Russia: ARD film is bid to influence IAAF decision
RUSSIAN Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said yesterday allegations that he was directly implicated in doping offenses were an attempt to sway a ruling on Russia’s ban from international athletics ahead of the Rio Olympics.
German public broadcaster ARD/WDR, whose reports on systematic doping in Russia have led to an investigation and the suspension of Russia’s track and field athletes, said yesterday that Mutko had covered up a positive doping test by a top-league footballer.
The broadcaster said it had documents to support the allegation, made in a documentary to be shown yesterday, as well as footage of banned coaches continuing to train Russian athletes.
“The aim of this film is obvious: to influence the committee on the reinstatement of Russian athletics on the eve of its meeting,” Mutko was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency.
After being suspended by the International Association of Athletics Federations last year, Russia is trying to convince sports authorities it is serious about rooting out cheats in time for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in August. The IAAF will decide whether Russia has done enough to have the ban repealed at a meeting in Vienna on June 17.
The Russian Sports Ministry, in a statement about the new ARD documentary, did not directly address the allegations against Mutko and other officials.
“Honestly, I don’t even want to comment,” Interfax quoted Mutko. “This huge interest in Russian sport by ARD and other publications has already gone on for a year and a half.”
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