The IOC said it would begin re-testing athletes likely to take part in the Rio Games to prevent any drug cheats from competing.
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WADA announced the appointment on Thursday, with McLaren to work independently in wake of last week’s CBS 60 Minutes report, which claimed that four unnamed Russian gold medallists were among the athletes to have taken banned substances at the Games in Russia.
He said Russian Federation would cooperate with investigations into those allegations which are being conducted by WADA.
Photo of Richard McLaren provided by Western University.
“Dr. Rodchenkov and Mr. Stepanov – that are the informants for this investigation – both expressed concerns regarding “independence”. Dr. Rodchenkov and Mr. Stepanov indicated that, in light of a perceived conflict of interest – given that the allegations relate to the Sochi Olympics and that WADA is funded by the International Olympic Committee – they would only provide evidence in their possession to an independent person”.
Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko acknowledged that Russia has a problem with doping, and said Russia was “ashamed” in a column for the British newspaper The Sunday Times.
President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach told the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) that the Russian national team could be banned from participating in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro if allegations of a state-run doping scheme are verified, the RIA Novosti news agency reported Wednesday.
The Russians have been accused of state-sponsored doping at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. “If it is found that there have been violations of the World Anti-Doping Code, WADA will ensure that individuals or organizations concerned are dealt with in an appropriate fashion”.
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“At the end of the day the best game would be a fair play game so I’m looking forward to see what’s happening there and trying to get the sport as clean as possible and that is the best way for us competing”.
