
Russian president Putin today admitted that there were "instances" of doping use in Russia even as he joked that he was "offended" not to be on the US "Kremlin list".
"I am offended, you know," Putin said on not being named on the US list which named Russian firms, businessmen and officials threatening to cut them off from world finance.
Putin dismissed whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkovas an "idiot" after he reportedly said that the Russian president must have known about state-sponsored doping program.
"They've got this idiot Rodchenkov," Putin said, referring to the US, where Rodchenkov has fled.
"Everything is based on the testimony of this man... can he even be trusted?"
The president said it was it was partially Russia's "own fault" for being under scrutiny for doping. "After all, there were instances of doping use," he said.
In a German documentary series, Rodchenkov who was the former director of Russia's anti-doping laboratory had alleged that state-organized doping practices existed during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and 2012 London Olympics.