Russia athletics: Examining new doping accusations

Russian athletics authorities are looking into new doping allegations after leaked blood test data apparently indicated widespread cheating by the country's athletes, a statement said Monday.

Accusations of mass doping worldwide made by German broadcaster ARD and the Sunday Times newspaper of Britain have plunged athletics into a new crisis less than three weeks before the world championships start in Beijing.

ARD and the Sunday Times newspaper said a "whistleblower" had handed over the IAAF database giving details of 12,000 blood tests from 5,000 competitors which revealed "extraordinary" levels of doping.

A large number of the "abnormal" results were from Russian athletes, said the reports. "A remarkable 80 percent of Russia's medal winners had recorded suspicious scores at some point in their careers," the Sunday Times said.

The All-Russian Athletics Federation said in a statement that it was "seriously concerned" by the claims and was examining the material released on Sunday.

"The federation is currently making a close study of the (ARD film) materials," the statement said.

"We are seriously concerned by the accusations over the anti-doping procedures in athletics along with the world athletics ruling body IAAF and the European athletics association."

ARD aired similar allegations of doping and corruption in Russian athletics in a separate investigation last year.

Athletics federation caretaker chief Vadim Zelichenok slammed the latest media claims as "biased material, which isn't based on facts".

"I haven't yet seen the film myself but what I've heard about it makes me confident that this is poor quality stuff," Zelichenok was quoted as saying by Sports Express newspaper.

Zelichenok said allegations that "up to 80 percent" of Russian athletes were doping sounded baseless.

"None of these cases have been proven. If this information was true the IAAF could never conceal it for almost 10 years," he said.

On Sunday Russia's sports minister Vitaly Mutko also lashed out against the German broadcasters.

"Our former athletics federation bosses launched a legal action against those who made the first ARD film," Mutko said.

"That's why the attitude to the new accusations should be very careful. But we're set to study them thoroughly anyway."
Source: AFP