Russian doping: Officials 'admit to existence of doping programme'

Vitaly Smirnov has been appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin to reform the country's anti-doping system

Russian officials have for the first time admitted to the existence of a doping operation which affected major competitions, the New York Times says.

The second McLaren report, published earlier this month, claimed more than 1,000 Russians benefited from a doping cover-up between 2011 and 2015.

The acting director general of Russia's anti-doping agency is quoted as saying "it was an institutional conspiracy".

However, the agency later said Anna Antseliovich's words were "distorted".

Rusada claims Antseliovich had been citing the wording of the report, which spoke of an "institutional conspiracy [that] existed across summer and winter sports athletes".

This, Rusada claims, created the impression Antseliovich "had admitted to an institutional system of a doping cover-up in Russia".

A Kremlin spokesman said the Russian authorities "need to check the authenticity" of Antseliovich's words and added that Russia has always denied allegations that the state is involved in doping.

During her interview, Antseliovich, who has not been directly implicated in the investigations, said that the government's top officials were not involved in the doping operation.

Vitaly Smirnov, the 81-year-old who has been a leading sports official since the Soviet era and who has been appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin to reform the anti-doping system, also spoke to the American newspaper.

"I don't want to speak for the people responsible," he said. "From my point of view, as a former minister of sport, president of Olympic committee, we made a lot of mistakes."

However, Smirnov also suggested the leaks made by the Fancy Bears - a group of hackers who have released the medical records of several athletes from around the world - showed Russia had not been competing on a level playing field.

"Russia never had the opportunities that were given to other countries," Smirnov said. "The general feeling in Russia is that we didn't have a chance."

Corruption on an 'unprecedented scale'

In July, an investigation commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) said Russia's sports ministry "directed, controlled and oversaw" manipulation of urine samples provided by its athletes.

A second Wada report from Canadian law professor and sports lawyer Dr Richard McLaren said the London 2012 Olympics was "corrupted on an unprecedented scale".

According to McLaren's report, salt and coffee were used to manipulate Russian samples and the system was refined over the course of the London 2012 Olympics, 2013 Worlds in Moscow and the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi to protect likely Russian medal winners.

Russia won 72 medals at the London Games, 21 of which were gold, and 33 medals at Sochi, 13 of which were gold.

Russian sports officials had previously denied the existence of any doping operation, even as the International Olympic Committee opened disciplinary proceedings against several Russian athletes, while the country also lost the hosting rights to a number of international events.

Russia's athletics team is banned from competition by the International Association of Athletics Federation.

Source: BBC

Russia's Stepanova: 'No accident' if something happens to me

Athletics - European championships - Women's 800m qualifiaction - Amsterdam - 6/7/16 Yulia Stepanova of Russia competes. (REUTERS)

The Russian runner who helped expose a system of state-backed doping in her country says she fears for her life and has been forced to move after hackers tried to find her location.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said on Saturday Yulia Stepanova's online doping management account had been illegally accessed. The doping scandal she lifted the lid on has rocked sport and cost over 100 Russians their place at the Rio Games.

Stepanova has been in hiding in the United States with her husband Vitaly, a former Russian anti-doping official, after giving evidence that the Russian government for years facilitated widespread cheating across nearly all Olympic sports.

Speaking to journalists on a video conference call just days before the 800 meters final in Rio, which she has been barred from running in following the suspension of Russian track-and-field from international competition, Stepanova said she had moved her family to another location after the hack.

"The only reason somebody would hack an ADAMS account is to find out your exact location," she said. "We decided it was safer to relocate.

"If something happens to us then you should know that it is not an accident."

All athletes have to enter their details into WADA's Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS) and register a time and location each day where they can be reached by doping testers for an out-of-competition test.

Stepanova and her husband have repeatedly raised concerns about their safety in light of the doping scandal they helped ignite and criticized the International Olympic Committee for not doing more to support whistleblowers.

Vitaly Stepanov said he did not know who had hacked his wife's account but said the couple were being watched by Russian authorities.

After she initially fled Russia for Germany, Russian sports officials said they did not know about any threats against Stepanova or her husband that could have compelled them to seek refuge abroad.

Stepanova said attending the Games - she and her husband declined an invitation from Olympic bosses to visit as spectators - would have left her particularly vulnerable.

General worries about safety and violent crime have cast a pall over the Rio Olympics. Most recently, U.S. gold medalist swimmer Ryan Lochte was robbed at gunpoint by men posing as police officers.

"Watching the Olympic Games and reading the news about what is happening there, on some level I'm glad that I didn't go," she said. "If someone wanted to hurt us, it would be very easy to do it there."

Pistorius jailed for six years for murder of girlfriend

Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius arrives for sentencing at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, South Africa, July 6, 2016. REUTERS.

South African Paralympic gold medalist Oscar Pistorius was sent to prison for six years on Wednesday for the 2013 murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, the latest twist in a trial that has gripped the world.

The state and large sections of the South African public had called for him to receive no less than the prescribed minimum 15-year sentence for murder, saying Pistorius had shown no remorse for the killing.

Judge Thokozile Masipa disagreed, accepting the defense's arguments for a lesser punishment.

"Public opinion may be loud and persistent but it can play no role in the decision of this court," Masipa said. "I am of the view that a long term in prison will not serve justice."

It was not clear whether the state would appeal the verdict.

Dressed in a dark suit, the 29-year-old stared straight ahead as Masipa read out the sentence.

Pistorius was found guilty of murdering Steenkamp by an appeals court last December. He had initially received a five-year sentence for a manslaughter conviction in 2014 handed down by Masipa, a ruling derided by women's groups as too lenient.

In her ruling on Wednesday, Masipa said that although the Steenkamp family had suffered great loss, Pistorius' life and career was also in ruins.

"The life of the accused shall also never be the same. He is a fallen hero and can never be at peace," she said.

The athlete had the lower part of his legs amputated when he was a baby and his lawyers argued that his disability and mental stress should be considered as mitigating circumstances to reduce his sentence.

Pistorius was freed from prison last October after almost a year behind bars to serve out the remainder of his five-year term under house arrest at his uncle's house in a wealthy suburb of the capital.

Some rights groups have said Pistorius, a wealthy white man and international celebrity, has received preferential treatment compared to others without his status or wealth.

He argued that he fired four shots into the door of a toilet cubicle at his luxury Pretoria home in the mistaken belief that an intruder was hiding behind it.

Members of the Women's League of the ruling African National Congress (ANCWL), who have attended the trial in support of the murdered Steenkamp, said the sentence handed down by Masipa was not sufficient.

"First five years, now six years? She is an embarrassment to the justice system," ANCWL spokeswoman Jacqueline Mofokeng said of Masipa. "It is an insult to women in this country."

Outside the court, a group of people held up placards backing the athlete. One read: "Give Oscar his freedom back please".

Steenkamp's father Barry, who said during sentencing hearings that Pistorius must pay for his crime, declined to comment on the prospects for an appeal.

"We'll leave that to the state," he told reporters.

Vladimir Putin: Russian athletes ban is 'unfair'.

Mr Putin said innocent athletes should not be punished for the actions of others
(Image: AP)

Vladimir Putin has said it is unjust and unfair that Russian athletes remain banned from international competition, including the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

The International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) decided not to lift the suspension, imposed after accusations of state-sponsored doping.

Individual athletes can compete as neutrals if they prove they are clean.

The Russian president called on other bodies, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC), to intervene.

The IOC executive board said it would hold a telephone conference on Saturday to discuss the issue ahead of a full IOC summit in Lausanne on Tuesday.

"There are universally recognised principles of law and one of them is that the responsibility should be always personified," said President Putin.

"The people who have nothing to do with violations, why should they suffer for those who committed the violations?

"I'm assuming that we'll have a discussion with our colleagues in the World Anti-Doping structure and I hope for a suitable reaction from the International Olympic Committee."

The country was suspended by the IAAF in November 2015, after an independent World Anti-Doping Association (Wada) report depicted a culture of widespread doping, with even the secret services involved.

After that, Russia introduced reforms including an overhaul of the rules, the introduction of independent testing, and anti-doping lessons in schools.

A task force has been studying those reforms but a fresh Wada report, issued on Wednesday, made more damaging claims.

Although significant progress has been made to meet the IAAF's criteria, it said, work still remains. In particular:

• The deep-seated culture of tolerance for doping appears not to have changed. The head coach of the athletics team and athlete appear unwilling to acknowledge the extent of the doping problem.

• A strong and effective anti-doping infrastructure capable of detecting and deterring doping has still not been created.

• There are detailed allegations that the Ministry of Sport has orchestrated systematic doping and cover-ups.

Wada said officials in Russia were being stopped from testing athletes and threatened by security services.

Rune Andersen of the IAAF said Russian athletics had been "tainted by doping from the top level down."

"The systematic doping that has been ongoing in Russia - it's difficult to pick the clean athletes," he said.

IOC vice-president John Coates said Russia's athletes should remain banned and not be allowed to take part in the Rio Games this summer.

He also said Russia's anti-doping agency and athletics body were "rotten to the core".

Meanwhile, Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva said she would challenge the IAAF's decision in court, claiming it was "a human rights violation".

Isinbayeva, 34, who won Olympic gold in 2004 and 2008, added: "I'm disappointed and angry. I am offended.

"Nobody fought for our rights and there are huge concerns over the IAAF itself and its stance on defending the rights of clean athletes.

"We are blamed for something we have not done. I will not remain silent, I will take measures. I will appeal to the human rights court."

In a statement, Russia's Ministry of Sport said it was "extremely disappointed" by the IAAF decision, adding that it believed "clean athletes' dreams are being destroyed because of the reprehensible behaviour of other athletes and officials".

IAAF president Lord Coe said "no politics" were involved in the decision over Russia's ban. He emphasised the unanimous nature of the verdict and the international range of council members.

New tests find 14 Russian athletes positive at Beijing Games

The Russian Olympic Committee has said 14 of its athletes at the 2008 Beijing Olympics tested positive for doping during re-tests of their samples.

Sports minister Vitaly Mutko said the news of the positive tests "certainly doesn't look good".

But speaking to BBC sports editor Dan Roan in Moscow, Mr Mutko said the results were "not an objective picture" of Russia's doping situation.

The country's athletes are currently banned from international competition.

In a statement (in Russian), it said it had received the information in "official documents" from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The IOC earlier said up to 31 athletes could be banned from the Rio Games.

The Russian Athletics Federation said any athlete found to have used doping in previous years would not go to Rio.

It said it took "such a tough decision" in order to do everything possible that only "clean athletes" could take part at the 5-21 August event.

Mr Mutko told BBC Sport: "Take into account the fact the Russian national team is the second biggest after the USA - so this doesn't give an objective picture of the doping situation in Russia."

But asked if he expected Russian athletes to go to Rio when a final decision is made by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), expected on 17 June, the minister replied: "The IAAF is also to blame - they partly covered [up] the Russian athletes who were doping and their task is not to punish, not to sanction.

"The priority for them must be the development of track and field worldwide and you cannot achieve that with punishment. It would be useless.

"It damages hugely the reputation and image of track and field. It would decrease the popularity of the sport in Russia. Kids would not want to do track and field."

Mr Mutko said if Russia was banned it would be "a huge disappointment."

The Russian Olympic Committee said it would not name 14 athletes from three sports disciplines until their B samples had been checked and official disciplinary proceedings had started.

However, Russia's Match TV revealed the names, saying they included 10 Olympic medallists.

• BBC Dan Roan reports from the discredited Moscow anti-doping laboratory

It said that among them were Yulia Chermoshanskaya, who won gold in the 4x100m relay team, silver medallist javelin thrower Maria Abakumova and Anna Chicherova, who won bronze in the high jump.

Chicherova was also the gold medallist in London 2012.

Last week, the IOC announced that 454 selected doping samples from the 2008 Games had been re-tested.

The IOC said the re-tests were conducted using the very latest methods of scientific analysis.

Earlier this month, a whistleblower alleged Russian secret service agents helped to protect drug cheats at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, although the Russian authorities denied the claims.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) is now investigating those allegations and has appointed former Interpol agent and French Gendarmerie Major Mathieu Holz to lead the inquiry.

Adidas to end IAAF sponsorship deal early in wake of doping crisis

Adidas, the IAAF's biggest sponsor, has told athletics' world governing body it is to terminate their sponsorship deal four years early.

The sportswear giant informed the IAAF of its decision - understood to be a direct result of the doping scandal sweeping the sport - last week.

Sources have told the BBC the move will result in tens of millions of dollars in lost income to the IAAF.

It is sure to come as a major blow for embattled president Lord Coe.

Adidas has not commented, but the IAAF - the International Association of Athletics Federations - issued a short statement on Monday.

It made no reference to its deal with Adidas, revealing it was "in close contact with all its sponsors and partners as we embark on our reform process".

The BBC understands that Adidas informed the IAAF in November it was considering ending their relationship early after a report detailed claims of"state sponsored doping" within Russia.

The report was compiled by an independent commission set up by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada).

Earlier this month, the commission's chairman, Dick Pound, delivered a second, damning report that revealed "corruption was embedded" within the IAAF under former president Lamine Diack.

Within days, a decision at the highest level in Adidas was taken to terminate the relationship with the IAAF.

It is understood the German multinational believes the doping revelations in Pound's reports constitute a breach of its agreement with the IAAF.

The 11-year deal was signed in 2008 and due to run until 2019. At the time it was signed, it was reported the deal was worth $33m (£23m).

But sources have told the BBC that the figure is much higher, as much, in terms of cash and product, as about $8m (£5.6m) per year.

This means the projected lost revenue for the IAAF over the next four years will be more than $30m (£21m).

Olympic gold medallist Darren Campbell said the news that Adidas was ending its sponsorship deal early would have a major impact on the sport.

"It's one thing to say we won't be renewing our contract after 2019 but to actually terminate your contract now... seven, eight months before the start of the Olympic Games," said the Briton. "This is huge."

IAAF is not in denial - Lord Coe

It is not clear whether the IAAF will challenge the decision in court, although lawyers at Adidas are understood to be preparing for such a move.

The withdrawal of Adidas will come as a major blow to the sport - and to IAAF president Coe - in a time of unprecedented turmoil.

Coe succeeded Diack in August last year and has come under pressure following the publication of Pound's report.

Not only did it claim that corruption was "embedded" in the IAAF, it also claimed that leading figures within it must have been aware.

Coe, who won Olympic 1500m gold at the 1980 and 1984 Games, served as one of four IAAF vice-presidents under Diack for seven years.

Despite the spotlight on Coe, Pound says he "couldn't think of anyone better" than the Englishman, 59, to lead athletics out of its current crisis.

The Wada reports on state sponsored doping have left athletics facing an Olympic year with major reputational damage to repair.

It is also facing a French criminal investigation into corruption, which is looking into the awarding of every World Championships since 2007, including London's successful bid to host the event in 2017.

It now seems Adidas believes there is too much reputational risk to its brand to continue its association with the IAAF.

Adidas has also expressed its displeasure at the corruption scandal that continues to engulf Fifa, although it remains world football's governing body's oldest commercial partner.

A timeline of events

• 3 December, 2014 A German television documentary exposes Russia's systemic doping problem

• 11 December, 2014 Papa Massata Diack, son of then IAAF president Lamine Diack, steps down after accusations arise over his conduct and whether he was part of a money laundering scandal and involved with blackmailing doped athletes

• 2 August, 2015 IAAF data leaked to German broadcaster ARD and Britain's Sunday Times claims that 12,000 blood samples taken from 5,000 athletes showed instances of cheating

• 5 August, 2015 Lord Coe calls the allegations "a declaration of war on my sport" and says the IAAF was not involved in a cover-up

• 19 August, 2015 Lord Coe is elected IAAF president

• 4 November, 2015 The Guardian newspaper releases a report accusing Lamine Diack of accepting bribes to cover up doping as well as being involved in corruption and money laundering

• 9 November, 2015 Wada releases the first report on its investigation into Russia's doping problem. The investigator, Dick Pound, says Russia's systemic doping problem is worse than he thought, that the findings are "the tip of the iceberg" and that Russian athletes should be banned from the Olympics

• 13 November, 2015 The IAAF suspends Russia from international athletics

• 26 November, 2015 Coe steps down from ambassadorial role at Nike

• 22 December, 2015 IAAF official Nick Davies steps aside over an email discussing plans to delay naming Russian drug cheats

• 7 January, 2016 The IAAF hands lifelong bans to officials involved in the scandal, including Lamine Diack and Russian athletics chief Valentin Balakhnichev

• 14 January, 2016 Pound releases a second report, which concludes that corruption within the IAAF "cannot be blamed on a small number of miscreants" and that Diack had been "responsible for organising and enabling the conspiracy and corruption that took place in the IAAF"

Source:BBC