The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said on Saturday it had revoked the status of a Moscow anti-doping laboratory because it failed to comply with ethical and laboratory standards.

The National Anti-Doping Laboratory in Moscow had already been provisionally suspended in January 2020.

WADA said the decision means the laboratory "remains ineligible to carry out any work related to the analysis of blood samples in connection with the athlete biological passport (ABP) or any other form of anti-doping analysis..."

The laboratory has 21 days to appeal the decision at the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), WADA said.

In 2016 WADA had authorised the laboratory to analyse athlete biological passports (ABP) to ensure the programme's continuity. However, its right to carry out other anti-doping activities remained revoked.

ABP is designed to monitor different biological components that reveal doping over time.

The laboratory's full accreditation was revoked in 2015 after a WADA-commissioned report found evidence of institutionalised doping in Russian athletics.

Russia is banned from competing under its flag and with its national anthem at major international sporting events, including next year's Beijing Winter Olympics, as part of sanctions designed to punish Moscow for having provided WADA with doctored laboratory data.

Russia has denied the existence of state-sponsored doping in the country but has at times acknowledged shortcomings in its enforcement of anti-doping regulations.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said on Saturday it had revoked the status of a Moscow anti-doping laboratory because it failed to comply with ethical and laboratory standards.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said on Saturday it had revoked the status of a Moscow anti-doping laboratory because it failed to comply with ethical and laboratory standards. The National Anti-Doping Laboratory in Moscow had already been provisionally suspended in January 2020. WADA said the decision means the laboratory "remains ineligible to carry out any work related to the analysis of blood samples in connection with the athlete biological passport (ABP) or any other form of anti-doping analysis..." The laboratory has 21 days to appeal the decision at the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), WADA said. In 2016 WADA had authorised the laboratory to analyse athlete biological passports (ABP) to ensure the programme's continuity. However, its right to carry out other anti-doping activities remained revoked. ABP is designed to monitor different biological components that reveal doping over time. The laboratory's full accreditation was revoked in 2015 after a WADA-commissioned report found evidence of institutionalised doping in Russian athletics. Russia is banned from competing under its flag and with its national anthem at major international sporting events, including next year's Beijing Winter Olympics, as part of sanctions designed to punish Moscow for having provided WADA with doctored laboratory data. Russia has denied the existence of state-sponsored doping in the country but has at times acknowledged shortcomings in its enforcement of anti-doping regulations.

WADA sanctions Russian anti-doping laboratory

Amid doping row, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday admitted that the country has committed a sin and urged the authorities to&nbsp;get tougher on&nbsp;doping problems.&nbsp;

Russia faces the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wada-seeks-russia-ban-over-doping-data-manipulation-264626">possibility of being banned </a>from all sporting competitions including the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/more-tokyo-olympic-events-rescheduled-due-to-heat-concern-266444">Tokyo 2020</a> after a key World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) committee recommended a four-year ban on the country for manipulating laboratory data.

In an annual televised question-and-answer session with TV journalists,&nbsp;Medvedev said that Russia should get serious about rooting out cheats.&nbsp;

"We do have a problem with doping and this is unacceptable," he said.&nbsp;

"We should adopt a tougher line on this matter, towards those taking the decisions on the use of these substances."

"Here we have committed a sin," he acknowledged, while adding "Are other countries without sin?"&nbsp;

Medvedev argued that athletes should not be punished for the mistakes of others&nbsp;while calling the Russian doping scandal an "endless anti-Russian TV series."&nbsp;

WADA is set to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wada-moves-crucial-exco-meeting-to-lausanne-from-paris-265865">meet on Monday</a> in Lausanne for the crucial executive committee meeting to discuss the recommended four-year ban.&nbsp;

WADA’s Compliance Review Committee (CRC) called for the proposed sanctions after the Russian Anti Doping Agency (RUSADA) was found to be non-compliant after the data handed over by the tainted Moscow laboratory was found to be "neither complete nor fully authentic".

The full disclosure of data was a key condition of Russia’s reinstatement in 2018 after a nearly three-year-long ban which was followed by the revelation of vast state-supported doping programs in the country.&nbsp;

The four-year ban was one of the several "strong proposed consequences" by CRC over Russia which is to start "on the date on which the decision that Rusada is non-compliant becomes final".

RUSADA’s chief Yury Ganus said last week that he expected WADA to uphold the recommendations as “that’s the reality”. &nbsp;

The recommendations are the latest in Russia’s doping saga which is being dragged since 2015 which found more than 1000 Russian athletes being benefited from the state-supported doping program in the period of 2011-2015, a period that included 2014 winter <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympic-chief-says-will-do-everything-to-ensure-russia-at-2020-games-265073">Olympics</a> that were held in Russia.

Amid doping row, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday admitted that the country has committed a sin and urged the authorities to get tougher on doping problems.

Amid doping row, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday admitted that the country has committed a sin and urged the authorities to get tougher on doping problems. Russia faces the possibility of being banned from all sporting competitions including the Tokyo 2020 after a key World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) committee recommended a four-year ban on the country for manipulating laboratory data. In an annual televised question-and-answer session with TV journalists, Medvedev said that Russia should get serious about rooting out cheats. "We do have a problem with doping and this is unacceptable," he said. "We should adopt a tougher line on this matter, towards those taking the decisions on the use of these substances." "Here we have committed a sin," he acknowledged, while adding "Are other countries without sin?" Medvedev argued that athletes should not be punished for the mistakes of others while calling the Russian doping scandal an "endless anti-Russian TV series." WADA is set to meet on Monday in Lausanne for the crucial executive committee meeting to discuss the recommended four-year ban. WADA’s Compliance Review Committee (CRC) called for the proposed sanctions after the Russian Anti Doping Agency (RUSADA) was found to be non-compliant after the data handed over by the tainted Moscow laboratory was found to be "neither complete nor fully authentic". The full disclosure of data was a key condition of Russia’s reinstatement in 2018 after a nearly three-year-long ban which was followed by the revelation of vast state-supported doping programs in the country. The four-year ban was one of the several "strong proposed consequences" by CRC over Russia which is to start "on the date on which the decision that Rusada is non-compliant becomes final". RUSADA’s chief Yury Ganus said last week that he expected WADA to uphold the recommendations as “that’s the reality”. The recommendations are the latest in Russia’s doping saga which is being dragged since 2015 which found more than 1000 Russian athletes being benefited from the state-supported doping program in the period of 2011-2015, a period that included 2014 winter Olympics that were held in Russia.

'We have committed a sin', says Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev amid doping row

The Kremlin on Wednesday said&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;regrets a proposed<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wada-seeks-russia-ban-over-doping-data-manipulation-264626"> four-year blanket ban</a> for the country's athletes over doping but will remain open to&nbsp;cooperation.

"This is definitely concerning information. We regret this," President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.

In the Kremlin's first reaction to anti-doping watchdog WADA's compliance review committee's recommendations issued Monday, he stressed that Moscow was open to cooperation with international authorities&nbsp;

"You know the Russian sporting authorities have been, are and will remain as open as possible to cooperation and collaboration with the international sporting community and also with WADA," he said.

If WADA chiefs adopt the review committee's recommendations,&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;faces exclusion from key sporting events including the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/with-eight-months-from-tokyo-2020-venue-preparations-enter-final-stretch-263688">2020 Tokyo Olympics</a>.

The doping scandal has tainted&nbsp;Russia's sporting reputation for the last five years, after revelations of large-scale state-sponsored doping aimed at improving&nbsp;Russia's medal performance at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Monday's call from the World Anti-Doping Agency's review panel came after Russian authorities were accused of falsifying laboratory data related to the country's doping scandal, which were handed over to investigators in January.

Peskov said news of the possible ban was "far from joyful for us," but Moscow would await the final decision on the proposed ban by WADA's executive committee on December 9 before making an assessment.

Concerning the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/russian-sports-minister-denies-doping-data-was-falsified-260570">tainted data</a>, Peskov insisted&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;had provided "detailed explanations" to WADA of the inconsistencies it found.

The Kremlin on Wednesday said Russia regrets a proposed four-year blanket ban for the country's athletes over doping but will remain open to cooperation. "This is definitely concerning information.

The Kremlin on Wednesday said Russia regrets a proposed four-year blanket ban for the country's athletes over doping but will remain open to cooperation. "This is definitely concerning information. We regret this," President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. In the Kremlin's first reaction to anti-doping watchdog WADA's compliance review committee's recommendations issued Monday, he stressed that Moscow was open to cooperation with international authorities "You know the Russian sporting authorities have been, are and will remain as open as possible to cooperation and collaboration with the international sporting community and also with WADA," he said. If WADA chiefs adopt the review committee's recommendations, Russia faces exclusion from key sporting events including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The doping scandal has tainted Russia's sporting reputation for the last five years, after revelations of large-scale state-sponsored doping aimed at improving Russia's medal performance at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Monday's call from the World Anti-Doping Agency's review panel came after Russian authorities were accused of falsifying laboratory data related to the country's doping scandal, which were handed over to investigators in January. Peskov said news of the possible ban was "far from joyful for us," but Moscow would await the final decision on the proposed ban by WADA's executive committee on December 9 before making an assessment. Concerning the tainted data, Peskov insisted Russia had provided "detailed explanations" to WADA of the inconsistencies it found.

Kremlin says Russia remains 'open to cooperation' on doping after proposed WADA ban

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has begun to build cases against drug cheats with the help of raw data retrieved from a Moscow laboratory as the Russia doping investigation enters a new and perhaps final phase, WADA said on Thursday.

Gunter Younger, WADA's director of intelligence, told the Foundation board that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wada-retrieves-more-than-2000-samples-from-tainted-moscow-lab-214962">first cases built on data mined from the infamous lab</a> had been turned over to international federations and he expected that work to be completed by the end of the fourth quarter this year.

After forcing Russian authorities in January to surrender raw data stored in the Moscow lab and later securing thousands of urine and blood samples, WADA is in the process of analysing that material and connecting the dots that could lead to hundreds more sanctions.

Younger reported that 24 million documents of data have been analysed and are being compared with multiple other sources, including Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) data obtained through a confidential source in 2015.

"We have already started, one federation has already received a package," Younger told Reuters. "There was a very high degree of matching between the data collected in January and the LIMS data.

"The strongest cases we have now identified.

"We will now start with case one we consider strongest, get into the data base get the raw data and with our raw data we go to our lab experts.

"The lab experts look at raw data and say yes this is a really strong case go ahead. Then we prepare all the evidence and approach the federation."

WADA has been under immense pressure to deal with Russia since a 2015 report outlined evidence of state-backed, systematic doping in Russian athletics which was amplified a year later when a report by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren revealed doping and testing manipulation across many sports.

The heat was turned up last September when the WADA executive committee, ignoring the outrage of numerous athletes groups, voted to reinstate the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) before it had fulfilled the requirements laid out in a Roadmap to Compliance, including access to data in the Moscow lab.

After being bombarded by criticism and with an end to the long-running doping saga now in sight, a vindicated WADA president Craig Reedie is confident that history will show they made the right decision by provisionally reinstating RUSADA.

"Successfully getting the data and then the samples was the real game changer," Reedie told Reuters. "The accusation is that we were weak on Russia but if you look at it, it was our Compliance Review Committee who decided to try to break the logjam on the compliance of RUSADA.

"Instead of waiting for Russia to come to us we actually went to them saying we will make you compliant if you deal with these conditions and they did," Reedie added.

"Was it the right decision, yes it was, loud and clear and we have delivered. I would be happy if the rest of the world now understood WADA did the correct thing."

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has begun to build cases against drug cheats with the help of raw data retrieved from a Moscow laboratory as the Russia doping investigation enters a new and perhaps final phase, WADA said on Thursday.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has begun to build cases against drug cheats with the help of raw data retrieved from a Moscow laboratory as the Russia doping investigation enters a new and perhaps final phase, WADA said on Thursday. Gunter Younger, WADA's director of intelligence, told the Foundation board that the first cases built on data mined from the infamous lab had been turned over to international federations and he expected that work to be completed by the end of the fourth quarter this year. After forcing Russian authorities in January to surrender raw data stored in the Moscow lab and later securing thousands of urine and blood samples, WADA is in the process of analysing that material and connecting the dots that could lead to hundreds more sanctions. Younger reported that 24 million documents of data have been analysed and are being compared with multiple other sources, including Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) data obtained through a confidential source in 2015. "We have already started, one federation has already received a package," Younger told Reuters. "There was a very high degree of matching between the data collected in January and the LIMS data. "The strongest cases we have now identified. "We will now start with case one we consider strongest, get into the data base get the raw data and with our raw data we go to our lab experts. "The lab experts look at raw data and say yes this is a really strong case go ahead. Then we prepare all the evidence and approach the federation." WADA has been under immense pressure to deal with Russia since a 2015 report outlined evidence of state-backed, systematic doping in Russian athletics which was amplified a year later when a report by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren revealed doping and testing manipulation across many sports. The heat was turned up last September when the WADA executive committee, ignoring the outrage of numerous athletes groups, voted to reinstate the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) before it had fulfilled the requirements laid out in a Roadmap to Compliance, including access to data in the Moscow lab. After being bombarded by criticism and with an end to the long-running doping saga now in sight, a vindicated WADA president Craig Reedie is confident that history will show they made the right decision by provisionally reinstating RUSADA. "Successfully getting the data and then the samples was the real game changer," Reedie told Reuters. "The accusation is that we were weak on Russia but if you look at it, it was our Compliance Review Committee who decided to try to break the logjam on the compliance of RUSADA. "Instead of waiting for Russia to come to us we actually went to them saying we will make you compliant if you deal with these conditions and they did," Reedie added. "Was it the right decision, yes it was, loud and clear and we have delivered. I would be happy if the rest of the world now understood WADA did the correct thing."

WADA's Russian investigation enters new phase

More than 1,000 Russian athletes in about 30 sports took part in an &quot;institutional conspiracy&quot; to use banned drugs at the Sochi and London Olympics and other global events, doping investigator Richard Mclaren said Friday.

International sport had been &quot;hijacked&quot; by the Russians, according to the the Canadian lawyer who has previously accused Russia of &quot;state-sponsored&quot; cheating.

He said in his new report for the World Anti-Doping Agency that he had confirmed the switching of samples at the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014 and that salt and coffee was&nbsp;used to manipulate samples when checked by international experts.

More than 1,000 athletes in the summer and winter Olympics and Paralympics &quot;can be identified as being involved in or benefiting from manipulations to conceal positive testing,&quot; the report said.

Information on 695 summer and winter Olympic athletes had been sent to sports federations. He gave no names but said &quot;well known and elite level athletes&quot; had tests declared to WADA &quot;falsified&quot;.

&quot;A cover-up that evolved over the years from uncontrolled chaos to an instutionalised and disciplined medal-winning strategy and conspiracy,&quot; McLaren said as he introduced his report.

McLaren&#39;s report said the doping started in about 2011 but the sports ministry under Vitaly Mutko, now a deputy prime minister, took control from 2012 fearing that the cheating would be detected.

&quot;An institutional conspiracy existed across summer and winter sports athletes who participated with Russian officials within the ministry of sport and its infrastructure,&quot; said McLaren.&nbsp;

&quot;These activities were supported by senior Russian officials, including the minister and deputy minister of sport.&quot;

Mutko, who has denied any involvement, was not personally named. He was barred from going to the Rio Olympics by the International Olympic Committee in August but has since been promoted by President Vladimir Putin.

Asked his reaction to Mutko&#39;s promotion, McLaren said &quot;No I am not surprised&quot;. &nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;For years, international sports competitions have unknowingly been hijacked by the Russians,&quot; he told a press conference.

&quot;Coaches and athletes have been competing on an uneven field. Sports fans and spectators have been deceived.&quot;

McLaren said Russian officials could be trusted &quot;but they need to reform themselves&quot;.

The system was &quot;refined&quot; in the buildup to the 2012 London Olympics and then further for the 2013 Universiade, the world athletics championships in Moscow in 2013 and particularly for the 2014 Sochi Games.

Russia won 24 golds, 26 silvers and 32 bronze medals in London with no failed tests at the time.

He said there was evidence that the &quot;washout&quot; of samples before London was taking part on a weekly basis in at least athletics and weightlifting.

&quot;The Russian team corrupted the London Games on an unprecedented scale.&quot;

McLaren&#39;s first report, released in July, led to more than 110 Russian athletes being banned from the Rio Olympics&nbsp;but also caused a major rift between the IOC and WADA.

He said this infighting has got to end to be able to tackle global doping.

The report is a huge new blow to Russia, which is already battling to get back into the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) because of an earlier inquiry.

Russia has said the earlier McLaren report lacked detail and needed more investigation.

New Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov, a former Olympic champion fencer, said Thursday that the country had &quot;declared war&quot; against doping. There are many doubters over Russian efforts however.

The IAAF and WADA are keeping to their suspension of Russia, meaning the country may not be able to compete at the world athletics championships in August.

WADA president Craig Reedie said last month that Russia was a long way off returning to the global body.

Anti-doping officials have complained about a lack of access to closed cities where athletes are training and also to a Moscow laboratory where samples sought by international sporting federations are kept.

Athletes from Russia and other East European states have dominated the list of cheats caught in new tests on 1,243 samples taken at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics.

Tennis star Maria Sharapova has been among a host of Russians ordered banned because of doping failures over the past 18 months.

IOC medical director Richard Budgett said Wednesday that there is more bad news to come from the London tests which are not yet finished.

&quot;There will be many more to come in the coming weeks and months,&quot; Budgett warned without saying which countries were involved. 
 
(AFP)

'For years, international sports competitions have unknowingly been hijacked by the Russians,' doping investigator, Richard Mclaren

More than 1,000 Russian athletes in about 30 sports took part in an "institutional conspiracy" to use banned drugs at the Sochi and London Olympics and other global events, doping investigator Richard Mclaren said Friday. International sport had been "hijacked" by the Russians, according to the the Canadian lawyer who has previously accused Russia of "state-sponsored" cheating. He said in his new report for the World Anti-Doping Agency that he had confirmed the switching of samples at the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014 and that salt and coffee was used to manipulate samples when checked by international experts. More than 1,000 athletes in the summer and winter Olympics and Paralympics "can be identified as being involved in or benefiting from manipulations to conceal positive testing," the report said. Information on 695 summer and winter Olympic athletes had been sent to sports federations. He gave no names but said "well known and elite level athletes" had tests declared to WADA "falsified". "A cover-up that evolved over the years from uncontrolled chaos to an instutionalised and disciplined medal-winning strategy and conspiracy," McLaren said as he introduced his report. McLaren's report said the doping started in about 2011 but the sports ministry under Vitaly Mutko, now a deputy prime minister, took control from 2012 fearing that the cheating would be detected. "An institutional conspiracy existed across summer and winter sports athletes who participated with Russian officials within the ministry of sport and its infrastructure," said McLaren. "These activities were supported by senior Russian officials, including the minister and deputy minister of sport." Mutko, who has denied any involvement, was not personally named. He was barred from going to the Rio Olympics by the International Olympic Committee in August but has since been promoted by President Vladimir Putin. Asked his reaction to Mutko's promotion, McLaren said "No I am not surprised". "For years, international sports competitions have unknowingly been hijacked by the Russians," he told a press conference. "Coaches and athletes have been competing on an uneven field. Sports fans and spectators have been deceived." McLaren said Russian officials could be trusted "but they need to reform themselves". The system was "refined" in the buildup to the 2012 London Olympics and then further for the 2013 Universiade, the world athletics championships in Moscow in 2013 and particularly for the 2014 Sochi Games. Russia won 24 golds, 26 silvers and 32 bronze medals in London with no failed tests at the time. He said there was evidence that the "washout" of samples before London was taking part on a weekly basis in at least athletics and weightlifting. "The Russian team corrupted the London Games on an unprecedented scale." McLaren's first report, released in July, led to more than 110 Russian athletes being banned from the Rio Olympics but also caused a major rift between the IOC and WADA. He said this infighting has got to end to be able to tackle global doping. The report is a huge new blow to Russia, which is already battling to get back into the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) because of an earlier inquiry. Russia has said the earlier McLaren report lacked detail and needed more investigation. New Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov, a former Olympic champion fencer, said Thursday that the country had "declared war" against doping. There are many doubters over Russian efforts however. The IAAF and WADA are keeping to their suspension of Russia, meaning the country may not be able to compete at the world athletics championships in August. WADA president Craig Reedie said last month that Russia was a long way off returning to the global body. Anti-doping officials have complained about a lack of access to closed cities where athletes are training and also to a Moscow laboratory where samples sought by international sporting federations are kept. Athletes from Russia and other East European states have dominated the list of cheats caught in new tests on 1,243 samples taken at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics. Tennis star Maria Sharapova has been among a host of Russians ordered banned because of doping failures over the past 18 months. IOC medical director Richard Budgett said Wednesday that there is more bad news to come from the London tests which are not yet finished. "There will be many more to come in the coming weeks and months," Budgett warned without saying which countries were involved. (AFP)

More than 1,000 Russian athletes in 'institutionalised' doping: Investigator

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Wednesday extended sanctions against Russia over doping until further notice.

The IOC first imposed sanctions on Russia in July in the wake of Richard McLaren&#39;s report for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) that revealed a widespread state-backed scheme in Russia to rig drug tests at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

The revelations led to the exclusion of more than 100 Russian athletes from the Rio Olympics and the entire Russian team from the Paralympics.

The IOC executive board &quot;decided to extend the provisional measures ... against Russia until further notice&quot;, two days before the McLaren&#39;s full report is released, in London.

&quot;Once the above-mentioned process is complete, the IOC Executive Board will take all the appropriate measures and sanctions in the context of the Olympic Games, such as disqualification of athletes from competition at the Olympic Games, and the exclusion of implicated officials, entourage or government officials from the Olympic Games,&quot; the board said in a statement.

&quot;Outside the Olympic Games, the International Federations have the authority for any consequential sanctions of athletes and entourage from other international competitions, and potentially the suspension of national federations.&quot;

The full report by Canadian law professor McLaren is again expected to lift the lid once more on doping in Russia.

&quot;In order for the competent bodies, including the International Olympic Committee, to draw the relevant conclusions, due process now has to be followed,&quot; the IOC board added.

&quot;The evidence provided by Professor McLaren in his investigation has to be evaluated, and those implicated have to be given the right to be heard. This includes the athletes, the Russian Ministry of Sport, and other implicated persons and organisations.

&quot;Once all the evidence has been considered, the IOC Executive Board will then issue the appropriate measures and sanctions related to the Olympic Games.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The revelations led to the exclusion of more than 100 Russian athletes from the Rio Olympics and the entire Russian team from the Paralympics.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Wednesday extended sanctions against Russia over doping until further notice. The IOC first imposed sanctions on Russia in July in the wake of Richard McLaren's report for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) that revealed a widespread state-backed scheme in Russia to rig drug tests at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and Paralympics. The revelations led to the exclusion of more than 100 Russian athletes from the Rio Olympics and the entire Russian team from the Paralympics. The IOC executive board "decided to extend the provisional measures ... against Russia until further notice", two days before the McLaren's full report is released, in London. "Once the above-mentioned process is complete, the IOC Executive Board will take all the appropriate measures and sanctions in the context of the Olympic Games, such as disqualification of athletes from competition at the Olympic Games, and the exclusion of implicated officials, entourage or government officials from the Olympic Games," the board said in a statement. "Outside the Olympic Games, the International Federations have the authority for any consequential sanctions of athletes and entourage from other international competitions, and potentially the suspension of national federations." The full report by Canadian law professor McLaren is again expected to lift the lid once more on doping in Russia. "In order for the competent bodies, including the International Olympic Committee, to draw the relevant conclusions, due process now has to be followed," the IOC board added. "The evidence provided by Professor McLaren in his investigation has to be evaluated, and those implicated have to be given the right to be heard. This includes the athletes, the Russian Ministry of Sport, and other implicated persons and organisations. "Once all the evidence has been considered, the IOC Executive Board will then issue the appropriate measures and sanctions related to the Olympic Games." (AFP)

IOC extends sanctions against Russia over doping

Russia will not compete at the Paralympics next month after it lost an appeal on Tuesday against a suspension issued over evidence of state-sponsored doping programme. 
 
The decision to exclude Russia&#39;s entire Paralympics team was initially announced by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) on August 7.&nbsp; 
 
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed the appeal filed by the Russian Paralympic Committee which sought to overturn the ban announced by IPC. This means that at least 250 Russian competitors are set to miss the event between September 7-18. 
 
CAS said Russia &quot;did not file any evidence contradicting the facts on which the IPC decision was based.&quot; 
 
&quot;As a consequence, the IPC decision is confirmed,&quot; the court said in a statement. 
 
A blanket ban on all Russian athletes was recommended for the Olympics in Rio, but a large majority were allowed to participate by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). 
 
Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko has slammed the Paralympic ban as &quot;beyond belief&quot;. 
 
Russia has said that the IPC&#39;s decision is politically motivated and will punish dozens of innocent athletes. 
 
The 2016 Rio Paralympics next month will see athletes compete in 23 disciplines over 11 days. 
 
(With inputs from agencies) 
 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

The Court of Arbitration for Sport said Russia 'did not file any evidence contradicting the facts on which the IPC decision was based

Russia will not compete at the Paralympics next month after it lost an appeal on Tuesday against a suspension issued over evidence of state-sponsored doping programme. The decision to exclude Russia's entire Paralympics team was initially announced by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) on August 7. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed the appeal filed by the Russian Paralympic Committee which sought to overturn the ban announced by IPC. This means that at least 250 Russian competitors are set to miss the event between September 7-18. CAS said Russia "did not file any evidence contradicting the facts on which the IPC decision was based." "As a consequence, the IPC decision is confirmed," the court said in a statement. A blanket ban on all Russian athletes was recommended for the Olympics in Rio, but a large majority were allowed to participate by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko has slammed the Paralympic ban as "beyond belief". Russia has said that the IPC's decision is politically motivated and will punish dozens of innocent athletes. The 2016 Rio Paralympics next month will see athletes compete in 23 disciplines over 11 days. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia loses appeal against Paralympics doping ban

The International Olympic Committee&#39;s decision to reject calls to ban all Russian competitors from the Rio Olympics could lead to &quot;lesser protection for clean athletes,&quot; the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said on Sunday. 
 
The global anti-doping agency said it stood by its earlier recommendation that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decline all entries for the Rio Games submitted by the Russian Olympic Committee. 
 
The IOC on Sunday resisted calls for a blanket ban on Russians competing in next month&#39;s Rio games due to the country&#39;s doping record, leaving decisions on individual athletes&#39; participation with their sports federations. 
 
&quot;WADA is disappointed that the IOC did not heed WADA&rsquo;s Executive Committee recommendations that were based on the outcomes of the McLaren Investigation and would have ensured a straight-forward, strong and harmonised approach,&rdquo; WADA President Craig Reedie said in a statement. 
 
&ldquo;The McLaren Report exposed, beyond a reasonable doubt, a state-run doping program in Russia that seriously undermines the principles of clean sport embodied within the World Anti-Doping Code,&quot; Reedie added. 
 
&#39;Why did IOC not allow Stepanova to run as independent athlete?&#39; 
 
WADA also joined other anti-doping leaders in expressing concern over the effect of the IOC decision. 
 
&quot;The approach taken and the criteria set forward will inevitably lead to a lack of harmonisation, potential challenges and lesser protection for clean athletes,&rdquo; WADA Director General Olivier Niggli said. 
 
He also questioned why the IOC had not allowed Russian whistleblower Yulia Stepanova to run as an independent athlete in Rio. 
 
&quot;Ms. Stepanova was instrumental in courageously exposing the single biggest doping scandal of all time,&rdquo; Niggli said. &ldquo;WADA is very concerned by the message that this sends whistleblowers for the future.&quot; 
 
Evidence from the McLaren report had also been sent to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), WADA said. 
 
The IPC will make its own decision on whether to permit Russian athletes in the Paralympics. It has already started suspension proceedings against Russia following the McLaren report. 
 
Responding to IOC calls that the agency review the anti-doping system, WADA said it was fully committed to further strengthening system. 
 
It also confirmed professor Richard McLaren would continue his investigative work into doping and &quot;identify athletes that might have benefited from manipulation of the doping control process to conceal positive doping tests&quot;. 
 
(Reuters)

The IOC resisted calls for a blanket ban on Sunday on Russians competing in next month's Rio games due to the country's doping record

The International Olympic Committee's decision to reject calls to ban all Russian competitors from the Rio Olympics could lead to "lesser protection for clean athletes," the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said on Sunday. The global anti-doping agency said it stood by its earlier recommendation that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decline all entries for the Rio Games submitted by the Russian Olympic Committee. The IOC on Sunday resisted calls for a blanket ban on Russians competing in next month's Rio games due to the country's doping record, leaving decisions on individual athletes' participation with their sports federations. "WADA is disappointed that the IOC did not heed WADA’s Executive Committee recommendations that were based on the outcomes of the McLaren Investigation and would have ensured a straight-forward, strong and harmonised approach,” WADA President Craig Reedie said in a statement. “The McLaren Report exposed, beyond a reasonable doubt, a state-run doping program in Russia that seriously undermines the principles of clean sport embodied within the World Anti-Doping Code," Reedie added. 'Why did IOC not allow Stepanova to run as independent athlete?' WADA also joined other anti-doping leaders in expressing concern over the effect of the IOC decision. "The approach taken and the criteria set forward will inevitably lead to a lack of harmonisation, potential challenges and lesser protection for clean athletes,” WADA Director General Olivier Niggli said. He also questioned why the IOC had not allowed Russian whistleblower Yulia Stepanova to run as an independent athlete in Rio. "Ms. Stepanova was instrumental in courageously exposing the single biggest doping scandal of all time,” Niggli said. “WADA is very concerned by the message that this sends whistleblowers for the future." Evidence from the McLaren report had also been sent to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), WADA said. The IPC will make its own decision on whether to permit Russian athletes in the Paralympics. It has already started suspension proceedings against Russia following the McLaren report. Responding to IOC calls that the agency review the anti-doping system, WADA said it was fully committed to further strengthening system. It also confirmed professor Richard McLaren would continue his investigative work into doping and "identify athletes that might have benefited from manipulation of the doping control process to conceal positive doping tests". (Reuters)

Rio Olympics 2016: WADA 'disappointed' by IOC decision on Russia

Canoeing&#39;s governing body has banned five Russians, including a gold medallist and a five-times world champion, from next month&#39;s Rio Olympics after an explosive independent report revealed state-run doping across Russian sport. 
 
&quot;We are clear that if you step out of line you won`t make the start line,&quot; International Canoe Federation secretary general Simon Toulson said, as canoeing became the latest sport to bar Russians from the Games in the fall-out over the roiling doping controversy. 
 
Their exclusion takes the number of Russians banned from taking part in Rio to 18 since Sunday when the International Olympic Committee decided not to issue a blanket ban on all Russian competitors, instead leaving it up to each sport to decide what to do. 
 
&quot;The International Canoe Federation (ICF) has taken swift action to remove five Russian canoe sprint athletes from the Rio Olympic Games following the release of additional information naming those implicated by the McLaren report,&quot; the ICF said. 
 
&quot;In each case the ICF will impose an immediate suspension pending further investigation making the offending athletes ineligible to compete at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.&quot; 
 
The five were named as Elena Aniushina, Natalia Podolskaya, Alexander Dyachenko, Andrey Kraitor and Alexey Korovashkov. 
 
Korovashkov, a five-times world champion, won a bronze medal in London four years ago and Dyachenko won gold in a doubles kayak sprint. 
 
The Olympics begin on August 5. 
 
(AFP)

Their exclusion takes the number of Russians banned from taking part in Rio to 18 since Sunday after IOC decided not to issue blanket ban

Canoeing's governing body has banned five Russians, including a gold medallist and a five-times world champion, from next month's Rio Olympics after an explosive independent report revealed state-run doping across Russian sport. "We are clear that if you step out of line you won`t make the start line," International Canoe Federation secretary general Simon Toulson said, as canoeing became the latest sport to bar Russians from the Games in the fall-out over the roiling doping controversy. Their exclusion takes the number of Russians banned from taking part in Rio to 18 since Sunday when the International Olympic Committee decided not to issue a blanket ban on all Russian competitors, instead leaving it up to each sport to decide what to do. "The International Canoe Federation (ICF) has taken swift action to remove five Russian canoe sprint athletes from the Rio Olympic Games following the release of additional information naming those implicated by the McLaren report," the ICF said. "In each case the ICF will impose an immediate suspension pending further investigation making the offending athletes ineligible to compete at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games." The five were named as Elena Aniushina, Natalia Podolskaya, Alexander Dyachenko, Andrey Kraitor and Alexey Korovashkov. Korovashkov, a five-times world champion, won a bronze medal in London four years ago and Dyachenko won gold in a doubles kayak sprint. The Olympics begin on August 5. (AFP)

Five Russian canoers, including five-times world champion Korovashkov, banned from Rio

US anti-doping chiefs blasted the International Olympic Committee for creating &quot;a confusing mess&quot; over the Russian doping scandal, claiming they lacked &quot;decisive leadership&quot; by opting against a blanket Rio ban for Russia. 
 
The IOC decided against an all-out ban over state-run doping and left international sports federations with the job of clearing athletes for the Games which start on August 5. 
 
&quot;Disappointingly, in response to the most important moment for clean athletes and the integrity of the Olympic Games, the IOC has refused to take decisive leadership,&quot; said Travis T Tygart, the chief executive of USADA, the American anti-doping body. 
 
&quot;The decision regarding Russian participation and the confusing mess left in its wake is a significant blow to the rights of clean athletes.&quot; 
 
&quot;It is so frustrating that in this incredibly important moment, they would pass the baton to sports federations who may lack the adequate expertise or collective will to appropriately address the situation within the short window prior to the Games. The conflict of interest is glaring.&quot; 
 
USADA also hit out at the decision to ban doping whistleblower Yuliya Stepanova from taking part in the Olympics. 
 
&quot;The decision to refuse her entry in to the Games is incomprehensible and contrary to CAS precedent. The attempt to enforce it will undoubtedly deter whistleblowers in the future from coming forward,&quot; said Tygart. 
 
(AFP)

The US anti-doping body also hit out at the decision to ban doping whistleblower Yuliya Stepanova from taking part in the Olympics

US anti-doping chiefs blasted the International Olympic Committee for creating "a confusing mess" over the Russian doping scandal, claiming they lacked "decisive leadership" by opting against a blanket Rio ban for Russia. The IOC decided against an all-out ban over state-run doping and left international sports federations with the job of clearing athletes for the Games which start on August 5. "Disappointingly, in response to the most important moment for clean athletes and the integrity of the Olympic Games, the IOC has refused to take decisive leadership," said Travis T Tygart, the chief executive of USADA, the American anti-doping body. "The decision regarding Russian participation and the confusing mess left in its wake is a significant blow to the rights of clean athletes." "It is so frustrating that in this incredibly important moment, they would pass the baton to sports federations who may lack the adequate expertise or collective will to appropriately address the situation within the short window prior to the Games. The conflict of interest is glaring." USADA also hit out at the decision to ban doping whistleblower Yuliya Stepanova from taking part in the Olympics. "The decision to refuse her entry in to the Games is incomprehensible and contrary to CAS precedent. The attempt to enforce it will undoubtedly deter whistleblowers in the future from coming forward," said Tygart. (AFP)

US anti-doping CEO: Russia verdict blow to rights of clean athletes

Russia insisted today that it expects to avoid a blanket ban from the IOC on its competitors at the Rio Olympics despite its track and field squad losing an appeal over a suspension for state-sponsored doping. 
 
&quot;All sportsmen who have not been convicted or are not under suspicion of doping should have the right to compete. That is the decision we are counting on,&quot; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. 
 
The International Olympic Committee&#39;s executive board are to hold a conference call on Sunday to discuss banning Russia from the Rio Games starting on August 5. 
 
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Thursday ruled against Russia&#39;s athletes in a decision seen as a key indicator as the IOC debates whether to kick out the whole Russian team. 
 
The IOC is facing international pressure to act tough on Russia and ban the entire team over bombshell revelations of a state-run doping system that has seen the country cheat its way to victory. 
 
Fourteen national anti-doping agencies including the United States, Canada and Germany sent a joint letter to IOC President Thomas Bach on Thursday urging him to ban Russia from Rio. 
 
Officials in Moscow have slammed the decision by CAS to reject its appeal against a ban from the world athletics body IAAF, calling it part of a broader political campaign by the West against Russia. 
 
The suspension of the track and field team already means that star athletes like pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva and hurdler Sergey Shubenkov will not be in Rio. 
 
Isinbayeva who has threatened to call time on her career over the ban slammed the CAS ruling as a &quot;funeral for athletics.&quot; 
 
Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko who has clung on despite the scandal said Moscow now hopes the IOC will defer to individual international sporting federations to decide whether other Russian squads can compete. 
 
Cold War 
 
The CAS ruling has been the focus of Olympic attention since an independent WADA report this week said Russia ran a &quot;state-dictated failsafe system&quot; of drug cheating in 30 sports at the 2014 Sochi Games and other major events. 
 
But Russia has found support from some international sports bodies, with the International Judo Federation (IJF) insisting all clean athletes should be allowed to take part in Rio. 
 
&quot;We hope that by allowing participation of Russian athletes in Rio 2016, we will send out a positive message to all the young people who deserve to be given examples of friendship instead of examples of Cold War,&quot; said IJF president Marius Vizer. 
 
Individual Russian federations said they were now looking nervously ahead for the IOC to make its next move. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re all in suspense waiting for the IOC decision,&quot; wrestling federation president Mikhail Mamiashvili told AFP. 
 
&quot;I hope that the common sense and personal responsibility of those who will take the decision will prevail.&quot; 
 
The IAAF banned all of the Russian track and field team over allegations of state-sponsored doping but said athletes who prove they were not tainted by their country&#39;s corrupt system could be cleared. 
 
The IAAF has only gave permission for one Russian team member to compete as a neutral is US-based long jumper Darya Klishina to compete in Rio. 
 
The IOC has appeared to back the principle that international sporting federations could clear individual athletes in case of a blanket ban but with just two weeks to go until Rio time is slipping away. 
 
The Russian press had widely predicted that CAS would decide against Moscow and reaction was a mixture of soul-searching and criticism over systemic failings. 
 
&quot;They accused us of setting up a system in the country based on doping and we didn&#39;t react at all to these accusations,&quot; wrote daily Sovietsky Sport. &quot;That&#39;s why they&#39;re banning us.&quot; 
 
&quot;Alas, everything that is happening with our sports is the fruit of our own errors,&quot; a column in usually pro-Kremlin tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda said, citing years of mismanagement. 
 
&quot;It is far from certain that even the current apocalyptic storm will force us to change our sport. Maybe only if the IOC buries our team on Sunday.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

International Olympic Committee's executive board are to hold a conference call on Sunday to discuss banning Russia from the Rio Games

Russia insisted today that it expects to avoid a blanket ban from the IOC on its competitors at the Rio Olympics despite its track and field squad losing an appeal over a suspension for state-sponsored doping. "All sportsmen who have not been convicted or are not under suspicion of doping should have the right to compete. That is the decision we are counting on," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. The International Olympic Committee's executive board are to hold a conference call on Sunday to discuss banning Russia from the Rio Games starting on August 5. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Thursday ruled against Russia's athletes in a decision seen as a key indicator as the IOC debates whether to kick out the whole Russian team. The IOC is facing international pressure to act tough on Russia and ban the entire team over bombshell revelations of a state-run doping system that has seen the country cheat its way to victory. Fourteen national anti-doping agencies including the United States, Canada and Germany sent a joint letter to IOC President Thomas Bach on Thursday urging him to ban Russia from Rio. Officials in Moscow have slammed the decision by CAS to reject its appeal against a ban from the world athletics body IAAF, calling it part of a broader political campaign by the West against Russia. The suspension of the track and field team already means that star athletes like pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva and hurdler Sergey Shubenkov will not be in Rio. Isinbayeva who has threatened to call time on her career over the ban slammed the CAS ruling as a "funeral for athletics." Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko who has clung on despite the scandal said Moscow now hopes the IOC will defer to individual international sporting federations to decide whether other Russian squads can compete. Cold War The CAS ruling has been the focus of Olympic attention since an independent WADA report this week said Russia ran a "state-dictated failsafe system" of drug cheating in 30 sports at the 2014 Sochi Games and other major events. But Russia has found support from some international sports bodies, with the International Judo Federation (IJF) insisting all clean athletes should be allowed to take part in Rio. "We hope that by allowing participation of Russian athletes in Rio 2016, we will send out a positive message to all the young people who deserve to be given examples of friendship instead of examples of Cold War," said IJF president Marius Vizer. Individual Russian federations said they were now looking nervously ahead for the IOC to make its next move. "We're all in suspense waiting for the IOC decision," wrestling federation president Mikhail Mamiashvili told AFP. "I hope that the common sense and personal responsibility of those who will take the decision will prevail." The IAAF banned all of the Russian track and field team over allegations of state-sponsored doping but said athletes who prove they were not tainted by their country's corrupt system could be cleared. The IAAF has only gave permission for one Russian team member to compete as a neutral is US-based long jumper Darya Klishina to compete in Rio. The IOC has appeared to back the principle that international sporting federations could clear individual athletes in case of a blanket ban but with just two weeks to go until Rio time is slipping away. The Russian press had widely predicted that CAS would decide against Moscow and reaction was a mixture of soul-searching and criticism over systemic failings. "They accused us of setting up a system in the country based on doping and we didn't react at all to these accusations," wrote daily Sovietsky Sport. "That's why they're banning us." "Alas, everything that is happening with our sports is the fruit of our own errors," a column in usually pro-Kremlin tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda said, citing years of mismanagement. "It is far from certain that even the current apocalyptic storm will force us to change our sport. Maybe only if the IOC buries our team on Sunday." (AFP)

Russia braces for IOC ruling after CAS bans athletics squad

Russia&#39;s Olympic Committee pressed on Wednesday with its preparations for the Rio Olympic Games despite the threat of a ban for state-run doping hanging over the country.&nbsp; 
 
At a meeting in Moscow the executive board approved a 387-strong team -- including star names like pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, hurdler Sergei Shubenkov and tennis player Svetlana Kuznetsova -- to compete at this summer&#39;s games starting on August 5. 
 
&quot;We today confirmed the composition of our team including the track and field athletes. The court decision will likely be tomorrow and tomorrow we will find out,&quot; committee chief Alexander Zhukov said.&nbsp; 
 
Zhukov insisted that Russian sportsmen were still &quot;capable of competing for medals&quot; at the event in Rio and said they were training in Russia, Portugal and Brazil.&nbsp; 
 
The team`s line-up includes the 68 track and field athletes, whose fate hinges on the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, which is set to rule on Thursday on whether the IAAF had grounds to impose a blanket ban on Russia`s athletics federation. 
 
An independent WADA commission led by Canadian investigator Richard McLaren detailed an elaborate cheating scheme run by Russia`s sports ministry with help from the FSB state intelligence agency. 
 
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it would study &quot;legal options&quot; before deciding whether to ban Russia from the Rio Games following emergency talks on Tuesday. 
 
A spokesman for the committee said Wednesday it would decide &quot;within seven days&quot; on whether to ban Russia from the Rio Games over rampant state-run doping. 
 
The IOC ordered a disciplinary commission to look into what McLaren`s commission called a &quot;state-dictated failsafe system&quot; of drug cheating that included Russia`s secret service. 
 
The IOC -- which faces a race against the clock to reach a final decision on Russians in Rio -- said it &quot;will explore the legal options with regard to a collective ban of all Russian athletes for the Olympic Games 2016 versus the right to individual justice&quot;. 
 
Moscow has blasted what its sees as political interference in sports over the doping scandal and insists individual athletes should be punished but not the entire team.&nbsp; 
 
A Russian diplomatic source said Wednesday that the current scandal &quot;came against the backdrop of Washington calling for two years for Russia to be isolated, politically, economically and not in sports.&quot; 
 
&quot;The aim of this is to pressure Russia in any way, she said.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

387 member strong line-up includes star names like pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva and hurdler Sergei Shubenkov

Russia's Olympic Committee pressed on Wednesday with its preparations for the Rio Olympic Games despite the threat of a ban for state-run doping hanging over the country. At a meeting in Moscow the executive board approved a 387-strong team -- including star names like pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, hurdler Sergei Shubenkov and tennis player Svetlana Kuznetsova -- to compete at this summer's games starting on August 5. "We today confirmed the composition of our team including the track and field athletes. The court decision will likely be tomorrow and tomorrow we will find out," committee chief Alexander Zhukov said. Zhukov insisted that Russian sportsmen were still "capable of competing for medals" at the event in Rio and said they were training in Russia, Portugal and Brazil. The team`s line-up includes the 68 track and field athletes, whose fate hinges on the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, which is set to rule on Thursday on whether the IAAF had grounds to impose a blanket ban on Russia`s athletics federation. An independent WADA commission led by Canadian investigator Richard McLaren detailed an elaborate cheating scheme run by Russia`s sports ministry with help from the FSB state intelligence agency. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it would study "legal options" before deciding whether to ban Russia from the Rio Games following emergency talks on Tuesday. A spokesman for the committee said Wednesday it would decide "within seven days" on whether to ban Russia from the Rio Games over rampant state-run doping. The IOC ordered a disciplinary commission to look into what McLaren`s commission called a "state-dictated failsafe system" of drug cheating that included Russia`s secret service. The IOC -- which faces a race against the clock to reach a final decision on Russians in Rio -- said it "will explore the legal options with regard to a collective ban of all Russian athletes for the Olympic Games 2016 versus the right to individual justice". Moscow has blasted what its sees as political interference in sports over the doping scandal and insists individual athletes should be punished but not the entire team. A Russian diplomatic source said Wednesday that the current scandal "came against the backdrop of Washington calling for two years for Russia to be isolated, politically, economically and not in sports." "The aim of this is to pressure Russia in any way, she said. (AFP)

Russia announces Olympic squad despite ban threat

Soccer&#39;s world ruling body FIFA has promised &quot;appropriate steps&quot; after a report on Monday said a dozen positive doping cases in Russian football were among hundreds covered up by Moscow. 
 
However, FIFA did not comment directly on allegations in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report that Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, who sits on its supervisory FIFA Council, had ordered the cover-up in the cases of the footballers. 
 
The independent WADA report, which followed an investigation led by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren, concentrated on allegations of systematic doping by Russian athletes at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. 
 
It said that Moscow had concealed hundreds of positive doping cases from a variety of sports, including soccer, in the run-up to the games. 
 
&quot;FIFA will request from WADA all details concerning the individual cases of doping in Russian football that are referred in the McClaren report,&quot; FIFA said in a statement to Reuters. 
 
&quot;Once FIFA receives this information from WADA, it will take the appropriate next steps.&quot; 
 
The report said that Russian Deputy Sports Minister Yuri Nagornykh had decided which athletes would benefit from a cover-up, known as a SAVE order, although Mutko appeared to make the decision with regard to footballers. 
 
&quot;The (chief investigator) is aware of at least one foreign footballer playing in the Russian League who had that benefit of a SAVE order,&quot; it said. 
 
&quot;That SAVE decision was made by Minister Mutko and not Deputy Minister Nagornykh.&quot; 
 
Eleven Russian footballers also benefited from a cover-up after failing a doping test, the report said. 
 
&quot;Email evidence available... shows that the SAVE decision for the football players was the final decision of &#39;VL&#39;. VL is the first name and patronymic name initials of the Minister of Sport, Vitaly Leontiyevich Mutko.&quot; 
 
Mutko, president of the organising committee for the 2018 World Cup which will be hosted by Russia, has not commented since the release of the McLaren report. 
 
However, when the same allegations were made in June by German broadcaster ARD/WDR, he described them as &quot;silly&quot; and said that he and Russia were being smeared as payback for winning the right to host the 2018 World Cup. 
 
Asked bout Mutko&#39;s situation, FIFA said &quot;the Ethics Committee is an independent body of FIFA and only it can decide what actions to take in respect to this issue.&quot; 
 
The ethics committee could not immediately be reached for comment. 
 
(Reuters)

The report said a dozen doping cases in Russian football were among hundreds covered up by Moscow

Soccer's world ruling body FIFA has promised "appropriate steps" after a report on Monday said a dozen positive doping cases in Russian football were among hundreds covered up by Moscow. However, FIFA did not comment directly on allegations in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report that Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, who sits on its supervisory FIFA Council, had ordered the cover-up in the cases of the footballers. The independent WADA report, which followed an investigation led by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren, concentrated on allegations of systematic doping by Russian athletes at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. It said that Moscow had concealed hundreds of positive doping cases from a variety of sports, including soccer, in the run-up to the games. "FIFA will request from WADA all details concerning the individual cases of doping in Russian football that are referred in the McClaren report," FIFA said in a statement to Reuters. "Once FIFA receives this information from WADA, it will take the appropriate next steps." The report said that Russian Deputy Sports Minister Yuri Nagornykh had decided which athletes would benefit from a cover-up, known as a SAVE order, although Mutko appeared to make the decision with regard to footballers. "The (chief investigator) is aware of at least one foreign footballer playing in the Russian League who had that benefit of a SAVE order," it said. "That SAVE decision was made by Minister Mutko and not Deputy Minister Nagornykh." Eleven Russian footballers also benefited from a cover-up after failing a doping test, the report said. "Email evidence available... shows that the SAVE decision for the football players was the final decision of 'VL'. VL is the first name and patronymic name initials of the Minister of Sport, Vitaly Leontiyevich Mutko." Mutko, president of the organising committee for the 2018 World Cup which will be hosted by Russia, has not commented since the release of the McLaren report. However, when the same allegations were made in June by German broadcaster ARD/WDR, he described them as "silly" and said that he and Russia were being smeared as payback for winning the right to host the 2018 World Cup. Asked bout Mutko's situation, FIFA said "the Ethics Committee is an independent body of FIFA and only it can decide what actions to take in respect to this issue." The ethics committee could not immediately be reached for comment. (Reuters)

FIFA promises 'appropriate steps' after WADA report on doping in Russia