Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

Kremlin terms doping allegations against Russian athletes 'groundless'

Last updated on: November 10, 2015 15:49 IST

A monument of the Soviet state founder Vladimir Lenin is seen in front of the Luzhniki stadium, which hosted the IAAF World Athletics Championships 2013 and is now under reconstruction, in Moscow on Tuesday

IMAGE: A monument of the Soviet state founder Vladimir Lenin is seen in front of the Luzhniki stadium, which hosted the IAAF World Athletics Championships 2013 and is now under reconstruction, in Moscow on Tuesday. Photograph: Maxim Shemetov/Reuters

The Kremlin on Tuesday dismissed allegations from the World Anti-Doping Agency that Russian athletes were guilty of using banned performance-enhancing substances on a large-scale, saying the assertions were groundless.

Key points from WADA's damning report against Russian athletics

Russia faces ban from athletics for widespread doping offences

WADA calls for ban on Russia for state-sponsored doping

"Until some evidence is presented ... it is difficult to accept these accusations, they are quite groundless," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Meanwhile, the Russian Sports Ministry said on Tuesday it was open for closer cooperation with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in order to eliminate any irregularities committed by the Russian anti-doping watchdog and its accredited laboratory.

On Monday an anti-doping commission report alleged widespread corruption in Russia, triggering one of the biggest doping scandals in sporting history.

The ministry also said Russia's anti-doping policy had strictly complied with WADA norms.

WADA has recommended that Russian athletes are excluded from international events including the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.

"Russia has been and will be fully committed to the fight against doping in sport," the ministry said in a statement.

The commission said that at one point the laboratory in Moscow accredited by WADA destroyed 1,417 samples shortly before an inspection. [ID:nL8N1342J7]

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said there was no evidence for the accusations against the Russian Athletics Federation, and that the samples had been destroyed at WADA's request.

The ministry also said Russia's anti-doping policy has been in full compliance with "strict recommendations" from WADA and the International Olympic Committee, and that independent international observers had been engaged during big sporting events in Russia to oversee anti-doping procedures.

Source: REUTERS
© Copyright 2024 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.