WADA ‘disturbed’ by new Russian claims | CNN

WADA to investigate fresh Russian Olympic doping claims

By Motez Bishara, CNN
2 minute read
Updated 1:31 PM EDT, Tue May 10, 2016
The World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) new report is the latest twist to hit the Russian doping scandal, building on Professor Richard Mclaren's initial findings, published in July, which concluded doping was widespread among Russian athletes.
The World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) new report is the latest twist to hit the Russian doping scandal, building on Professor Richard Mclaren's initial findings, published in July, which concluded doping was widespread among Russian athletes.
FRANCK FIFE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
More than 1,000 Russian athletes across 30 sports -- including football -- benefited from state-sponsored doping, according to the latest report.
More than 1,000 Russian athletes across 30 sports -- including football -- benefited from state-sponsored doping, according to the latest report.
ALEXANDER JOE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
The doping program, across summer, winter and Paralympic sports, was in operation from 2011 to 2015, said Mr McLaren, who presented his latest findings at a news conference in London Friday.
The doping program, across summer, winter and Paralympic sports, was in operation from 2011 to 2015, said Mr McLaren, who presented his latest findings at a news conference in London Friday.
JOEL SAGET/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
WADA's initial report on alleged widespread drug use in international athletics concluded that senior figures including IAAF president Sebastian Coe (pictured) "could not have been unaware of the extent of doping."
WADA's initial report on alleged widespread drug use in international athletics concluded that senior figures including IAAF president Sebastian Coe (pictured) "could not have been unaware of the extent of doping."
LUKAS BARTH/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Former WADA president Dick Pound chaired a press conference held in Munich on January 14, 2016 to present the 89-page report. It said "corruption was embedded" and "cannot be blamed on a small number of miscreants" within the IAAF.
Former WADA president Dick Pound chaired a press conference held in Munich on January 14, 2016 to present the 89-page report. It said "corruption was embedded" and "cannot be blamed on a small number of miscreants" within the IAAF.
LUKAS BARTH/AFP/Getty Images
A report by the IAAF's ethics committee claims a powerful trio blackmailed Russian distance runner Lilya Shobukhova into paying them off to keep results of her positive drug tests secret.
A report by the IAAF's ethics committee claims a powerful trio blackmailed Russian distance runner Lilya Shobukhova into paying them off to keep results of her positive drug tests secret.
Russia's former athletics president Valentin Balakhnichev, its ex-chief coach for long-distance athletes Alexei Melnikov and former IAAF consultant Papa Massata Diack have all been banned for life. The report said "far from supporting the anti-doping regime, they subverted it." The IAAF's former anti-doping director Gabriel Dollé has been given a five-year ban.
Russia's former athletics president Valentin Balakhnichev, its ex-chief coach for long-distance athletes Alexei Melnikov and former IAAF consultant Papa Massata Diack have all been banned for life. The report said "far from supporting the anti-doping regime, they subverted it." The IAAF's former anti-doping director Gabriel Dollé has been given a five-year ban.
Paul Gilham/Getty Images/file
The report claims Balakhnichev, Melnikov and Papa Massata Diack "conspired together ... to conceal for more than three years anti-doping violations by an athlete at what appeared to be the highest pinnacle of her sport. All three compounded the vice of what they did by conspiring to extort what were in substance bribes from Shobukhova by acts of blackmail."
The report claims Balakhnichev, Melnikov and Papa Massata Diack "conspired together ... to conceal for more than three years anti-doping violations by an athlete at what appeared to be the highest pinnacle of her sport. All three compounded the vice of what they did by conspiring to extort what were in substance bribes from Shobukhova by acts of blackmail."
BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images/file
Pound produced an independent report in November 2015 which detailed systemic doping in Russia along with an establishment effort to cover it up. He recommended Russia be banned from athletic competition, which it duly was by the IAAF.
Pound produced an independent report in November 2015 which detailed systemic doping in Russia along with an establishment effort to cover it up. He recommended Russia be banned from athletic competition, which it duly was by the IAAF.
Getty Images
The findings uncovered a "deeply-rooted culture of cheating at all levels" within Russian athletics. Asked if it amounted to state-sponsored doping, Pound told reporters: "In the sense of consenting to it, there's no other conclusion."
The findings uncovered a "deeply-rooted culture of cheating at all levels" within Russian athletics. Asked if it amounted to state-sponsored doping, Pound told reporters: "In the sense of consenting to it, there's no other conclusion."
Robert Cianflone/Getty Images/file
The report suggested the London 2012 Olympics -- in which Russia won 24 gold medals and finished fourth -- was "in a sense, sabotaged by the admission of athletes who should have not been competing."
The report suggested the London 2012 Olympics -- in which Russia won 24 gold medals and finished fourth -- was "in a sense, sabotaged by the admission of athletes who should have not been competing."
Al Bello/Getty Images/file
Pound's report detailed "corruption and bribery practices at the highest levels of international athletics," evidence of which has been given to international crime-fighting organization Interpol for further investigation.
Pound's report detailed "corruption and bribery practices at the highest levels of international athletics," evidence of which has been given to international crime-fighting organization Interpol for further investigation.
Glenn Hunt/Getty Images
Senegal's Lamine Diack, former president of the IAAF, is being investigated by French police over claims he accepted bribes to defer sanctions against drug cheats from Russia. French prosecutors claim he took "more than €1 million ($1M)" for his silence. Diack has yet to comment.
Senegal's Lamine Diack, former president of the IAAF, is being investigated by French police over claims he accepted bribes to defer sanctions against drug cheats from Russia. French prosecutors claim he took "more than €1 million ($1M)" for his silence. Diack has yet to comment.
Paul Gilham/Getty Images
Coe, a former Olympic gold medalist, has come under fire for his praise for predecessor Diack, whom he called the sport's "spiritual leader" when he took over the role in August 2015. He told CNN he would "do anything to fix our sport."
Coe, a former Olympic gold medalist, has come under fire for his praise for predecessor Diack, whom he called the sport's "spiritual leader" when he took over the role in August 2015. He told CNN he would "do anything to fix our sport."
Andrew Redington/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Athletics in crisis

Story highlights

Whistleblower claims champions doped at Sochi

WADA says allegations "very disturbing"

Russian athletes already banned from competition

CNN  — 

It could prove to be the final nail in Russia’s Rio Olympic coffin: the World Anti-Doping Agency is to investigate claims that four Russian gold medalists at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi used steroids.

Russian intelligence agents also “tried to control every single step of the anti-doping process in Sochi,” whistleblower Vitaly Stepanov, who used to work for Russia’s anti-doping agency, told CBS’ “60 Minutes.” The program aired Sunday.

IAAF President Sebastian Coe says Russian athletes will return to athletics when anti-doping changes are verified and sustainable.
IAAF President Sebastian Coe says Russian athletes will return to athletics when anti-doping changes are verified and sustainable.
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Stepanov said he has more than 15 hours of taped conversations with Grigory Rodchenkov, the former head of Russia’s drug testing laboratory (RUSADA). It’s in those conversations Stepanov said, that Rodchenkov mentions the four athletes and their alleged steroid use.

READ MORE: Report finds Russian athletic doping rampant

CNN was unable to independently confirm the information in the “60 Minutes” report, while the Russian Sports Ministry and the country’s Olympic Committee did not respond to requests for comment.

“The claims made in the program offer real cause for concern, as they contain new allegations regarding attempts to subvert the anti-doping process at the Sochi Games,” WADA president Sir Craig Reedie said in released statement.

“Mr. Rodchenkov was of course interviewed by WADA’s Independent Commission that exposed widespread doping in Russian athletics last year; yet, regrettably, he was not forthcoming with such information related to the Sochi Games.

“It is surprising to hear these views so many months after the Commission concluded its work,” added Reedie.

READ MORE: WADA to probe claims of doping in Russia swimming

A picture taken on October 21, 2013, shows Russian Anti-Doping Agency's executive director, Nikita Kamaev, speak during his interview with AFP in Moscow. Russia, for years after the fall of the Soviet Union notorious as one of the world's worst offenders in the fight against doping in sport, is finally making progress to crack down on drug cheats at home ahead of the Winter Olympics. AFP PHOTO / VASILY MAXIMOV (Photo credit should read VASILY MAXIMOV/AFP/Getty Images)
A picture taken on October 21, 2013, shows Russian Anti-Doping Agency's executive director, Nikita Kamaev, speak during his interview with AFP in Moscow. Russia, for years after the fall of the Soviet Union notorious as one of the world's worst offenders in the fight against doping in sport, is finally making progress to crack down on drug cheats at home ahead of the Winter Olympics. AFP PHOTO / VASILY MAXIMOV (Photo credit should read VASILY MAXIMOV/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images/file
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Stepanov and wife Yuliya, a former elite runner who has admitted steroid use, now live in hiding after lifting the lid on Russian doping.

Russia was banned from all Olympic track and field events indefinitely, including the Rio games in August, after a WADA report said the country effectively ran a state-sponsored doping program.

Its athletes will only be allowed to return when Russia can prove it has overhauled its drug-testing program.

Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko told the state-owned news agency TASS that: “The CBS film was purposely aired ahead of the meeting of WADA directors and founders. Nothing is done just like that.” The meeting begins later this week.

READ MORE: Doping in sport – Counting the human cost

Travis Tygart, the chief executive of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, told CBS it was a “stunning revelation,” and if true a “devastating blow to the Olympic values.”

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