IAAF to Review More ARD Allegations on Russian Doping

(ATR) German broadcaster ARD has screened a documentary alleging that Russia is continuing to breach the IAAF and WADA’s anti-doping rules despite its global suspension.

In the channel’s third documentary about Russian doping, aired Sunday night, the investigative team led by award-winning author Hajo Seppelt presented examples in audio and video of how Russia is allegedly flouting regulations.ARD says coaches banned following WADA’s November report that revealed state-sponsored doping "continue to coach deep in the Russian provinces as if nothing had happened".

"Other coaches are still active drug dealers. According to documents in the possession of ARD/WDR, a newly-elected leader of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency RUSADA, had in the past informed athletes about dates for doping tests, as the documents seen by the ARD/WDR Doping research team prove."

Joseph de Pencier, chairman of the International Association of National Anti-Doping Organizations, said he was "very skeptical" about Russia’s willingness to reform.

"According to current knowledge, Russian athletes should not be allowed to compete at the 2016 Olympic Games," he said in a statement released by the broadcaster.

The fresh allegations come just four days before Rune Andersen, chair of the IAAF task force on Russian doping, makes his first report to the IAAF Council at a meeting in Monaco.

The task force is responsible for reviewing anti-doping reforms being implemented by the Russian Athletics Federation ahead of a decision on whether to lift the country’s suspension and allow its athletes to compete at Rio 2016. ATR is told that the final decision is unlikely for some time as Russia scrambles to achieve compliance with IAAF and WADA rules. Andersen may set a new timetable for Russia on Friday.

The IAAF said in a statement that it was investigating the new claims made in the ARD documentary.

"The IAAF thanks ARD and Mr. Seppelt for giving the independent chair Rune Andersen of the IAAF task force advance access to video and audio recording material which was broadcast in yesterday’s ARD/WDR documentaries," the track and field body said.

"The task force will look carefully into the matters raised by the latest documentaries, including discussing them with representatives of RUSAF."

Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko hit back at the accusations in comments to Reuters."These facts have once again been taken out of context and are an attempt to mislead the public," he was quoted as saying.

"We have a huge country, with 83 regions. It is possible that a banned coach could be working somewhere, but certainly not with the national team and not at official events."

In comments to the TASS news agency, Mutko said: "The thought occurs that this is an attempt to influence the organizations which are to take major decisions."

Reported by Mark Bisson

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