenok said, "It is only a recommendation." Mutko: "There is no need to get confused, the commission does not have the right to suspend anyone." ARAF lawyer Artem Patsev said that the accusations were a "political" order and that there was no "real evidence" (DAILY MAIL, 11/9).
INTERPOL TO LEAD PROBE: The BBC reported int'l police body Interpol said that it will "coordinate a French-led global investigation" into doping allegations in athletics. Interpol's announcement follows Monday's report. Interpol said in a statement, "The world police body is now working with member countries potentially linked to the inquiry, including Singapore, to seek assistance in coordinating a global investigative network and support the criminal investigation on the basis of the intelligence gathered by the [WADA] independent commission" (BBC, 11/9). The PA reported the IOC's ethics commission has recommended former IAAF President Lamine Diack should be "provisionally suspended as an honorary member" of the IOC. Diack is "under investigation by French police" for allegedly receiving more than €1M to cover up doping (PA, 11/9).
