Russia doping: McLaren says final report still several months away

The final version of a report which has already revealed a system of state-sponsored doping in Russia is still several months away, its author Richard McLaren said on Friday.

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McLaren's interim report threw sport into chaos when it was published in July and detailed widespread doping and manipulation of tests by Russian athletes and officials, helped by the country's secret service. More than 100 Russian athletes were barred from this summer's Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee resisted calls to ban Russia entirely from the Rio Games, but has asked international sports federations for a freeze on holding major winter sports events such as world championships in Russia.

It was due to review this directive in December, but McLaren's comments threw that timeline into doubt.

“A date is not established," the Canadian sports lawyer told reporters at an event in Zurich.

"We are in the second phase of the investigation that’s directed primarily at the information we have on athletes and providing that information to the various international federations. Then it will be up to them to take action but that’s their decision, not mine."

He added: "We will also report on information we have that we didn’t have time to analyse in the last report and see if it makes the picture bigger or clearer. It’s at least several months away.”

IMAGE: Richard McLaren, who was appointed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to head an independent investigative team, presents his report in Toronto 

Photograph: Peter Power/Reuters