Rio 2016: Russian doping whistleblower given Olympics clearance | CNN

Rio 2016: Doping whistleblower Yuliya Stepanova given Olympics clearance

By Rob Hodgetts
2 minute read
Updated 9:19 AM EDT, Fri July 1, 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.
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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."
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Athletics in crisis

Story highlights

Doping whistleblower Yuliya Stepanova cleared to compete

Can race in Rio as "independent neutral"

More than 80 other Russian athletes have applied for "exceptional eligibility"

Russian athletes banned from Olympics in November for state-sponsored doping

CNN  — 

Her country’s athletes have been banned from this summer’s Olympics in Rio, but Russia’s doping whistleblower Yuliya Stepanova could compete after being cleared to race as an “independent neutral.”

Stepanova, who exposed systematic doping in Russian athletics along with husband Vitaly Stepanov, is the first of more than 80 Russian athletes to learn their fate after applying for “exceptional eligibility” to compete in an individual capacity.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) said Stepanova’s request was accepted unanimously as a result of her “truly exceptional contribution to the protection and promotion of clean athletes, fair play and the integrity and authenticity of the sport.”

READ: New WADA report gives fresh allegations of Russian doping

READ: Russian pole-vaulting great contest Olympic ban

The IAAF acknowledges there could be other Russian athletes who have been training in other countries under more rigorous anti-doping regimes and their applications will be assessed by the body’s doping review board.

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However, competition organizers – in Rio’s case the International Olympic Committee (IOC) – will have the final say.

IOC president Thomas Bach has said any “clean” Russian athlete who passes the eligibility tests can compete under their nation’s flag in Rio.

Read: WADA to investigate fresh Russian doping claims

Read: Doping in sport – counting the human cost

Stepanova, an 800m specialist who will be 30 on July 3, was banned for two years in 2013. She is now eligible to compete at the European athletics championships in Amsterdam from July 6-10.

Russia’s track and field athletes were banned from international competition in November after a damning report made accusations of state-sponsored doping.

Russia had 104 track and field athletes competing at London 2012.

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