Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused US agencies of manipulating doping testimony at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
Putin on Thursday said that the former director of Russia national anti-doping Grigory Rodchenkov-who is under taking refuge in the US last year is “under the control” of the American agencies.
“The fact that Rodchenkov is being in the United States is not positive for us, it’s a negative. It means he’s under the control of American special services. What are they doing to him there? Do they administer drugs to him to get what they want for him?” Putin said.
However, President Putin said that Rodchnekov should never have been named to the post of director of Russia national anti-doping: “It was a mistake on the part of those who did it, and I know who did it.”
“The scandal was created according to the Russian political calender. No matter what people say, I’m sure, I know it’s the truth.” Putin added.
The IOC on November 22 confirmed lifetime bans against four Russian athletes, ordering them to additional medals from Sochi. The decision makes for a total 10 Russian athletes who have been disqualified after revelations of state-sponsored doping at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
Russia won 33 medals, 13 of them gold at Sochi games but IOC has stripped six medals from cross country skiers and skeleton racers. On the other side, the United States won 28 medals.
Russia could be excluded from the upcoming Winter Olympics Games in Pyeongchang, a prospect for President Putin would be a humiliation for his country.
Russia won 33 medals at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. (Source:www.theduran.com)
The decision will be take on Tuesday when the IOC Executive Board meets in Lausanne, less than nine weeks before the opening of the 2018 Games on February 9 in South Korea.
The 14-member commission, which included two Americans, received a confidential report from a committee appointed by the IOC. This committee was asked to assess whether Russian state agencies actually played a role in the vast doping program put in place for the 2014 Sochi games.
IOC President Thomas Bach, a German attorney long considered an ally of Russia, is due to announce the decision. It might not be the end point. Russia can challenge any IOC sanction by appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
