"Russia faced explosive allegations of corruption and systematic doping on Wednesday, including the reported admission of drug use by an Olympic champion runner and cover-up and extortion involving a three-time Chicago Marathon winner.
Both German television channel ARD and French sports daily L’Equipe reported that Liliya Shobukhova, who won the Chicago Marathon from 2009 to 2011 and the London race in 2010, paid the Russian athletics federation €450,000 euros (£353,643) to cover up a positive doping case.
ARD also appeared to show reigning Olympic 800 metres champion Maria Savinova admitting to using the banned steroid oxandrolone in an undercover video that has the woman’s face out of focus. The video was dubbed into German with the original audio track absent, but ARD said it possessed an unedited version.
The IAAF, the governing body of athletics, said there was “already an on-going investigation by the IAAF Ethics Commission” into Shobukhova’s allegations.
The ARD report also linked doping to Russian officials and athletes in other sports, including swimming, cycling, biathlon, weightlifting and cross-country skiing. The Russian athletics federation and national anti-doping agency declined to comment.
The reports also include accusations from former Russian Anti-Doping Agency official Vitaly Stepanov and his wife Yulia, who previously competed as an 800m runner under the name Yulia Rusanova and was banned for doping.
Stepanov told ARD that various Russian sports federations “would come to [Russian] doping control officers” offering “extra cash” to hush up positive tests. He also accused the head of the national doping test laboratory, Grigory Rodchenkov, of falsifying tests and selling banned substances.
Yulia Stepanova accused coaches of providing her with banned substances.
“These are serious allegations. I understand an investigation is already underway by the IAAF ethics commission and we await the full findings,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams told The Associated Press. “Should there be anything affecting the International Olympic Committee and our code of ethics we will not hesitate take any and all action necessary.”
Yulia Stepanova also accused the head of the Russian federation’s medical department, Sergei Portugalov, of supplying doping products in exchange for five percent of an athlete’s earnings, plus bonuses for competition wins. She also said Russian athletes had avoided out-of-competition testing by using false names during foreign training camps.
The main organisations involved - the Russian athletics federation, the Russian Anti-Doping Agency and the national doping test laboratory - are all funded and overseen by the Russian government.
“Of course it’s shocking,” World Anti-Doping Agency director general David Howman told ARD. “We’ve got to make sure … that those who are suffering from fear are protected.”
Shobukhova said she and her husband paid €450,000 (£353,643) to Russian federation officials after being threatened that she “could have problems” with doping and miss the 2012 London Olympics. She did run in the Olympic marathon, but failed to finish.
When Shobukhova was banned this year, her husband received a €300,000 (£235,763) refund, ARD reported, adding it had linked the transfer to federation president Valentin Balakhnichev, who is also the IAAF treasurer.
“Somebody’s got to come up with an answer,” former WADA president Dick Pound said. “If something of this nature is being organised in any country, it’s a very serious problem for the credibility of international sport and the credibility of anti-doping efforts.”
Shobukhova’s time of two hours 18 minutes 20 seconds in Chicago in 2011 made her the second-fastest women’s marathon runner behind record holder Paula Radcliffe. But in April, she was banned for two years for suspicious blood values in samples given for her biological passport. She was then stripped of her Chicago wins and ordered to repay her prize money.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport said on Wednesday that the IAAF had appealed the two-year ban, which expires next month, seeking a four-year sanction.
Watch The Rage spin this into another anti Hird diatribe.
Only kidding … sort of.
Biggest hit to international sport and doping since Armstrong was lanced.
How about the Western Europeans, or the Aussies? It’s ridiculous how it’s always only the Eastern Bloc, they’re an easy target. Not saying they shouldn’t be banned for doping BTW, but the West loves pushing this narrative.
How about the Western Europeans, or the Aussies? It's ridiculous how it's always only the Eastern Bloc, they're an easy target. Not saying they shouldn't be banned for doping BTW, but the West loves pushing this narrative.
You mean like ■■■■ Carlton, Hawthorn and Collingwood?
The doco doesn’t just questions the ruskis,
“urther analysis of the documents shows that many more of the best-known names in the sport provided suspicious blood samples which may not have been acted upon, with the list including: 225 athletes from 39 countries; three Britons, as well as a staggering 58 Russians and 25 Kenyans; three London 2012 champions and scores of gold medallists from other Olympics and major championships, current and former world record holders, and winners of marathons around the world; competitors over distances from 400 metres upwards on track, road and cross-country, as well as multi-event athletes; and several athletes banned for doping.”
Or it could be like ASADA getting negative results from targeted tests and concluding that was proof they were on the right track. Now, more than two years later…
The problem is related to the cover up… It is either not in the interest of the sport to report the test result as it would lead to such negative press to question if the sport is clean ( a bit like the three test policy) like with cycling or alternatively not in the interest of the nation represented by the nation ( Russia in the example in the article). I was told by a friend ( watched him train for four weeks) of a former 800 metre world champion that he had a black bag which never left his side and noOne was able to look into. He was quite happy to discuss trying programs, let people watch sessions but the bag was a no no.
Or it could be like ASADA getting negative results from targeted tests and concluding that was proof they were on the right track. Now, more than two years later…
I liked it when the AFL said Ben Cousins doing drugs for 10 years before his life went completely off the rails was proof their drug policy was working
It’s not really a case of WADA not having resources - it’s a case of Countries federations and possibly the world federations colluding to keep results private.
It's not really a case of WADA not having resources - it's a case of Countries federations and possibly the world federations colluding to keep results private.
I think the Spanish courts wanted to destroy the blood evidence from "operacion puerto", if IRC. They're a bit of a doping country.
The jnr diggers' gymnastics coach is Russian and a former world champion on the rings. Doping should commence any minute now.
Is their coaching stereotypically Russian?
It’s either the Australian Oly team archery or pistol shooting coach that is Russian and by all reports they’re a cruel ■■■■■■■ lol
The jnr diggers' gymnastics coach is Russian and a former world champion on the rings. Doping should commence any minute now.
Is their coaching stereotypically Russian?
It’s either the Australian Oly team archery or pistol shooting coach that is Russian and by all reports they’re a cruel ■■■■■■■ lol
He’s pretty demanding. Training is very structured and he places a strong emphasis on form. But he doesn’t push them beyond their physical limit. It’s all about gradually building capacity. Must have conditioning (say in a Russian accent) We’re very lucky. He’s the former WAIS men’s high performance coach and the AIS have approached him several times but he doesn’t want to live in Canberra.
The jnr diggers' gymnastics coach is Russian and a former world champion on the rings. Doping should commence any minute now.
Is their coaching stereotypically Russian?
It’s either the Australian Oly team archery or pistol shooting coach that is Russian and by all reports they’re a cruel ■■■■■■■ lol
He’s pretty demanding. Training is very structured and he places a strong emphasis on form. But he doesn’t push them beyond their physical limit. It’s all about gradually building capacity. Must have conditioning (say in a Russian accent) We’re very lucky. He’s the former WAIS men’s high performance coach and the AIS have approached him several times but he doesn’t want to live in Canberra.
Sounds very Russian lol
All their coaching of younger athletes is based around developing a wide skill set before starting to specialise in one particular sport
Their athlete coaching is also a lot different to the Western world as well. They go to uni to become say an ice hockey coach, and control everything including the strength and conditioning programs
Also reminds me of a story about a middle aged American guy that went to a weightlifting seminar in the US hosted by some Russian lifters/coaches. Paid $2000 to get told his technique was horrible and he should regress to wall squats (stand up against a wall facing it and squat basically) for 10-12 months lol
Doing some reading:
Russia won 81 medals. That’s a lot of redistributing lol
Also, if we thought ASADA took/have taken a while with their investigation
"On 1 May 2013, the Russian Anti-Doping Agency confirmed that Russian discus thrower Darya Pishchalnikova has been banned for 10 years and will be stripped her silver medal in the women’s discus throw after testing positive for Oxandrolone (an anabolic steroid).[23] China’s Li Yanfeng will be elevated to silver and Cuba’s Yarelys Barrios will be awarded bronze.[24][25] IOC has not yet decided on the case and has not yet stripped the medal.[18]
On 30 January 2015, the Russian Anti-Doping Agency confirmed that runner Yuliya Zaripova will be stripped her gold medal in the 3,000 metres steeplechase after testing positive for anabolic steroids. Tunisia’s Habiba Ghribi will be elevated to Olympic champion, Ethiopia’s Sofia Assefa will be awarded silver and Kenya’s Milcah Chemos Cheywa will win the bronze.[26] IOC has not yet decided on the case and has not yet stripped the medal.[27]
In May 2014, the US 4 × 100 metres relay team member Tyson Gay received a one-year suspension for anabolic steroid use and was stripped of his medals after 15 July 2012 when he first used. In May 2015 the IOC wrote to US Olympic Committee telling them to collect the medals from teammates Trell Kimmons, Justin Gatlin, Ryan Bailey, Jeffery Demps and Darvis Patton. Two of Gay’s teammates who ran with him in the final, Kimmons and Bailey, had previously also served suspensions. If the medals are reallocated, Trinidad and Tobago will be awarded silver, while France will take bronze.[28][29]
On 17 August 2015, the Court of Arbitration for Sport says it approved a settlement agreed to by Turkish athlete Aslı Çakır Alptekin and the IAAF. Alptekin has agreed to give up her 1500 metres Olympic title and serve an eight-year ban for blood doping.[30] IOC has not yet confirmed the redistribution of the medals in this discipline.[31]"