Putin orders action over explosive doping claims

Vladimir Putin called on sports officials to carry out an internal investigation into allegations that Russian Federation engages in extensive, state-sponsored doping.

Grigory Rodchenkov, who resigned as head of the Moscow lab Tuesday, told CNN’s Matthew Chance he had only stepped down to save the facility’s reputation.

The WADA on Tuesday also withdrew accreditation of Moscow’s anti-doping laboratory, effectively suspending the center’s ability to conduct blood and urine tests.

Elsewhere, former IAAF president Lamine Diack has resigned as honorary member of the worldwide Olympic Committee following the launch of a formal investigation against the Senegalese for suspected corruption and money-laundering, the IOC said on Wednesday.

Acting president Vadim Zelichenok told The Associated Press on Monday that calls to ban Russia’s track and field team from next year’s Olympics are not “objective” because the federation leadership changed earlier this year, meaning a few of the key figures identified in the WADA report are no longer employed.

The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) said Wednesday that athletes using doping should be severely punished, but “clean athletes” should not be deprived of participating in tournaments.

In a statement, they said: “We believe Britain’s anti-doping system is robust”.

On Monday, the commission made it known its view is “that Russian Federation is not the only country, nor athletics the only sport, facing the problem of orchestrated doping in sport”.

The commission, chaired by the former Wada president Dick Pound, said six athletes with previous suspicious test results competed at the London Olympics.

The Senegalese national served as head of the IAAF for 16 years until August.

“We have a proven track record, and we will apply this zero-tolerance policy”, he said.

He was arrested by French investigators and charged with corruption last week amid allegations he took bribes to cover up doping cases, principally in Russian Federation.

Swimming’s world governing body FINA has defended its anti-doping system amid questioning of the set-up and fears the crisis engulfing athletics is not restricted to that sport.

A representative at the Russian ski federation said they could not comment on the prevalence of drug cheating in the sport because the federation boss was out of the office.

Representatives of Russia’s parliament have joined the Kremlin and the country’s minister of sport in protesting the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) recommended ban on Russian athletes due to suspicions of widespread doping.

Russia’s Olympic Committee issued a plea to IAAF chief Sebastian Coe not to sacrifice the dreams of clean competitors, a stance reiterated by Putin-himself a keen sportsman.

“Despite his ostensibly legitimate status, Dr. Portugalov’s activities indicate that he played a much more sinister role in the preparation of athletes”, it said.

WADA says it acted “immediately” on the recommendation in the report by its independent commission to shut the Russian lab.

The suspension would have to be confirmed by a disciplinary panel which could see the country banned until it can prove its anti-doping programme is working properly.