THE RUSSIAN OLYMPIC Committee (ROC) on Tuesday confirmed 14 athletes who represented the country at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games failed drugs tests when re-examinations were carried out.
It was announced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) last week 31 athletes from six sports could be banned from competing in the Rio Games this year after 454 doping samples from Beijing were reanalysed.
The ROC revealed it has received advice from the IOC that competitors representing Russia in three sports at the Games in China tested positive.
Re-tests were conducted following work between the IOC and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), with the focus on athletes who could compete at the 2016 Games, which begin on 5 August.
According to the ROC, the athletes in question will be named when ‘B’ samples are also tested and disciplinary proceedings have begun.
The results of the re-tests of 250 samples from the London Games in 2012 are still to follow.
The IOC last week also announced plans to investigate claims from the head of Russia’s anti-doping laboratory at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi that certain athletes from the country were part of a state-sponsored doping program to maximise home success.
Russia has been suspended from athletics competition by the IAAF since November following allegations of state-sponsored doping made in a WADA-commissioned independent report.
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Taking the piss.
Ah here……..
Even as the evidence mounts, it’s hard to see a gutless and spineless IOC take the obviously correct step and ban Russia from Rio. It must happen if we have any hope of a clean future – anything other than that is a tacit endorsement. But I bet the IOC will find some way to let the Russians slide.
At the moment all evidence is pointing toward s a ban. And a ban on Kenya (though they have made big strides in dealing with their problem through parliamentary law)
I hope there is a ban for both countries, but still sad to see genuine competitors banned (even though is it realistic to think they knew nothing)
However your post is just full of negativity. State your point without resorting to overemotional language.
*not realistic
Not trying to be flippant but Russia must be running out of potential competitors for the olympics at the rate they are currently failing tests!!!!!! It’s ridiculous!!!!
I sincerely doubt they are the only country with dirty laundry
They are not. But don’t use that smokescreen to lead you away from the fact that this was embedded far into the Russian system.
Don’t excuse what they have done (every doper), which is literally cheat people from every country from feeling the joy of earning a medal through dedication and hard work, and natural talent.
And whats more, the cheats are diluting the respect that everyone around the world has(or had) for these athletes, what once was the mark of highest respect, an Olympian, is degraded everytime this is in the news without proper sanctions.
If they dont act now people wont care too much longer