(ATR) German investigative journalist Hajo Seppelt says that Russian athlete Yuliya Stepanova and her husband Vitaliy Stepanov are the "greatest whistle blowers in the history of sports," ahead of a second ARD documentary scheduled to air on Sunday evening.
"From my perspective, they are the greatest whistle blowers in the history of sports because they showed the whole world how a doping systems really works – what happens behind the curtain," Seppelt told Around the Rings. "They are courageous and honest. We have to thank them for this proof."
Seppelt, who was still in editing of the second program on Sunday afternoon, advised that content will surround the son of IAAF president Lamine Diack and his involvement in the corruption. The program was scheduled to air at 6 p.m. Sunday on German ARD.
The first one-hour documentary, entitled "Secret Doping Dossier: How Russia Produces its Winners," which aired Wednesday evening on German ARD, included the reported admission of drug use by former 800-meter runner Stepanova (formerly Yuliya Rusanova), who is currently serving a doping suspension. Her husband Stepanov, a former Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) official, also offered incriminating evidence.
Additional Russian athletes and coaches also provided candid on camera interviews shedding light on systematic doping procedures in the country.
Seppelt also reported on cover-ups and extortion relating to three-time Chicago Marathon winner Liliya Shobukhova, including the direct involvement of Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF) president Valentin Balakhnichev.
Balaknichev called the allegations a "pack of lies" while Russian sport minister Vitaly Mutko said that the documentary is an attempt "to belittle Russian sport."
"We have so much so proof, so much evidence," Seppelt said. "We have all video and audio in full length, not edited. If it is necessary to go to court at a later stage, we will present it. I think the Russians should be a little more careful with what they are talking about."
The German journalist also noted that certain Russian athletes refused to address the issues on camera for fear of their own safety.
Seppelt advised that he began the investigative project in January after a famous Russian scientist offered him a new doping substance for $100,000 as he pretended to be an athlete advisor.
Russia’s anti-doping agency RUSADA and the IAAF ethics commission both have advised that they will investigate the claims made in the German documentary.
Seppelt said he hopes the documentary leads to more independent investigations by authorities, not internal investigations.
"I hope that sports organizations and the world finally wakes up," Seppelt told ATR. "The way professional sports is organized has failed. You have to have independent investigations – we need prosecutors, more laws and more investigations because there is so much corruption in sports worldwide.
"It makes me frustrated because the athletes are more or less the victims, not the offenders," he said.
The allegations were discussed during Friday and Saturday’s IOC executive board meetings in Monaco – including a short presentation by WADA president Sir Craig Reedie.
"If the allegations are proved, we will deal with them, but we have to deal with them in the proper way," Reedie said. "There has to be due process."
IOC president Thomas Bach advised that he will not comment on ongoing investigations but said, "We have made it very clear in a letter to the IAAF inquiry commission we want to be informed of all the results which may affect the people under jurisdiction of the IOC, not only athletes, but officials, doctors and others."
"Thomas Bach claims that these are things of the past," Seppelt said regarding doping in sport. "I don’t think changes are happening. I think it is cosmetic."
"It is not only a Russian problem – it is a worldwide problem," he said. "Mr. Bach has to carry the responsibility for the whole world of sport."
Written by Brian Pinelli
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