What A Load Of Dopes!

A world anti-doping agency commission wants Russia to be banned from athletics competition.

22:25 10 November 2015

Following accusation that the country is running a state-supported doping programme.

 

Russia is being accused of running a “state-supported” doping programme by a world anti-doping agency commission, which recommended banning the country from athletics competition.

 

The agency’s report, which was co-authored by sports lawyer Richard McLaren, shows “a different scale of corruption” even when compared with football’s ongoing Fifa scandal.

 

The report revealed many instances of inadequate testing and poor compliance around testing standards and that Russian doctors and/or laboratory personnel acted as enablers for systematic cheating along with athletics coaches.

 

Russia's sports minister Vitaly Mutko said that recommendations made on the basis of the report would be fulfilled. However, acting head of Araf Vadim Zelechenok, said that they should be given a chance to air their side.

 

He said: "Any suspension should be discussed at the meeting of the IAAF in November. It should be proven that any violations were the fault of the federation and not individual sports people. We should be given a chance to clear our names."

 

IAAF chief Lord Coe said that Russia should be given a chance to respond to the allegations before getting punished.

 

"It is the right thing to do to get them to give us an answer.”

 

"I am responsible for the conduct of my sport and I want answers from the Russian athletics federation. I am tough enough to defend my sport but the point I would emphasise is this is not just limited to athletics or Russia.

 

"We clearly have to understand full scope of allegations. We will look at ourselves. We will move quickly on this. I want to see a sport which is transparent and accountable and I will do what I can to do that. It will not be a swift road."