Russia has doping problem and is 'sorry,' says minister

[webfact]

Russia has doping problem and is 'sorry,' says minister

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia has a "problem" with doping and is "very sorry" that its cheating athletes were not caught sooner, the country's sports minister said.

Russia, a track and field powerhouse, was suspended by the IAAF in November following a WADA panel report that found state-sponsored cheating.

"Serious mistakes have been made by the federation management, along with athletes and coaches who have broken anti-doping rules and neglected the principle of fair play," said Vitaly Mutko, writing in British newspaper The Sunday Times. "Let us be clear. We are ashamed of them."

"We are very sorry that athletes who tried to deceive us, and the world, were not caught sooner. We are very sorry because Russia is committed to upholding the highest standards in sport and is opposed to anything that threatens the Olympic values."

Mutko did not, however, admit any involvement in doping by the Russian government, a central charge in both November's WADA report and recent allegations that test samples were switched at the Sochi Olympics.

Russia will discover on June 17 whether its athletics federation has met the reform criteria to return to competition in time for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

"We do not deny having a problem in Russia, and we are doing everything possible at state level to eradicate doping, including punishing athletes and coaches," Mutko wrote.

"We have done everything that has been asked of us by the IAAF in order to be reinstated," Mutko added. "It would be unjust to demand all these changes and measures, witness them happen, and then still punish Russia's athletes."

Setting out Russia's anti-doping reform agenda, Mutko said aspiring Olympians will undergo three anti-doping controls carried out by the IAAF, as well as any additional testing in qualifying competitions, and that its anti-doping agency in Moscow is being supervised by two "international experts" appointed by WADA last month.

"We will do everything humanly possible to ensure our athletes are a part of clean, fair and enthralling Games," he said.

Mutko's contrition contrasts with his combative attitude in recent remarks for a Russian audience.

Speaking last week to state news agency R-Sport, Mutko said that Vitaly Stepanov, a former anti-doping officer and key whistleblower whose evidence featured in the WADA report, "was chased out of (Russia) like a scoundrel" and suggested he was part of a plot to smear Russia's reputation.

Stepanov says he and his wife left Russia because they feared for their safety after disclosing details of performance-enhancing drug use and subsequent cover-ups.

Russia was plunged into another doping scandal this week, when the former head of Moscow's anti-doping lab, Grigory Rodchenkov, detailed in The New York Times how Russia operated a state-sponsored scheme during the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014 that included exchanging bottles of tainted urine samples for clean ones through a concealed hole in the wall of the Sochi lab. The doping program reportedly involved at least 15 Russian medal winners.

Russian officials have denied the allegations and threatened to sue the newspaper. The World Anti-Doping Agency will investigate.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-05-16

[puukao]

sorry is enough. I cheated 892374892347238940327493208472 people out of money, awards, fame, identity, career, and recognition.

i'm sorry.

ok, back to my mansion paid for by my doping!!!!!!

[craigt3365]

And yet they previously denied it. Not much credibility here.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/917157-russia-slams-top-level-doping-claims-as-treacherous-slander/

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.”

[alfalfa19]

They will hang a few athletes and coaches out to dry, and say the problem has been resolved.

[Thechook]

Are they still allowed to compete in the Rio Olympics

[piewarmer]

Will they catch the Chinese cheaters as well?

[heina]

What of bunch of hypocrites.

Professional sport does not exist without doping .

Edited May 16, 2016 by heina

[reggaebkk]

Arrr, every country has a doping problem, its just that federations are told to turn a blind eye or not, and these days is hunting season for russia, open bar...

[mihalis]

Russia, along with China, and most other countries............

[Hammock]

Shame, what a shame. I didn't know this doping problem was so vague. The minister of sport Mutko should resign. This is not sports but pure cheating.

Edited May 16, 2016 by Hammock

[Stargeezr]

Awww Poor Russia! They have had the carpet corners turned up a bit to

reveal the dirt and corruption hidden underneath. But lets blame only the bad Athletes and

coaches, and the bottom rung of this heap of the actual corrupt people.

Please do not go after any of the powerful people in that country who ordered the

lower rung of people to be corrupt. I do agree that Russia is not the

only country that is corrupt, and it is true that many of the countries have

also been caught with doping, and trying to get their athletes to be

super fast or strong, or what ever to make them the winners of

what ever sport they are competing in.

I say let Russia and their athletes go to Rio for these Olympics, why should

only the other countries get the Zika virus. We should make any effort to

spread this virus to all parts of the world, where all the medical labs can try to

combat it and build vaccines to cure it or fight it.

AM I being a hypocrite?

Geezer

[Andaman Al]

I don't see the problem. He said sorry so all should be forgiven. Isn't that what every single God bothering, bible belt basher does? Live a life of being cruel, heartless, focused on material gain, fornicating, eating shrimp even killing and murdering in the name of God, then when their time is up they find a holy man, seek absolution and die with a smile on their face because some kiddie fiddler with a white collar around their necks forgives them of all sins from their pitiful lives. What is a few performance enhancing drugs here and there? The man said sorry, so forgive the nation, it is standard drills.

Edited May 16, 2016 by Andaman Al