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[chadskin]

The WADA commission has directly accused the Russian government of complicity in the widespread doping and cover-ups exposed in a damning 323-page report.

It says its 11-month probe hasn't found written evidence of government involvement.

But it says "it would be naive in the extreme to conclude that activities on the scale discovered could have occurred without the explicit or tacit approval of Russian governmental authorities."

While its report largely focuses on doping in Russian athletics, it adds "there is no reason to believe that athletics is the only sport in Russia to have been affected."

WADA's independent commission says Russia's athletics federation should be suspended and its track and field athletes banned from competition until the country cleans up its act on doping.

The commission recommends that the World Anti-Doping Agency immediately declare the Russian federation "non-compliant" with the global anti-doping code, and that the IAAF suspend the federation from competition.

The report recommends that the International Olympic Committee not accept any entries from the Russian federation until the body has been declared complaint with the code and the suspension has been lifted.

Such a decision could keep Russian athletes out of next year's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The WADA commission says Russian Sports Ministry Vitaly Mutko issued direct orders to "manipulate particular samples."

Mutko denied wrongdoing to the WADA inquiry panel, including knowledge of athletes being blackmailed and FSB intelligence agents interfering in lab work.

Mutko, who is also a FIFA executive committee member and leads the 2018 World Cup organizing committee, was interviewed by the WADA panel at the Baur au Lac hotel in Zurich on Sept. 22.

His ministry is cited in the report for asserting undue influence over the Moscow lab.

The commission looking into widespread doping in Russian athletics has recommended lifetime bans for five Russian middle-distance runners and five Russian coaches and administrators.

The commission said that the London Olympics were more or less sabotaged by allowing Russian athletes to compete when they should have been suspended for doping violations.

They blamed what they called an inexplicable laissez-faire attitude toward anti-doping by the IAAF and the Russian Anti-Doping Agency.

The gold and bronze-medal winners at 800 meters at the London Olympics are among the five Russian runners targeted for lifetime bans by an independent commission tasked with investigating widespread doping in that country.

The commission recommended lifetime bans for Olympic champion Mariya Savinova-Farnosova and bronze medalist Ekaterina Poistogova.

The WADA report says Moscow testing laboratory director Grigory Rodchenko ordered 1,417 doping control samples destroyed to deny evidence for the inquiry.

The inquiry report says Rodchenko "personally instructed and authorized" the destruction of evidence three days before a WADA audit team arrived in Moscow last December.

The WADA panel says it wanted to send the Russian athletes' samples to labs in other countries to detect banned drugs and doping methods.

The report says Rodchenko's action "obliterated forever the attempt to determine if there was any evidence of athletes having clean and dirty 'A' samples at the Moscow laboratory."

When the auditors arrived in Moscow, Rodchenko told them he decided to "do some clean up to prepare for WADA's visit."

Rodchenkov, the report notes, "remained obstructive" throughout the investigation and refused to be recorded.

The WADA commission wants the agency to strip accreditation from the Moscow laboratory and fire lab director Grigory Rodchenko.

The report says the "Moscow laboratory is unable to act independently," citing interference from government agencies, including the FSB secret service.

The report says Rodchenko is "an aider and abettor of the doping activities" and "at the heart of the positive drug test cover-up."

Rodchenko was key to "the conspiracy to extort money from athletes in order to cover up positive doping test results."

The WADA commission suspects Russia has been using an obscure laboratory on the outskirts of Moscow to help cover up widespread doping, possibly by pre-screening athletes' doping samples and ditching those that test positive.

It says whistleblowers and confidential witnesses "corroborated that this second laboratory is involved in the destruction and the cover-up of what would otherwise be positive doping tests."

It says the "Laboratory of the Moscow Committee of Sport for Identification for Prohibited Substances in Athlete Samples" is controlled by the Moscow city government and operates in an industrial zone about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the city center.

The AP updates its finding from the report here: http://bigstory.ap.org/8e4ac8f10f974df79dd490e7422f4855
The full report from the WADA is available here: https://wada-main-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/resources/files/wada_independent_commission_report_1_en.pdf

 

[Peru]

I have my doubts about IAAF's boldness.

 

[mclem]

Yowchie WADA

 

[liquidtmd]

Not the Russian Government!

 

[Pedrito]

It's just the tip of the iceberg. The IAAF scandal could possibly make people at FIFA look like choir boys.

Apparently, highly placed people, including the president, were blackmailing athletes who failed drug tests.

 

[SymbiantXenos]

Not surprising.

 

[entremet]

Most of these Olympians are doping. Testing methods are just too poor (athletes are rarely caught by testing, but by eye witness testimony), unless you want to test them 24/7/365 and that's not sustainable.

They already spend millions on testing for naught.

 

[chadskin]

Interpol is getting in on the fun:

LYON, France – INTERPOL is to coordinate a global investigation led by France into an alleged international corruption scam involving sports officials as well as athletes suspected of a doping cover-up.

The announcement follows today’s publication of a report by an Independent Commission established by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) investigating a number of individuals, including former officials of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

The Independent Commission’s findings follow its investigation into doping allegations aired on German television in December 2014.

During its investigation the Independent Commission requested assistance from INTERPOL’s anti-doping unit to contact national law enforcement agencies in countries where potential infractions had been identified in order to share intelligence.

In this respect, INTERPOL facilitated the Independent Commission’s contact with French authorities who agreed to undertake an international inquiry into allegations including active and passive corruption, money laundering and criminal conspiracy.

They appointed the country’s national anti-corruption department of the central directorate of judicial police (Office central de lutte contre la corruption et les infractions financières et fiscales, OCLCIFF, Direction centrale de la police judiciaire, DCPJ) to launch the inquiry, headed by French investigative magistrate Renaud Van Ruymbeke.

As part of the inquiry, French police last week raided premises belonging to individuals and companies.

In the framework of Operation Augeas launched by INTERPOL, the world police body is now working with member countries potentially linked to the inquiry, including Singapore, to seek assistance in coordinating a global investigative network and support the criminal investigation on the basis of the intelligence gathered by the Independent Commission.
Depending on the progression and outcome of the investigation, and in collaboration with the relevant authorities, the Independent Commission expects to publish the full and final version of its report by the end of 2015.

In 2009 INTERPOL and WADA signed a cooperation agreement to provide a clear framework for cooperation between the two international bodies in tackling doping.

The call for INTERPOL’s involvement by the Independent Commission is part of joint efforts by both agencies to develop best practice and inter-agency cooperation at all levels, particularly in the areas of evidence gathering, information sharing and trafficking in doping.

http://www.interpol.int/News-and-media/News/2015/N2015-185

 

[Purkake4]

This is crazy. I guess it's better late than never to report on it.

 

[klonere]

So do we expect a whole swath of former Olympians to drop dead/have serious medical issues in their late 40s/50s?

If its as rampant as they say that's pretty scary....

 

[syllogism]

The comment section of the RT article on this is fascinating. By comment section I mean the "Message deleted" section.

 

[wetflame]

This is a fascinating news story, but I just want to point out that the review was written by former WADA president - and winner of best name ever - Dick Pound. What a childhood he must have had.

 

[entremet]

So do we expect a whole swath of former Olympians to drop dead/have serious medical issues in their late 40s/50s?

If its as rampant as they say that's pretty scary....

You can use many PEDs for life with little ill effects. You just need to be aware of doses, drug interactions, and monitor your blood markers.

Most of these athletes stop using competitive doses after retirement, though.

 

[fizzelopeguss]

Everyone is doping. The tests are too lax, the performance gains are too huge and the rewards too big to put yourself at a disadvantage at that level of competition.

The big three olympic gold nations are all manufacturing Ivan Drago's by the hundreds.

 

[Dobsie]

I'm having serious doubts about my childhood hero Seb Coe. He was vice president for 8 years to the guy who's being investigated for corruption charges and claims to know nothing about it.
Is also an ambassador for Nike who are widely regarded in the athletics circle as being shady as fuck with their whole Nike Oregon Project and Alberto Salazar setup who started Galen Rupp on the juice at the age of 16. Nike also resigned a two time convicted doper Justin Gatlin.

 

[sans_pants]

I'm a fan of bringing doping out into the open


Get real doctors to administer and control it.

 

[Coldnoodle]

Sarah Hurst ‏@XSovietNews 3m3 minutes ago
Sarah Hurst Retweeted LIFENEWS
LIFENEWS: Head of Moscow's anti-doping laboratory calls WADA officials idiots.

.

 

[winjet81]

This is so far gone that is just doesn't matter any more.

The US has always been the leaders in this field and pretty much every single country involved in athletics is doping today (hello Jamaica).

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

.

Donald Trump is the head of Moscow's anti-doping laboratory???

 

[Frumix]

.

Well that escalated quickly.

 

[SymbiantXenos]

.

Of course.

Politically motivated
Western plot
Russophobic

Etc etc

 

[Dobsie]

I'm a fan of bringing doping out into the open


Get real doctors to administer and control it.

Then it becomes an elite sport only for those that can afford the best doctors/drugs.

 

[B-Dubs]

.

I'm guessing they got caught with their pants down on this one.

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

Russophobic

Jim Cornette strikes again

 

[SymbiantXenos]

Jim Cornette strikes again

He still hasn't gotten over the drive thru rib.

 

[sans_pants]

Then it becomes an elite sport only for those that can afford the best doctors/drugs.

Professional/olympic athletics are already there

 

[Dobsie]

Professional/olympic athletics are already there

So they're just born pro's/Olympic athletes are they? What about poor people who work their way up. With your scenario poor people would never have a chance of winning anything as they'd never be able to afford the drugs the pros are on and would never be competitive.

 

[Skellig Gra]

Everyone is doping. The tests are too lax, the performance gains are too huge and the rewards too big to put yourself at a disadvantage at that level of competition.

The big three olympic gold nations are all manufacturing Ivan Drago's by the hundreds.

Sadly I have to agree. It's not realistic that world performance records are broken on a consistent basis. Humans aren't evolving new muscles every couple years.

 

[sans_pants]

So they're just born pro's/Olympic athletes are they? What about poor people who work their way up. With your scenario poor people would never have a chance of winning anything as they'd never be able to afford the drugs the pros are on and would never be competitive.

how do poor people get their dope now?

 

[Dobsie]

how do poor people get their dope now?

Well that's my point if drugs stay illegal then its a level playing field. If dope was legalised people who couldn't afford it would be forced out of the sport. Hows that fair?

 

[Poetic.Injustice]

So they're just born pro's/Olympic athletes are they? What about poor people who work their way up. With your scenario poor people would never have a chance of winning anything as they'd never be able to afford the drugs the pros are on and would never be competitive.

Poor people never have a chance of winning with the opportunities in training/facilties anyway.

 

[Brandson]

Here is an older article about Dick Pound from 2007, accusing Lance Armstrong and others of having doped (pre-Armstrong's admissions): http://www.wired.com/2007/01/pound/

He has an excellent lie detector when it comes to doping in sports, and has no fear of calling some athletes outright liars in the media. He is well known for equating athletes' denials to knowingly having doped to being ambushed and injected with performance enhancing drugs by a "roving squad of Nazi frogmen", his favourite analogy. He is quite brash, but I don't recall him being wrong.

 

[Dobsie]

Poor people never have a chance of winning with the opportunities in training/facilties anyway.

Athletics (particularly long distance running) is probably the best example of this, there are pretty much no facilities needed. You don't even need a pair of running trainers (see some of Kenya's best athletes over the years)

 

[sans_pants]

Well that's my point if drugs stay illegal then its a level playing field. If dope was legalised people who couldn't afford it would be forced out of the sport. Hows that fair?

But it isn't a level playing field


I dunno what sport you are even talking about. Athletes get into the system pretty early.

 

[GeordieMark]

The guy would be a member of the FIFA ExCo too. That will help his credibility no end...

 

[Sun Bather]

When are they suspending Catalonia from football?

 

[Dobsie]

But it isn't a level playing field


I dunno what sport you are even talking about. Athletes get into the system pretty early.

Ok you must be batshit crazy if you seriously think dope should be legalised. I cba to argue this anymore.

 

[LiK]

ban them all.

 

[Hyun Sai]

"World Anti-Doping Agency recommends suspending the World from athletics competition

 

[chadskin]

BREAKING: IAAF President Sebastian Coe gives Russians until end of week to respond to doping report.

https://twitter.com/ap/status/663758354259558400

"Idiots! All of you!"

 

[Purkake4]

https://twitter.com/ap/status/663758354259558400

"Idiots! All of you!"

They didn't even need a day for the response.

 

[jelly]

Is this one of those, how can a clean athlete beat dopers, they can't?

Wasn't there that famous USSR swimming team or something that were doping beyond belief decades ago.

Coe must be totally in on it. Don't get that close to the top job without knowing some shit and definitely pulled some strings for a cleaner 2012 games.

It's really how far doping goes. Tennis, Football seem to have gotten away with it so far and I think they probably aren't too clean.

 

[superdeluxe]

I think its fairly obvious that Russia is going to do the f**k whataever it wants to.

 

[Pedrito]

Is this one of those, how can a clean athlete beat dopers, they can't?

Wasn't there that famous USSR swimming team or something that were doping beyond belief decades ago.

Coe must be totally in on it. Don't get that close to the top job without knowing some shit and definitely pulled some strings for a cleaner 2012 games.

It's really how far doping goes. Tennis, Football seem to have gotten away with it so far and I think they probably aren't too clean.

I really wish someone would seriously investigate the ITF. With so much money in that sport, it's impossible there's so little doping going on, especially with the men's game turning into a grinding fest in the last decade. Even when players get caught, they are usually back after six months.

There has been many weird stories over the years, and yet tennis remains one of the few individual sports almost immune to doping at the top.

The ITF, ATP and WTA have no incentive to really fight doping. Catching one of their stars would be disastrous for business.

 

[Purkake4]

Is this one of those, how can a clean athlete beat dopers, they can't?

Wasn't there that famous USSR swimming team or something that were doping beyond belief decades ago.

Coe must be totally in on it. Don't get that close to the top job without knowing some shit and definitely pulled some strings for a cleaner 2012 games.

It's really how far doping goes. Tennis, Football seem to have gotten away with it so far and I think they probably aren't too clean.

I remember something about the DDR being doped up to the gills.

 

[Any Questions]

Am annoyed. Sport should be on equal terms. The impunity and total disrespect of fairness makes me cross.

Russia will deny it all. Much like they didn't give surface to air missiles to Ukrainian separatists which blew a passenger plane out of the sky.

This is a nation not to be trusted.

 

[Frozenprince]

Would be brilliant if they couldn't field a team for the WC because of a doping scandal.

 

[Fuzzery]

I mean, the field isn't even anyways. Unless you're born with great genetics you're pretty short of luck anyways when it comes to competing at that level.

 

[shira]

Am annoyed. Sport should be on equal terms. The impunity and total disrespect of fairness makes me cross.

Competitive sport has always been about cheating, getting that edge, and finding ways to win. They've been cheating since the first Olympics in Greece, it's just that now there is national dick measuring and millions of dollars in sponsorships on the line.

 

[Purkake4]

Competitive sport has always been about cheating, getting that edge, and finding ways to win. They've been cheating since the first Olympics in Greece, it's just that now there is national dick measuring and millions of dollars in sponsorships on the line.

Which is why there are rules and independent institutions to enforce them. In this case the institutions have failed. The conclusion isn't to just live with it, but to make sure that the institutes can function independently and fulfill all their duties.