Russian track and field athletes could be banned from the 2016 Olympics after an independent report detailed an apparently state-sponsored doping program.


Commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and carried out by ex-president Dick Pound, 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 a news conference: "In the sense of consenting to it, there's no other conclusion."

The report says over 1,400 samples had been "intentionally and maliciously" destroyed by a Moscow laboratory even after a WADA plea to preserve them.

It even suggests the London 2012 Olympics -- in which Russia won 24 gold medals -- were "in a sense, sabotaged by the admission of athletes who should have not been competing."


It criticizes an "inexplicable laissez-fair policy" adopted by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) -- the sport's governing body -- and recommends five athletes and five coaches are issued with life bans.

The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) was not immediately available for comment.



Pound's report details "corruption and bribery practices at the highest levels of international athletics," evidence of which has been transmitted to international crime-fighting organization Interpol for further investigation.

The fall-out from Pound's explosive report could now see the Russian track and field team being suspended from the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

Pound said: "For the 2016 Olympics our recommendation is that the Russian Federation is suspended. One of our hopes is that they will volunteer that so they can undertake the remedial work needed.

"If they don't then it has to play itself out and the outcome may be there are no Russian track and field athletes in Rio. I hope they recognize it is time to change and make those changes.

"If they do the surgery and do the therapy I hope they can get there [Rio]. The idea is not to exclude people from the Olympics."


The IAAF swiftly released a statement saying its president, Seb Coe, has taken the urgent step of seeking approval from his organization's council members to issue sanctions on Russia.

"The information in WADA's Independent Commissions Report is alarming," he said.

"We need time to properly digest and understand the detailed findings included in the report. However, I have urged the Council to start the process of considering sanctions against All-Russia Athletic Federation (ARAF).

"This step has not been taken lightly. Our athletes, partners and fans have my total assurance that where there are failures in our governance or our anti-doping programmes we will fix them.

"We will do whatever it takes to protect the clean athletes and rebuild trust in our sport. The IAAF will continue to offer the police authorities our full co-operation into their ongoing investigation."

More to follow ...


Source :
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/11/09/sport/athletics-doping-wada-coe/index.html

They can accuse Africans of age cheat whereas there's drug cheat [size=8pt][/size]