Russian Investigative Committee Deputy Chair Ilya Lazutov said that Russia has filed int'l requests for assistance to the U.S., Canada and Switzerland in its ongoing probe into doping in sports, according to RT. The action comes as Russia "continues to investigate accusations of widespread doping abuse by athletes." Many of the claims were outlined in a World Anti-Doping Agency report by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren in July. Lazutov: "Moscow asked the U.S. for legal support in obtaining evidence regarding the former head of a Moscow anti-doping lab, Grigory Rodchenkov, filed a request to Canada to access the copies of data that the McLaren report was basing on, and to Switzerland, to Berliner, the producer of doping test sample containers, to obtain information and documents pertaining to storing and opening the containers." Rodchenkov is "behind major doping allegations related to Russia, following his claims that at least 15 Russian athletes were part of a doping scheme" for the 2014 Sochi Olympics. A separate int'l request has been filed with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne regarding the decision on lawsuits brought by Russian athletes in the summer to "overturn the ban on them competing at the Rio Olympics." The RIC is "yet to receive a response to either of the requests." At the same time, Lazutov added that the committee is investigating all the information related to "the anti-doping rules breach by Russian athletes, coaches, and officials of the Russian Ministry of Sport, the top officials and other employees of the federation of track and field athletics, of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency" (RT, 11/30).