Russia slams top-level doping claims as ‘treacherous slander’

By Natalie Huet

Russia on Friday (May 13) denied claims it ran a sophisticated doping programme at the last winter Olympics in Sochi.

The new scandal further threatens the country’s participation in the Rio Games this summer. But in Moscow, top officials called it a treacherous attempt to besmirch Russian sport.

Russia’s deputy sports minister, Yury Nagornykh, told reporters: “Russian sport and the Russian Federation do not have any kind of doping programme and there has never been one, before or during the Olympic Games in Sochi.”

Dozens of athletes are alleged to have cheated at Sochi, including cross-country skier Alexander Legkov and bobsledder Alexander Zubkov, who rejected the claims as “nonsense and slanderous.”

“This is … the defamation of my name in sports, in this world elite, of my achievements during the last 15 years,” Zubkov said.

The former head of Russia’s anti-doping lab, Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, told the New York Times that officials supplied athletes with banned performance-enhancing substances, and worked in the middle of the night to exchange tainted urine samples with clean ones through a hole in the wall.

The World Anti-Doping Agency in Canada said it would probe the allegations.

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-05-14

Sounds like Thailand's officials defending themselves when caught red handed doing something wrong. Shoot the messenger.

555555....suspend them is what they deserve.

Steriods? How dare you make such ludicrous accusations?

Russians are renowned for their fairness and honesty.

Edited May 14, 201610 yr by HLover

Steriods? How dare you make such ludicrous accusations?

Russians are renowned for their fairness and honesty.

That is not a Russian athlete.

I do believe these accusations though, I think they have been doing this systematically, same as in the old DDR and more recently in China.

Steriods? How dare you make such ludicrous accusations?

Russians are renowned for their fairness and honesty.

That is not a Russian athlete.

I do believe these accusations though, I think they have been doing this systematically, same as in the old DDR and more recently in China.

Kindly excuse my lackluster attempt at making this thread remotely interesting.

It could be quite possible that the sportsmen and women didn't even know themselves what they were taking in. Nothing new.

Thai taking home loads of medecin after a hospital visit. Have no idea what they are taking. The doctor knows all.

It could be quite possible that the sportsmen and women didn't even know themselves what they were taking in. Nothing new.

Thai taking home loads of medecin after a hospital visit. Have no idea what they are taking. The doctor knows all.

You're correct. Last week I had a case of vertigo and went to a local doctor. I asked for English on the prescription. When I got home I looked it up on the net as I always do. It was medicine for a migraine headache.

Steriods? How dare you make such ludicrous accusations?

Russians are renowned for their fairness and honesty.

Don't you mean Belarus?

Steriods? How dare you make such ludicrous accusations?

Russians are renowned for their fairness and honesty.

That is not a Russian athlete.

The rus in Belarus and the Rus in Russia?

Same Rus.