Russian Officials Admit to Doping Athletes

Photo Courtesy: Tour-Moscow

After months of denying any form of sponsored doping occurring, Russian officials are no longer denying the Olympic doping operation. The doping operation is considered to be one of the biggest conspiracies in sports history, implicating Russian athletes across numerous sports and the entire Olympic movement.

Russian officials, who recently sat down with The New York Times for several days worth of interviews, announced that they no longer dispute “a damning set of facts” regarding a doping program.

Anna Antseliovich, the acting director general of Russia’s national antidoping agency, commented that “it was an institutional conspiracy” but was one of many who emphasized that top officials from the government were not involved, standing by their claim that it was not a state-sponsored doping operation.

The shift in tone could be motivated by Russia’s desire to be recertified as a country to conduct drug testings and host major competitions. Many events that were set to take place across the country in early 2017 were relocated to other nations after proof of an official doping operation was revealed.

The dive into Russian doping began in November 2015 when the World Anti-Doping Agency suspended Moscow’s doping Laboratory, but didn’t hit full stride until a “tell-all” by Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov surfaced in The New York Times in May 2016. Dr. Rodchenkov’s testimony revealed the extent of fradulent activities that occurred at the Moscow Anti-Doping Center in Russia, and gave evidence of tampering with urine samples.

From Dr. Rodchenkov’s testimony, WADA turned to Professor of Law, Richard McLaren, to conduct an Independent Person’s Report. In his two-part report, McLaren confirmed that Russia had been running a systematic doping operation and that it had affected more than 1,000 athletes as part of an organized infrastructure.

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Bob Baker

7 years ago

We all already knew that !

Jodi Mavrinac

7 years ago

Admitting what the world has known for years lol!

Greg Christian

7 years ago

The only thing shocking is the admission.

Alex Wilson

7 years ago

Russia may well have the number 2 position when it comes to doping. However I still believe the Chinese are number 1, but better at not getting caught!

Dick Beaver

7 years ago

Duh. So now what is going to be done about it? Which sports organizations will have the guts to do more than a slap on the wrist?

Mike McHenry

7 years ago

In other news…water is wet…

Cindy Rowe

7 years ago

So what are they going to do about it? The IOC and FINA still let known dopers swim at Rio. Smh. … Just ticks me off for the swimmers who work their ass off and stay clean.

Thomas Inwood

7 years ago

I like all the comments – how true. Now let’s ban them forever and strip all their wins , titles , records and any and all Olympic medals. Once a cheater always a cheater.