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Pound recommends Russian Federation suspension

Tuesday, November 10 2015 by SNTV
  • In a devastatingly critical report, a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) panel accused the Russian government of complicity in widespread doping and cover-ups by its track and field athletes - and said they should all be banned from competition until the country cleans up its act.

    SOUNDBITE (English) Dick Pound, commission chairman and former WADA president:

    "For 2016, our recommendation is that the Russian Federation be suspended. In fact one of our hopes is that they will volunteer that so they can undertake the remedial work in time to make sure that Russian athletes can compete under a new framework if you like. If they don't, it has to play itself out and the outcome may be that there are no Russian track and field athletes in Rio. I hope that they recognise that it is time to change and make those changes. Technically, the athletes have always been the ones (that) got caught. They are the ones that have had the doping substances in their systems. In many cases, it is part of a system where they have no practical choice - if they want to participate and have access to coaching, you follow the regime or you are out. You can be left out just generally or you can be left out under some prejudice and so they are part of the problem but it is not a problem they created."

    SOUNDBITE (English) Dick Pound, commission and former WADA president:

    "Our conclusion was that all of this could not have happened and continue to happen without the knowledge of and either actual or implied consent of the state authorities. They were not operating the sport, but as I say, they would certainly have known and could not NOT have known about this."
    Q: Would you describe it as state-supported doping?
    "In the sense of consenting to it and allowing it, yes. I don't think there is any other possible conclusion."

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