Vitaly Smirnov
The head of the independent public anti-doping Commission of the Olympic Committee of Russia, honorary President of the ROC Vitaly Smirnov in the First channel, commented on the announcement by the world anti-doping Agency (WADA) that the report of Richard McLaren is not enough evidence about the involvement of the Russians to doping violations.
According to him, “this is a very real step, which suggests that the international Olympic Committee (IOC) is aware that it is not so clear and naked to admit all the allegations contained in the report, of course, impossible”. “Even the same McLaren changed his point of view. He made the accusation that was a state system of organization of doping and so on. It was a recognition on his part that he made the allegations unsubstantiated,” said Smirnov.
Earlier statement, WADA assessed the head Minproma Pavel Kolobkov and the official representative of Russian foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova. For example, the chief Minister said that his office agrees with the wording. The speaker of the foreign Ministry, in turn, noted that international officials took six months, “to recognize the decision unreasonable”.
24 February on the website of the International Olympic Committee published a letter from the Director General of the IOC Christophe de Kepper addressed, in particular, heads of national Olympic committees. The document States that at the last meeting in Lausanne on February 21, where he analyzed the report of McLaren, WADA acknowledged that in many cases the evidence against the athletes enough for them to apply sanctions. The organization explained the lack of evidence, the fact that many samples cannot be re-checked.
The McLaren report was published parts. Overall it was the existence in Russia of the state program of support doping, and the use of illicit drugs by some athletes, weightlifters and Paralympic athletes.