Four Russian gold medallists in Sochi reportedly doped

The hosts Russia won 13 gold medals at the Sochi Winter Olympics

Four Russian gold medallists in Sochi reportedly doped
AFPPTI Los Angeles
Last Updated : May 07 2016 | 1:22 PM IST
Russian doping whistleblower Vitaly Stepanov alleges in an interview for an upcoming edition of CBS television's "60 Minutes" that four of the country's gold medallists at the 2014 Sochi Olympics doped.

In an interview to air today, Stepanov, a former official with the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), cites Grigor Rodchenkov, former head of Russia's now-discredited drug testing lab, as telling him that FSB state security service officers "tried to control every single step of the anti-doping process in Sochi".

Hosts Russia won 13 gold medals at the Sochi Winter Olympics.

Also Read

A brief preview of the interview released by CBS reveals no names of suspected dope cheats.

But the story could signal a widening of the doping scandal that has engulfed Russian athletics, with the country's track and field stars facing a ban from the 2016 Rio Olympics in August.

Stepanov and his wife, banned athlete Yuliya Stepanova, appeared in a German television documentary claiming systematic doping in Russian athletics in 2014 -- allegations later supported by an investigation by a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) independent commission which found evidence of "state-sponsored" doping and widespread corruption.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) suspended Russia in November, with the IAAF council due to decide in June if the country's athletes can compete in Rio.

In the "60 Minutes" programme, US Anti-Doping Agency Chief Travis Tygart says he doesn't believe Russian athletics has done enough to warrant reinstatement and USADA is "not in favor" of Russian athletes competing in Rio.

"They can't come at the expense of clean athletes' rights," he tells "60 Minutes".
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: May 07 2016 | 12:15 PM IST

Next Story