World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) chiefs said yesterday they would call for ‘serious’ action against Russia before the Rio Olympics in August if a new investigation next month shows evidence of widespread state-sponsored doping.
The Russian team has already been suspended from the athletics events in Rio because of doping allegations in track and field.
But WADA has set up another investigation under Canadian law professor Richard McLaren to probe allegations of state-backed doping at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
WADA president Craig Reedie said the McLaren investigation would make its findings public before July 15 at the latest.
If it shows evidence of widespread state-run cheating across many sports, the British official said it would be a moment for a ‘precedent-setting opportunity.’
Reedie would not confirm that WADA would definitely call for a total ban on the country but he told Reuters: “If it comes back like that, we have to say something serious.”
“In the coming weeks, we will learn the outcomes of our independent McClaren investigation.
“If his report indicates transgressions of any kind, then there will be a precedent-setting opportunity to demonstrate our collective commitment to cleaning up sport. The world will be watching.”
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is due to discuss Russian’s athletics suspension, which has been imposed by the sport’s governing body (IAAF), at a special summit in Switzerland today.
Olympic chiefs are also expected to look at reports that the country put in place a complex system to beat drug-testing at its own Winter Games in Sochi two years ago.
The IOC has indicated that it will support the athletics’ ban, the first time Russia, which finished second behind the United States in the track and field medals’ table at the 2012 London Games, will be absent since the 1984 Los Angeles Games when Eastern bloc countries boycotted. WADA officials attending a special symposium at Lord’s cricket ground in central London on drugs in sport said there was a real need to restore trust in sport in Rio on behalf of the athletes.
“It is clear that, in order to curb state-wide doping, wherever it maybe in the world, countries must commit to a cultural change and that change can only come about by the decision-makers using their powers to full effect,” Reedie said.
His views on a tough line are clearly held across WADA. Asked if a call for an overall ban on Russia for Rio was inevitable if the McLaren report is damning, incoming WADA Director General Olivier Niggli told Reuters: “We will have to be very firm if there is evidence.”
WADA confirmed that it was already working with swimming’s world governing body FINA on an investigation into doping allegations made against Russia and China.
The organisation has recently appointed its first in-house investigator to follow up allegations of cheating.

I wouldn’t compete in Olympics under neutral flag: Russian coach
Russian athletics coach Yury Borzakovsky said on Monday he would not compete under a neutral flag at the Rio Olympics in August should the Russian team not take part in the games. “I am a patriot of my country. I would only compete under Russian flag,” Borzakovsky said at an athletics event in the central Russian region of Chuvashia. “Every athlete has his own right to decide. In case someone wants to - he is welcome to. If the (Russian athletics) federation allows - let him compete. But for me personally - I would never do it.”
The Russian track and field team has been suspended from athletics events in Rio because of doping allegations. The suspension leaves open the possibility that some athletes could compete as individuals if they can demonstrate they haven’t used performance enhancing drugs. Menawhile Russia says doping whistleblower competing at Rio would be “absurd”
It would be “absurd” if Russian doping whistleblower Yulia Stepanova was allowed to compete at the Rio Olympics while clean Russian athletes are barred from the Games, R-Sport agency quoted Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko as saying.
Stepanova, an 800m runner described as “a courageous athlete” by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), went into hiding after revealing details of widespread cheating in Russian athletics. The IAAF said on Friday Stepanova could be allowed to compete at the Rio Games as an independent athlete.
The president of the Russian Olympic Committee, Alexander Zhukov, has left Moscow for talks with the leadership of the International Olympic Committee, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said yesterday. The IOC will meet today to discuss Russia’s ban by the International Association of Athletics Federations.