Blood-doping scandal: a concern for the Kremlin

On 18 July, a report was published by an independent commission acting on behalf of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) revealing the state-organised system of doping in the Russian sports programme. WADA has advocated that the International Olympic Committee exclude Russia from the Olympic Games. On 24 July, however, the IOC decided not to exclude the entire Russian Olympic team from participation in the Games. Decisions concerning the admission of individual Russian athletes to the Games have been passed on to the governing bodies of the specific disciplines, which will take them on the basis of international anti-doping tests. Previously, the International Association of Athletics Federations had already taken the decision to exclude Russian athletes. Not as many athletes involved in doping scandals will attend the Olympics as in the past, nor as many of the Russian officials who had been involved in organising and covering up the doping.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Russia state-sponsored doping across majority of Olympic sports, claims report http://www.europeansources.info/record/russia-state-sponsored-doping-across-majority-of-olympic-sports-claims-report/

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