Putin suggests doping scandal is U.S. meddling in upcoming Russian election
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested on Thursday that allegations of a state-sponsored doping program in Russia were an attempt to sow discontent ahead of the country’s presidential elections.
Reports commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have raised allegations of the existence of a state-run program that included tampering with Russian athletes’ positive tests by laboratory and security officials at the 2014 Sochi Games.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is now investigating the allegations and has banned six cross-country skiers for life from the Olympics over doping violations at Sochi.
“This is what is bothering me: the (Pyeongchang Winter) Olympics start in February, and when are our presidential elections? In March,” RIA Novosti state news agency quoted Putin as saying.
“There are big suspicions that all this is being done to create for someone the necessary conditions for discontent among sport lovers, athletes.”
Putin, widely expected to stand in and win the elections, also suggested the United States’ influence in international sports organizations could be having a deleterious effect on Russia.
https://globalnews.ca/news/3852097/vladimir-putin-russia-doping-scandal-us-meddling/
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested on Thursday that allegations of a state-sponsored doping program in Russia were an attempt to sow discontent ahead of the country’s presidential elections.
Reports commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have raised allegations of the existence of a state-run program that included tampering with Russian athletes’ positive tests by laboratory and security officials at the 2014 Sochi Games.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is now investigating the allegations and has banned six cross-country skiers for life from the Olympics over doping violations at Sochi.
“This is what is bothering me: the (Pyeongchang Winter) Olympics start in February, and when are our presidential elections? In March,” RIA Novosti state news agency quoted Putin as saying.
“There are big suspicions that all this is being done to create for someone the necessary conditions for discontent among sport lovers, athletes.”
Putin, widely expected to stand in and win the elections, also suggested the United States’ influence in international sports organizations could be having a deleterious effect on Russia.
https://globalnews.ca/news/3852097/vladimir-putin-russia-doping-scandal-us-meddling/