Russian doping scandal debated at IOC meeting in Rio
The IOC opted not to ban all Russian athletes from the Rio Olympics after revelations of a wide state-backed doping programme across many sports.
Eighty-four members supported the decision not to impose a blanket ban with only one – Britain’s Adam Pengilly – voting against.
Former World Anti-Doping Agency president Dick Pound has admitted there is a “disconnect” between Olympic sports and the anti-doping community – but is convinced it can be fixed.
Bach said a blanket ban, which he called the “nuclear option” at the Olympic summit on Tuesday, would have brought “death and devastation”.
Russia’s Olympic Committee chief Alexander Zhukov said he considered the IOC decision to be “very fair” given what he said was the pressure from several countries to ban his nation. “The cynical ‘collateral damage” approach is not what the Olympic movement stands for”.
“What is therefore not acceptable is the insinuation by some proponents of this “nuclear option” that anyone who does not share their opinion is not fighting against doping”, he added.
They expressed disappointment following the IOC Executive Board’s decision to allow some Russians to compete and accused the Games’ ruling body of lacking the leadership and courage to punish Russia.
It follows last month’s report by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren for WADA, which said Russia’s sports ministry and secret services evaded drug testers by switching samples at Russian laboratories.
In order to improve matters, Bach said that “we need a full review of WADA’s anti-doping system”.
The feud between the International Olympic Committee and WADA came as the legal imbroglio triggered by the Russian scandal continued to dog the build-up to the games.
The court also ordered Kuwait and its Public Authority for Sport (PAS) to pay the International Olympic Committee about 10,000 euros ($11,229.00) in fees and expenses.
Pound, however, did make the opening interjection, criticising Bach for not engaging in dialogue with his membership and called for an Extraordinary IOC Session to discuss doping issues.
Argentina’s Gerardo Werthein also hit out at WADA’s “failure to investigate serious and credible allegations more swiftly”.
“I urge you to resist this unprecedented pressure that is now on the entire Olympic movement and not to let this pressure to split the entire Olympic family”, he said.
But numerous others were gushing in their praise for Bach and took their lead from him in criticising WADA for not doing enough to combat the problem earlier.
“Why should WADA not be responsible for the violations made by the anti-doping labs it has accredited?” he said. “And it’s not just Russian Federation, it’s global”.
“We need and want WADA as the independent leader”. “This is about improving significantly a system in order to have a robust and efficient anti-doping system so that such a situation that we face now can not happen again”.
Bach has become increasingly emboldened in his stance since arriving in Rio, arguing in his opening press conference the IOC’s reputation had not been damaged by the affair.
By the end, however, Pound was among the 84 members who voted in favour.
The Olympic rings are seen at Barra Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Saturday – less than a week from the start of the 2016 Summer Games, which are being held in a South American nation for the first time.