Over 1000 Russian athletes benefited from 'state-sponsored doping': Report

According to the latest findings of a report commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, more than 1,000 Russian athletes across 30 sports have benefited from state-sponsored doping.

The report by Canadian law professor Richard McLaren builds on his initial findings, published in July, and alleges "an institutional conspiracy" among officials within the Russian Ministry of Sport, reports the CNN.

A "systematic and centralized" cover up, across summer, winter and Paralympic sports, was in operation from 2011 to 2015, said McLaren, who presented his latest findings at a news conference in London Friday.

He also claimed that swapping of urine samples took place during the Sochi 2014 Winter Games and "became a regular monthly practice of the Moscow Laboratory."

McLaren's report said that there was clear forensic evidence that sample bottles had been tampered with and the contents altered.

In Sochi, two female ice hockey players' samples were found to contain male DNA, while two gold medalists and one female silver medalist were found to have "physiologically impossible salt readings."

Also, 12 medal-winning athletes of 44 samples examined had scratches and marks on the caps of the bottles, indicating tampering.

"The forensic testing, which is based on immutable facts, is conclusive. The evidence does not depend on verbal testimony to draw a conclusion. Rather, it tests the physical evidence and a conclusion is drawn from those results," says the report.