IAAF to investigate Russian doping allegations

A file picture dated August 11, 2012 of gold medallist Mariya Savinova of Russia during the medal ceremony of the women’s 800m race at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Savinova is one of the athletes who a German documentary claims took drugs to boost her performances.

DPA/DusseldorfThe world athletics governing body IAAF has referred allegations made about systematic doping in Russian sport to an independent ethics committee, the organisation said yesterday. On Wednesday the German state broadcaster ARD ran a documentary, ‘Top secret doping - how Russia makes its winners’, which included secretly filmed meetings as well as statements from two whistleblowers - a former employee of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), Vitaliy Stepanov, and his wife, Yuliya Stepanova, a middle distance runner currently banned over substance abuse. ARD alleged Russian sport is plagued by systematic doping, covering up of tests and corruption. “You can’t reach your goals without doping. You must dope, that’s how it works in Russia ... You need aid in order to get medals. And doping is this aid, forbidden substances,” Yuliya Stepanov told ARD. The IAAF said in a statement that “an investigation by the IAAF ethics commission is already ongoing with respect to some of the allegations made in the documentary. “We would like to underline that the IAAF ethics commission is completely independent of the IAAF and has full powers to investigate and issue sanctions when relevant. “A transcript in English of the German TV documentary has been forwarded to the ethics commission.” Sebastian Coe, organiser of the London 2012 Olympics and running for the IAAF presidency next year, spoke of “grave allegations” but did not want to comment further until the end of the probe. International Olympic Committee (IOC) spokesman Mark Adams said the programme brought up “serious allegations” and that the IOC ethics committee was carrying out its own investigation. “Should there be something that affects the Olympic committee our code of ethics, we will not hesitate to carry out the necessary measures,” Adams said. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said it had seen the documentary and it would “ensure all matters raised are fully investigated.” “WADA has in fact already received some information and evidence of the type exposed in the documentary,” it said in a statement. “All of that information has been passed to the appropriate independent body within the international federation, the IAAF. We will await the outcome of that independent body’s deliberations.” During the programme Mariya Savinova, women’s 800 metre gold medallist at London 2012, is seen a mobile phone video clip saying: “How else are we meant to do it? That’s our system, and in Russia it only works with pharma.” Savinova then gave details of how she could cooperate with her coach to beat the system while former discus thrower Evgenia Pecherina claimed 99 per cent of the Russian Olympic team were doping. And former marathon runner Liliya Shobukhova, a winner of the London and Chicago marathons, is shown saying she had to pay 450,000 dollars to officials in the Russian federation to bribe her way into the 2012 Olympic Games despite abnormal blood tests 2009-2011. ARD quoted WADA general director David Howman as saying the allegations it has raised were “terribly shocking.” But Nikita Kamaev, director of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), refuted the allegations during the documentary: “Allegations that Rusada swapped samples or accepted bribes do not correspond to reality at all. “All athletes who make such claims have infringed with doping regulations in the past. Such people then contact journalists and tell stories. For professionals, such stories are only laughable.” Christian Baumgartner, the president of the German Weightlifting Federation, said he was surprised at the extent of the allegations against Russia but expressed doubt it was an isolated case.