The full scale of doping in Russian swimming over the past decade was revealed after investigations "uncovered an alarming picture of systematic drug use in the sport," according to Lord, Ziegler, Dickinson & Broadbent of the LONDON TIMES.
The doping scandal that engulfed Russian athletics "is now set to spread to swimming in the country after evidence of an organised drugs culture in that sport too." A doctor regarded as the mastermind of doping in Russian athletics "also actively encouraged the national swimming team to adopt a systematic doping policy."
The revelations "sparked calls for Russia to be excluded from the Rio de Janeiro Olympics this summer" and for the World Anti-doping Agency to carry out an independent investigation into swimming and other sports in Russia.
The investigation revealed that:
- Sergei Portugalov, the doctor who masterminded doping in Russian athletics, "also pushed swimmers on the national team to take performance enhancing drugs."
- A witness testified of a "poolside apothecary" at one competition in Moscow to provide "pills and medicines" to swimmers.
- A coach was told by a leading figure in Russian swimming that the team had "a pharmacological laboratory on site."
Russia "has the worst record in swimming of any country in the past decade with more than 40 positive tests."
Jon Rudd, the head coach of England’s Commonwealth Games swimming team, said that FINA, the sport’s world governing body, "had to take a tougher stance against doping." Rudd said, "I’m blown away by these revelations. It is like an alien world compared to that in Britain" (
LONDON TIMES, 3/23).
COLD WAR THRILLER: In a separate article, Lord, Ziegler, Dickinson & Broadbent wrote when a senior figure inside Russian swimming fears for his life in disclosing doping secrets -- "If I talk to you, I’ll be under the next train at Moscow’s main station, like the rest of them who knew too much" -- we "know better than to dismiss it as the far-fetched plot of a Cold War thriller."
A report into Russian athletics "revealed use of the secret service, the corruption of an anti-doping laboratory, the intimidation of testers and even the suspected involvement of the Kremlin to protect drugs cheats." The two swimmers were reported in the Russian media in '09 "to have failed a test." The cases "never made it" to the official case files of FINA.
Russian swimming sources "disclosed that the cases were real and that the swimmers in question were asked to reveal who supplied the drug." The doctor they named "had strong connections to local police authorities." The source said, "That is where the story ended." Concern about a doping program in Russian swimming "was raised by coaches from outside Russia who contacted The Times and, over a number of weeks, backed up by others with direct experience of working in the country." Coaches revealed that some of their peers had been offered an annual wage of more than $300,000 to work at Russian swimming centers that include onsite "pharmacological laboratory" facilities. The apparent involvement of Portugalov in Russian swimming "is another blow to the credibility of the sport there." Since '09, when Portugalov first offered to "assist" Russian swimming, 23 swimmers have been handed suspensions for doping.
There "have been tensions within Russian swimming" over the doping program. Vladimir Salnikov, the multiple former Olympic freestyle champion who is now the president of the Russian swimming federation and a member of the ruling board of the world body, is said to have tried to fight off Portugalov’s "aggressive approaches" (
LONDON TIMES, 3/23). In London, Ziegler & Lord wrote former British Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies said that "she was disgusted that doping in the sport in eastern Europe appeared to remain widespread." Davies said, "My whole career was spent competing against East Germans who we knew were systematic drug takers. My career was blighted and every medal I won, apart from the Commonwealth Games, was behind the East Germans." U.S. Anti-Doping Agency CEO Travis Tygart, the man who exposed Lance Armstrong, "called for Russia to be excluded from the Rio Games." He said, "They [Russia] are just playing games and laughing behind our backs." The Times contacted Portugalov by telephone and, "at his request, sent him questions in Russian by email." He "did not respond and could not be reached again by phone" (
LONDON TIMES, 3/23).
NO COVERUP: REUTERS' Lidia Kelly wrote the Russian Swimming Federation on Wednesday "rejected foreign media allegations that it was covering up positive tests for doping among its athletes" (
REUTERS, 3/23). SWIM SWAM reported FINA "released an official statement in response to the The Times article." In FINA’s statement, the organization said that it has called on The Times to share any information that it may have which "might assist them in their primary objective of protecting clean athletes in swimming." FINA’s statement "also indicates that the outfit has no concrete evidence of systemic doping in Russian swimming, but that, due to the recent WADA investigation into systemic doping in Russia’s track and field athletes, FINA has taken a particularly robust approach to its anti-doping procedures in relation to Russia and Russian competitions" (
SWIM SWAM, 3/23).
MOUNTING EVIDENCE: In London, Dickinson wrote the evidence mounts that a state-sponsored, systemic doping program was aiding and protecting far more than just Russian track and field; "so why are only Russian athletes suspended from international competition at present?"
That question "rests even more uncomfortably" on the desk of WADA President Craig Reedie, IOC President Thomas Bach "and the heads of so many sporting federations" -- not least FINA. Whatever the cost, Reedie "should be in no doubt that further action is essential." It was not just Russian athletics that was shown to be "non-compliant" but the entire anti-doping apparatus, the sports ministry, the government, the country. Of course, "there will be clean Russian sportspeople who feel outraged at being dragged through the mud." But "it is the Russian government, and Russia alone, which bears that heavy responsibility if clean athletes are barred" (LONDON TIMES, 3/23).
WADA TO INVESTIGATE: In London, Lord, Ziegler & Dickinson reported WADA and FINA "have both promised to investigate revelations by The Times of systematic doping in the sport in Russia." It comes after an investigation uncovered an organized "drugs culture, where members of Russia’s national swimming team were actively encouraged to dope, and suspicions that some positive tests were covered up." Reedie: "There is no doubt that [the] disturbing assertions of orchestrated doping in Russian swimming should be scrutinised. As a result of information and evidence collected, Wada will make an informed decision as to what form of inquiry is needed and who will conduct it.” FINA Exec Dir Cornel Marculescu: “Fina has a zero-tolerance policy on doping and our primary objective is protecting clean athletes in our sport. Any new allegations of doping in swimming, which are substantiated by evidence and which have not already been addressed, will be urgently and comprehensively investigated" (LONDON TIMES, 3/24)
