Doping in Russia
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There have been allegations of doping in Russian sports. Media attention grew significantly after December 2014, when German broadcaster ARD reported on state-sponsored doping in Russia, comparing it to doping in East Germany. WADA published a report in November 2015 which was highly critical of RUSADA and the All-Russia Athletic Federation (ARAF).[1][2]
Doping issues
In 2008, seven Russian track and field athletes were suspended ahead of the Summer Olympics in Beijing for manipulating their urine samples. The president of the International Biathlon Union, Anders Besseberg, said, "We are facing systematic doping on a large scale in one of the strongest teams of the world."[3]
Reviewing 7289 blood samples from 2737 athletes from 2001 to 2009, a report found that the number of suspicious samples from "Country A" notably exceeded other countries.[4] One of the authors said that Country A was Russia.[3] Arne Ljungqvist, WADA's former vice chairman, commented that "WADA always had an excuse as to why they wouldn't move forward. They expected Russia to clean up themselves."[3]
Allegations of state-sponsored doping
A former worker at RUSADA, Vitaly Stepanov, said that over three years he had sent 200 emails and 50 letters about Russian doping to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).[5] In December 2012, Darya Pishchalnikova sent an email to WADA containing details on an alleged state-run doping program in Russia. According to The New York Times, the email reached three top WADA officials but the agency decided not to open an inquiry and instead sent her email to Russian sports officials.[3]
Stepanov later contacted the German broadcaster ARD. In December 2014, ARD released a documentary alleging Russian state involvement in systematic doping, which it described as "East German-style".[6] These resulted in then ARAF President Valentin Balakhnichev's resignation as Treasurer of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).[7]
Later reports
In response to the ARD documentary, WADA commissioned an investigation, the report of which was published on 9 November 2015. The 323-page document, described as "damning" by The Guardian,[2] reported widespread doping and large-scale cover ups by the authorities. It recommended that ARAF be declared non-compliant with respect to the World Anti-Doping Code, and recommended that the International Olympic Committee not accept any entries from ARAF until compliance was reached.[8][9] On 13 November, the IAAF council voted 22–1 in favour of prohibiting Russia from world sports events with immediate effect.[10] Under other penalties against the ARAF, Russia has been also prohibited from hosting the 2016 World Race Walking Team Championships (Cheboksary) and 2016 World Junior Championships (Kazan), and ARAF must entrust doping cases to Court of Arbitration for Sport.[10]
AFAR accepted the indefinite IAAF suspension and did not request a hearing.[11] ARAF's efforts towards regaining full IAAF membership will be monitored by a five-person IAAF team.[12] On 18 November 2015 WADA suspended RUSADA, meaning that Russia does not have a functioning NADO for any sport.[13][14]
In June 2016, WADA released a report stating that the work of its Doping Control Officers (DCO) had been limited by a "significant amount of unavailable athlete reports and missed tests", insufficient or incorrect athlete location information, and little information about the location or date of competitions. Some athletes named military cities requiring special permission to enter as their location and some national championships, including Olympic qualifiers, were held in cities with restricted access due to civil conflicts, preventing testing of the competitors.[15] WADA also reported intimidation of DCOs by armed FSB agents; "significant delays" before being allowed to enter venues; consistent monitoring by security staff; delays in receiving athlete lists; and opening of sample packages by Russian customs.[15]
According a May 2016 report in The New York Times, the director of a prominent laboratory, Grigory Rodchenkov, said that doping experts collaborated with Russia's intelligence service on a state-sponsored doping programme in which doping samples were switched through a hole in the wall in the laboratory.[16] Rodchenkov said that at least fifteen medalists at the 2014 Winter Olympics were involved.[16] In June 2016, ARD aired a documentary implicating Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko.[17]
Reactions
Some athletes have criticized WADA, alleging that the agency has been reluctant to investigate Russia despite multiple tips over several years.[3] WADA officials stated that the agency lacked the authority to carry out its own investigations until 2015.[5][18]
In June 2016, The Guardian reported that a letter approved by over twenty athletes' groups from multiple sports and countries as well as the chairs of the IOC's and WADA's athletes committees, Claudia Bokel and Beckie Scott, had been sent to IOC president Thomas Bach and WADA head Craig Reedie; the letter criticised the IOC and WADA for inaction and silence until the media became involved and said that athlete confidence in the anti-doping system had been "shattered".[19]
Other controversies
References
- ^ "Ban All Russian Track Athletes: World Anti-Doping Agency Panel". NBC. 9 November 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
- ^ a b Gibson, Owen (9 November 2015). "Russia accused of 'state-sponsored doping' as Wada calls for athletics ban". Guardian. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
- ^ a b c d e The New York Times, Rebecca R.; Macur, Juliet; Austen, Ian (15 June 2016). "Even With Confession of Cheating, World's Doping Watchdog Did Nothing".
- ^ "Prevalence of Blood Doping in Samples Collected From Elite Track and Field Athletes". May 2011.
- ^ a b Pells, Eddie (8 May 2016). "60 Minutes: WADA received 200 emails from whistleblower about Russian doping scandal". Associated Press. CBC News.
- ^ Olterman, Philip (3 December 2014). "Russia accused of athletics doping cover-up on German TV". Guardian. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
- ^ "IAAF investigating Russian Olympic gold medallist Elena Lashmanova". the Guardian.
- ^ "Independent Commission – Report 1". World Anti-Doping Agency. 9 November 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
- ^ "Athletics doping: Wada commission recommends Russia suspension". BBC. 9 November 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
- ^ a b "IAAF provisionally suspends Russian Member Federation ARAF". iaaf.org. 13 November 2015.
- ^ "Russia accepts full, indefinite ban from world athletics over doping scandal". The Guardian. 26 November 2015. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
- ^ "Athletics doping: IAAF names team to inspect Russian reforms". BBC. 17 November 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- ^ Faloyin, Dipo (19 November 2015). "WADA Suspends Russia's Anti-Doping Agency". Newsweek. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
- ^ Ingle, Sean (18 November 2015). "Russian Anti-Doping Agency suspended by Wada for non-compliance". Guardian. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
- ^ a b "Update on the status of Russia testing" (PDF). WADA. June 2016.
- ^ a b Ruiz, Rebecca R.; Schwirtz, Michael (12 May 2016). "Russian Insider Says State-Run Doping Fueled Olympic Gold". The New York Times.
- ^ Gibson, Owen (7 June 2016). "Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko implicated in latest doping allegations". The Guardian.
- ^ Gibson, Owen (1 June 2016). "New doping report will influence decision on Russia's place at Olympics". The Guardian.
- ^ Ingle, Sean (14 June 2016). "Athletes 'have lost faith' in IOC and Wada over Russia failures". The Guardian.