Re: NYT article about Russian doping scandal at the Sochi Olympic Games
The website "Sputnik" has been following the story with periodic updates.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) needs information about the alleged breaches of the doping rules by Russia at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia's southern resort of Sochi to start an investigation, President of WADA Craig Reedie said.
WADA Needs Info on Alleged Russia's Breaches of Rules During Sochi Olympics
http://sputniknews.com/sport/20160513/1039550893/wada-sochi-olympics-doping.html
13.05.2016 - On Thursday, US media reported, citing then-director of the Russia-based antidoping laboratory Grigory Rodchenkov, that dozens of Russian athletes at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, including at least 15 medal winners and the entire women’s hockey team, had been using doping throughout the Games.
"We have been dealing with the compliance of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency… There are new allegations, which have surfaced only in the last two-three days… I am talking about breaches of the rules in Sochi. Now, before I can do anything, say anything or investigate, I need to have that information… Once we know that, then we will investigate. So I am not prejudging the situation. I have to say the news, is not comfortable news in Russia," Reedie told R-Sport.
Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said on Thursday that the claims about Russian athletes doping at the 2014 Olympics were "absurd," adding that a detailed official response was yet to come.
The Russian authorities have promised to carry out a clean-up program to fulfill WADA demands that came after the agency accused Russia of breaching global anti-doping regulations in 2015, in order for country's athletes to be allowed to participate in the 2016 Olympics
The Kremlin spokesman dismissed reports, which claimed that Russian athletes allegedly took doping during the Sochi Olympics, as "defamation by a defector".
'Defamation by Defector': Kremlin Disproves Reports of State Doping Program
http://sputniknews.com/sport/20160513/1039549011/doping-program-russia-peskov.html
13.05.2016 - Reports in the West that Russian athletes participating in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi took part in a state-funded doping program designed to enhance their performance are groundless and look like “defamation by a defector,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday.
“I would say that these statements seem completely proofless and aren’t based on any sort of information deserving trust and are not backed by any sort of argumentation. This simply looks like, you know, defamation by a defector or something like that. I wouldn’t trust these types of unfounded statements,” Peskov told journalists.
The athletes allegedly involved in the doping scandal, including 15 medal winners, reportedly received a mixture of three banned drugs, the New York Times reported, citing the director of a laboratory that tested the athletes, Grigory Rodchenkov.
Rodchenkov claimed the laboratory had to replace the Olympians' urine to conceal the athletes’ use of drugs.
Claims of former director the Russian antidoping laboratory Grigory Rodchenkov regarding Russian athletes’ doping at the 2014 Winter Olympics could be nothing but the setting of personal accounts, a representative of the Russian Sports Ministry told R-Sport.
Claims of Russian Athletes’ Doping at 2014 Olympics Must Be Proven
http://sputniknews.com/sport/20160513/1039535460/russian-athlets-doping-claims.html
13.05.2016 - The also added that they need to be supported by factual evidence.
On Thursday, US media reported, citing then-director of the Russian antidoping laboratory Grigory Rodchenkov, that dozens of Russian athletes at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, including at least 15 medal winners and the entire women’s hockey team, were doping throughout the Games.
"Everything voiced by the former director of the laboratory is shocking indeed. However, given that he was relieved of his post precisely for probe manipulation, all of what he said may be nothing but the settling of personal accounts," the Russian Sports Ministry representative said.
According to the Sports Ministry, Russia has already proven its commitment to the fight against doping by having invited foreign experts to be responsible for doping control in the country.
"We have nothing to hide and we will continue this work," the ministry representative said.
Russia sent a letter to WADA requesting to investigate meldonium probe results.
Russian Sports Ministry Urges WADA to Consider Meldonium Issue
http://sputniknews.com/sport/20160511/1039405677/meldonium-wada-russian-sports-ministry.html
11.05.2016 - Russian Ministry of Sports has sent a letter to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) with the request to pay serious attention to the problem of meldonium, Natalya Zhelanova, an adviser to Russia's sports minister, said.
In March, a number of prominent Russian athletes were tested positive for meldonium, added to the list of banned substances on January 1, 2016 by WADA.
Meldonium was developed in Latvia to treat patients with heart conditions. WADA considers the drug to be a metabolic modulator that increases athletes' endurance and shortens post-exercise rehabilitation time.
In April, WADA said in a statement that less than 1 micrograms of meldonium per milliliter in a doping test would be permissible in samples submitted before March 1, 2016.
The majority of doping-rule violations registered in 2014 were made by the Russian athletes, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said in a report on Wednesday.
Russian Athletes Above All in Anti-Doping Rules Violations Report for 2014
http://sputniknews.com/sport/20160427/1038734060/wada-doping-rules-violations.html
27.04.2016 - According to WADA's Anti-Doping Rule Violations Report, 148 out of 1,693 violations were made by Russian athletes, followed by Italians with 123 violations.
In December 2014, Germany’s ARD television broadcaster released the film titled "The Doping Secret: How Russia Creates Champions" on alleged doping abuse and corruption in Russian sports. Following the release of the film, WADA launched an investigation into the allegations of doping abuse in Russian sports.
In November 2015, WADA presented a report, accusing Russia of numerous breaches of global anti-doping regulations and recommended the country be banned from international athletics competitions, which then led to the All-Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF) suspension from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
In March, a number of prominent Russian athletes were tested positive for meldonium, medicine added to the list of banned substances on January 1, 2016 by WADA.
Earlier this month, WADA revoked its accreditation of the Moscow anti-doping laboratory, citing the lab’s alleged non-compliance with the International Standard for Laboratories and related technical documents.
Attempts by the World Anti-Doping Agency to suspend Russian track and field athletes from the Olympics in Rio are likely to fail, German newspaper Frankfurter Rundschau wrote.
This is Why WADA Doping Scandal 'Will Burst Like a Bubble'
http://sputniknews.com/world/20160427/1038703317/wada-doping-scandal.html
27.04.2016 - According to German analyst Jürgen Ahäuzer, members of the Russian athletics team are expected to participate in the Olympic Games in Brazil, simply because Russia is not the only country which experienced a scandal of that kind.
"Russian athletes can hope for Rio because half of the world is stuck in a stinking doping swamp," the analyst wrote.
In Ahäuzer's opinion, the intentions behind the revelation have been good, but at the end the whole scandal is likely to burst like a bubble.
The doping scandal broke out in December 2014 following a documentary of the German TV channel ARD. The film revealed that Russian athletes were regularly taking the banned meldonium drug as instructed by their coaches.
Some 30 Russian athletes have tested positive for the drug so far, with Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova being the first to admit the results of her positive test in public. The overall number of athletes who tested positive for meldonium, including those from Sweden, Georgia, Ukraine and other countries, has reached 100, BBC reported.
Earlier, Russian Minister of Sports Vitaly Mutko stated in an interview with German magazine Der Spiegel that the Russian national athletics team will be able to participate in the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
"We have done everything to ensure that the disqualification has been canceled," Mutko said. "We've changed org-men and coaches who raised suspicions. Our athletes have a moral right to be in Rio," Mutko stressed.
The Minister also added that if Russian athletes aren't allowed to participate in the Olympics the entire Russian sports team will boycott the event.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has no grounds to punish Russian athletes who have tested positive for meldonium, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said Wednesday.
WADA Lacks Grounds to Punish Russian Athletes for Meldonium Use – Minister
http://sputniknews.com/sport/20160413/1037935222/wada-meldonium-russia.html
13.04.2016 - Earlier in the day, WADA said in a statement seen by the R-Sport news agency that less than 1 micrograms of meldonium per milliliter would be permissible in samples submitted before March 1, 2016. The world anti-doping body listed meldonium as a banned substance on January 1.
"WADA has no grounds to punish the Russian athletes whose doping tests were positive for meldonium," Mutko told R-Sport.
According to the sports minister, the fight against doping is aimed at protecting the "clean" athletes and punishing those who deliberately use illegal substances.
"In this case [with meldonium] we can see that it is impossible to prove the guilt of an athlete. As well as [the athlete’s] innocence, by the way. The drug has so far proven to be more complex and requires a serious study," Mutko added.
Meldonium is used in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union to treat heart conditions. The WADA says the drug is used to enhance an athlete's performance. Mutko estimates 40 Russian athletes have been implicated in meldonium use.
The controversy surrounding the use of meldonium will be resolved in the near future, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said Tuesday.
Russian Sports Minister Expects 'Good News' in Meldonium Issue Soon
http://sputniknews.com/sport/20160412/1037864726/russia-good-news-meldonium.html
12.04.2016 - The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) placed meldonium on its banned substance list on January 1, 2016, saying the drug is used to enhance an athlete's performance. Mutko estimates 40 Russian athletes have been implicated in meldonium use.
"We will sort out meldonium, everything will be alright. This is a trap drug. I hope there will be good news in the near future," Mutko told reporters.
He noted that Russian sports continued to grow despite efforts to "work up" the issue.
"In principle, Russian sports are a leader. Any attempts to somehow tarnish it with doping scandals are not true. I am very pleased with how our athletes prepare and perform," Mutko said.
Meldonium is a Latvian-made anti-ischemic drug used in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union to treat heart conditions.
In March, Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova admitted to having tested positive for the drug. Her statement was followed by more cases of Russian athletes found taking meldonium.
The number of Russian athletes testing positive for meldonium is on par with the corresponding figure in other countries, Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said.
Russian Athletes Testing Positive for Meldonium on Par With Others
http://sputniknews.com/sport/20160325/1036963083/russian-athletes-meldonium.html
25.03.2016 - Twenty-seven Russian athletes have tested positive for the recently banned substance known as meldonium, a figure on a par with athletes in other countries, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said Friday.
"If you take a quantitative indicator, it is the same number of anti-doping laws violations as in other countries at around 200 per year. At the moment there are 27 people with meldonium and somewhere around 127 people worldwide," Mutko told R-Sport.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) placed meldonium, an anti-ischemic medication, on its list of banned substances on January 1 citing evidence it was being used to enhance performance.
Dmitry Peskov said that a full chain of events leading to the latest doping scandal in Russian sports should be restored without emotions to avoid similar incidents among Russian athletes.
Kremlin Urges 'Utmost Care' Investigating Sports Meldonium Scandal
http://sputniknews.com/russia/20160322/1036725567/russia-doping-scandal-meldonium.html
22.03.2016 - A full chain of events leading to the latest doping scandal in Russian sports should be restored without emotions to avoid similar incidents among Russian athletes, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday.
"Let us not forget that the President urged to find out what was the cause of the meldonium scandal with the utmost care. It is necessary to restore the chain without emotions, to ensure our athletes are prevented from a recurrence of similar cases," Peskov told reporters.
Russian athletes have not passed new Meldonium drug test during a national championship, a source familiar with the situation told R-Sport on Monday
Testing Positive: Four Russian Athletes Burned By New Meldonium Ban
http://sputniknews.com/russia/20160321/1036644841/athlets-meldonium-wada-test.html
21.03.2016 - Four Russian track and field athletes tested positive for the recently banned substance Meldonium during a national championship in late February, a source familiar with the situation told R-Sport on Monday.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) banned the anti-ischemic drug on January 1, 2016, due to evidence it was being used to enhance performance.
Several top athletes, including tennis star Maria Sharapova, have recently tested positive for the substance.
R-Sport quoted Russian sprinter Nadezhda Kotlyarova disclosing on Sunday she had requested anti-doping regulators to unseal and analyze her second sample after the first sample had detected 25 nanograms of Meldonium
Evidence indicates Russian tennis start Maria Sharapova’s use of a recently banned substance was unintentional, her lawyer said Wednesday.
No Evidence Whatsoever’ Sharapova Used Banned Substance Intentionally
http://sputniknews.com/sport/20160310/1036043011/sharapova-unintentional-doping.html
10.03.2016 - Sharapova said on Monday she tested positive for meldonium, which her family doctor prescribed as Mildronate since 2006 to treat her health conditions. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) added meldonium to the list of banned substances on January 1 after a year on its monitoring program.
"There is no evidence whatsoever that this was intentional on Maria’s behalf," John Haggerty told The Daily Telegraph in a telephone interview.
Haggerti contended that a theoretical four-year maximum penalty could be cut by half based on that argument.
"I believe that there are substantial mitigating factors that require a further reduction from two years down to significantly below that," he stressed.
Asked whether Sharapova could have her penalty reduced under the Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE), Haggerty said he was not allowed to discuss the issue, but added that "Maria and I are looking at all of her options."
"Maria’s medical records, which will be presented to the ITF [International Tennis Federation], do make it clear that the medical treatment was necessary and recommended by her doctor. And the dosage Maria was taking was substantially less than any dosage that has been linked with the performance-enhancing attributes of mildronate," Haggerti stressed.
The counsel further sought to "disabuse" the notion that Sharapova used the substance daily for 10 years, suggesting that the dosage was limited to four to six weeks, two to three times a year.
ITF said it would provisionally suspend Sharapova on March 12, with a first hearing in her case reportedly scheduled to be held in London on March 23.
Russian figure skater Ekaterina Bobrova announced Monday she also had tested positive for meldonium. The following day, reports emerged that short-track speed-skater Semion Elistratov, speed skater Pavel Kulizhnikov and national volleyball team member Alexander Markin also had tested positive for meldonium.
WADA classifies meldonium as a metabolic modulator that increases athletes' endurance and shortens post-exercise rehabilitation time, as well as being shown to enhance the activation of central nervous system functions.
Russia continues to oppose the politicization of sports, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday in regard to the recent doping scandal involving Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova.
Kremlin on Sharapova Doping Scandal: Russia Slams Politicization of Sports
http://sputniknews.com/sport/20160309/1035999447/kremlin-sharapova-doping.html
On Monday, Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam champion, said she tested positive for meldonium, medicine added to the list of banned substances on January 1, 2016. She said her family doctor began issuing meldonium, also known as mildronate, in 2006 because of the health issues she had.
"We continue to insist that sports should always remain outside politics and that attempts of politicizing sports, attempts to use sports as some sort of a political instrument to reach one or another goal is destructive for sports, international sports. It is unacceptable and unjustifiable," Peskov told journalists.
The 28-year-old is ranked as the 6th best tennis player in the world by the Women's Tennis Association, and ranked number 1 in singles on five separate occasions. Born in Siberia, she has played professionally since 2001, when she was only 14-years-old.
Sharapova is the only Russian to hold the career Grand Slam, and earned Russia a silver medal for women's singles during the 2012 Summer Olympics.
According to the Kremlin spokesman, there have been several cases of athletes and sports officials being taken down, including the recent scandal involving former FIFA head Joseph Blatter.
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