Resolution on Russian doping scandal is moving ahead quickly says IOC

Reuters Videos
Updated

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS A WHITE FLASH

SHOWS: LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (DECEMBER 3, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC SPOKESPERSON, MARK ADAMS, SAYING:

"Yeah, it was discussed, there was a reasonable long discussion. You will have seen our statement from last week. All I can confirm is that we reconfirm that statement. You'll know that there's an EXCOM, executive committee of WADA very shortly so we would wait for that to make it's recommendations and to hear the findings before we make any further statement."

2. WHITE FLASH

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC SPOKESPERSON, MARK ADAMS, SAYING:

"You've seen the statement Graeme and we condemn the actions of those responsible for the manipulations in the strongest possible terms. We say it's an attack on sport itself and integrity of sport. So, we've taken a very strong position. As for further developments we really have to wait for the executive committee of WADA to meet before we can make any further statement."

STORY: The resolution of Russia's ongoing doping scandal is moving ahead quickly, the International Olympic Committee said on Tuesday (December 3), but the next steps will be determined by a decision from the World Anti-Doping Agency next week.

WADA's executive committee will meet in Lausanne on Dec. 9 to consider a recommendation from its independent Compliance Review Committee (CRC) that the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) be ruled non-compliant.

The recommendation followed an investigation that found data handed over from a Moscow laboratory had been manipulated and was neither complete nor fully authentic.

What is still unclear, including for the IOC, is the next steps in this saga that has dragged on since 2015 and tarnished several Olympic Games, including the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016 and the Pyeongchang winter Games last year.

The CRC has recommended Russia receive a four-year Olympic ban, which would keep it out of next year's Tokyo Summer Games.

But whether that would mean that clean Russian athletes would compete as neutrals or some would be invited by the IOC to compete is still unclear and depends on what WADA decides.