Putin: Anti-doping punishment is politically motivated
Russia was banned from the world's top sporting events for four years earlier on Monday by the World Anti-Doping Agency, including the next summer and winter Olympics and the 2022 soccer World Cup, for tampering with doping tests.
Putin, who was speaking in Paris after talks with his Ukrainian counterpart, said the decision was political and was not in the interest of sport.
The doping agency's executive committee acted after concluding that Moscow had planted fake evidence and deleted files linked to positive doping tests in laboratory data that could have helped identify drug cheats.
The decision was a huge blow to the pride of a nation that has traditionally been a powerhouse in many sports, but whose reputation has been tarnished by a series of doping scandals.
