In quotes published by British newspaper The Guardian, Mutko said that even if Russia’s athletes are suspended, “we don’t plan to boycott anything, anywhere”.
Advertisement
Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said “no one asks for or listens to the arguments of the Russian side” and that sources for information in the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) report appeared to be “extremely doubtful”. The plane carrying the sports officials was forced to land in the city of Mineralnye Vody, where they have instead arranged a meeting with Russian Olympic Committee president Alexander Zhukov.
Commission recommended global Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to suspend Russian athletes from participation in competitions under its auspices, including the 2016 Olympics.
“These have been shocking findings so the message must be strong: that we can not tolerate this, whether it’s Russia or any other federation”, she said.
In comments reported on the Kremlin’s website, Putin said: “It is necessary to conduct our own internal investigation and to provide the open – I stress – the most open and professional cooperation with the worldwide anti-doping agencies”.
“It will be painful for those athletes with clean consciences who could compete, that’s the first thing”, said Mutko.
Bach has said sanctions are up to the IAAF and WADA, but also stressed that the IOC will be ready to strip any medals from Olympic athletes mentioned in the report who are found guilty of doping.
After a slew of uncomfortable headlines over alleged state-sponsored doping, the man who leads the organization that oversees the Olympics Games predicted that Russian Federation would be cooperating to ensure its participation in Rio de Janerio 2016. “It is a system that is highly valued by Britain’s sports governing bodies and our clean athletes”.
The Russian federation’s acting president Vadim Zelichenok says it will “admit a few things” in its response. “As far as I understood from yesterday’s talks with the heads of WADA and IAAF, they are also prepared [for this]”, Mutko told R-Sport.
Lord Coe told Sky News the IAAF could impose a ban on Russian Federation when it considers the WADA report at a special meeting on Friday.
Diack ended his 16-year reign as IAAF president in August, when Briton Sebastian Coe, a double Olympic 1500m victor, was elected as his replacement.
Advertisement
“We are always open to collaboration with all worldwide bodies and willing to continue comprehensive assistance to any initiatives aimed at eradication of doping”, the committee said in a statement. We think that all the goals have been achieved regarding this.
