Russia Out Of Olympics?

Russia is facing expulsion from Rio Olympics following the discovery of "mind-blowing level of corruption."

18:13 19 July 2016

Evidence of ‘state-directed, fail-safe’ doping throughout Russian Olympic sport has been unearthed by a two-month investigation commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The body is now calling for all Russian Athletes to be banned from the Rio Olympics over ‘mind-blowing level of corruption.’

 

President Craig Reedie, who is also an IOC member, said: 'In the face of such evidence of state-sponsored subversion of anti-doping processes, WADA insists upon imposition of the most serious consequences to protect clean athletes from the scourge of doping in sport.' 

 

Travis Tygart, WADA CEO, said that the probe, led by arbitrator Richard McLaren, uncovered corruption involving both the Russian sport and government. On Monday, he presented his findings at a press conference in Toronto saying that doped samples were swapped with clean samples at the laboratory for the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014 and that these plans were directed by the Russian sports ministry. He added that the cheating programme is thought to have been started in 2011 and that there were at least 312 falsified results.

 

In November, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), track’s world governing body, has suspended Russia after a World Anti-Doping Agency reported state-sponsored doping in Russian track and field. The ban was upheld by the IAAF in a vote last month.