World athletics body to investigate new Russia doping claims
The IAAF will investigate claims that Russia is flouting demands for anti-doping reforms as it seeks readmission to world track and field in time for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in August
German TV broadcaster ARD alleged that a banned Russian coach continued to train prominent athletes and that the acting head of the national anti-doping agency had allowed an athlete to reschedule a supposedly no-notice test. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) said the accusations made Sunday by ARD would be investigated by the taskforce monitoring Russia during its suspension. Russia was suspended from global track and field by the IAAF in November following a damning report from a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) commission.
An ARD documentary broadcast Sunday included footage which appeared to show a Russian coach, Vladimir Mokhnev, continuing to train leading Russian athletes despite being suspended from doing so by the IAAF. Documents from a national-level meet in February also listed him as the coach for some athletes who competed, ARD alleged.
Mokhnev was accused in a WADA commission's report in November of providing banned substances to athletes who trained with him, leading to his suspension. Mokhnev disputed the report, denying any wrongdoing. Another Russian coach was accused Sunday of offering banned substances for sale, but it was not clear whether he had any links with elite-level Russian athletes.
ARD also claimed it had obtained audio recordings of conversations involving Anna Antseliovich, the acting head of the Russian anti-doping agency, RUSADA, which was suspended by WADA in November over accusations its staff covered up doping by top Russian athletes. Antseliovich, while in an earlier role at RUSADA, allegedly told an unnamed athlete that she could reschedule a drug test. That would be a major breach of anti-doping rules, in which surprise testing is a key element.
Antseliovich is the successor to Nikita Kamaev, who ran RUSADA until his resignation in December. Kamaev, who had reportedly been planning to write a book about Russian doping, was found dead last month at the age of 52 following what RUSADA said was a heart attack.The Russian track and field federation says it will investigate new doping-related allegations against Russian coaches.
Separately, a key Russian whistleblower who helped to spark Russia's doping scandal, 800-meter runner Yulia Stepanova, is bidding to compete at the Olympics despite the Russian ban, the IAAF said.Stepanova, whose undercover footage of athletes and coaches appearing to confess to doping led to the creation of the WADA commission, has applied "to compete in Rio in a capacity other than as a Russian athlete."
The International Olympic Committee has previously allowed stateless or refugee athletes to compete under the Olympic flag, but it was not clear whether Stepanova was seeking to do so.
An ARD documentary broadcast Sunday included footage which appeared to show a Russian coach, Vladimir Mokhnev, continuing to train leading Russian athletes despite being suspended from doing so by the IAAF. Documents from a national-level meet in February also listed him as the coach for some athletes who competed, ARD alleged.
Mokhnev was accused in a WADA commission's report in November of providing banned substances to athletes who trained with him, leading to his suspension. Mokhnev disputed the report, denying any wrongdoing. Another Russian coach was accused Sunday of offering banned substances for sale, but it was not clear whether he had any links with elite-level Russian athletes.
ARD also claimed it had obtained audio recordings of conversations involving Anna Antseliovich, the acting head of the Russian anti-doping agency, RUSADA, which was suspended by WADA in November over accusations its staff covered up doping by top Russian athletes. Antseliovich, while in an earlier role at RUSADA, allegedly told an unnamed athlete that she could reschedule a drug test. That would be a major breach of anti-doping rules, in which surprise testing is a key element.
Antseliovich is the successor to Nikita Kamaev, who ran RUSADA until his resignation in December. Kamaev, who had reportedly been planning to write a book about Russian doping, was found dead last month at the age of 52 following what RUSADA said was a heart attack.The Russian track and field federation says it will investigate new doping-related allegations against Russian coaches.
Separately, a key Russian whistleblower who helped to spark Russia's doping scandal, 800-meter runner Yulia Stepanova, is bidding to compete at the Olympics despite the Russian ban, the IAAF said.Stepanova, whose undercover footage of athletes and coaches appearing to confess to doping led to the creation of the WADA commission, has applied "to compete in Rio in a capacity other than as a Russian athlete."
The International Olympic Committee has previously allowed stateless or refugee athletes to compete under the Olympic flag, but it was not clear whether Stepanova was seeking to do so.
Last Update: March 07, 2016 21:46