With under three weeks to go until Rio 2016 Olympics, an independent report says Russia operated a state-sponsored doping program while it hosted the 2014 Sochi Winter Games.
Commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, Canadian law professor Richard McLaren’s report concluded Russia’s “Ministry of Sport directed, controlled and oversaw the manipulation of athlete’s analytical results or sample swapping, with the active participation and assistance of the FSB, CSP, and both Moscow and Sochi Laboratories.”
The FSB is Russia’s federal security service while the CSP is involved in the training of Russian athletes.
“The investigation has established the findings set out in the report beyond a reasonable doubt,” McLaren told a press conference in Toronto, Canada Monday.
“The evidence we have uncovered is all verifiable and can be cross-corroborated by multiple sources. I am unwaveringly confident in our report,” he added.
The Kremlin and Russian Sports Ministry are yet to respond to CNN’s request for comment.
The investigation came off the back of claims made by former Russian anti-doping laboratory director Grigory Rodchenkov last year to the New York Times that he was ordered to cover up the drug use of at least 15 Sochi 2014 medal winners.
The Russian track and field team has already been barred by from competing in the 2016 Games by the IAAF, although a number of athletes have filed petitions to participate under the Olympic flag.
More to follow…
