Nov 10, 2015: Harsh environment and serious faces, Monday, November 9, at the Mandarin Geneva, where WADA had summoned the press to a text explanation of the report on doping in athletics. At the microphone, the Canadian Dick Pound, president of the Ethics Committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency. In his case, an explosive document on doping in Russia, about cheating in athletics and corruption to the IAAF. A time bomb to the unpleasant smell of sulfur.
Outskirts of the facts. They spend almost comments. According to the AMA, the Russian athletics was undermined by doping long been at all levels of the pyramid and with the endorsement of sports authorities. “Statements of witnesses and other evidence he appears highlighted a high level of collusion among athletes, coaches, doctors, officials and sports agencies to provide systematically for Russian athletes products dopants to achieve the main objective of the State: produce winners advance to the report. The survey shows that the acceptance of cheating at all levels was extensive and longstanding. ” WADA does not spare anyone, blaming coaches, who “themselves were once athletes and working in connection with the medical staff. This mentality of “win at any cost” was then passed to current athletes. “
Good surprise, the WADA report does not simply pin the Russian athletics an easy prey and become evident since the last July revelations of German television ARD. It states that officials of the IAAF, in particular its former President Lamine Diack, are believed to have received money in exchange for the coverage of these doping practices. The Senegalese have pocketed a million dollars.
Without giving details, the AMA also argues that doping systematized would not a Russian invention. We suspected. Referring to the “visible part of the iceberg” in reference to his early discoveries, it suggests that these practices could affect the entire Russian sports (biathlon, cross country, wrestling …) and several other countries (Kenya, Turkey …) . The report reveals that the boss of the anti-doping laboratory in Moscow, Gregory Rodchenko, was destroyed in 1417 specimens with the hope of protecting some of the cheaters.
The case becoming global, and extremely media, WADA has asked the Interpol cooperation. The operation was called Augeas, it combines in its work several countries likely to be affected by the investigation, including Singapore.
Other info fallen into that dark Monday, November 9: The IOC Ethics Commission has requested the temporary suspension of Lamine Diack, a former active member of the Olympic organization, became an honorary member. Hard to imagine how she could not turn this temporary suspension called expulsion. The Senegalese, presented in his time as a leader and a model for African sport is falling noisily from its pedestal. But his fall does not benefit anyone.
The consequences now. They could be huge and cause an earthquake in world athletics, or even in the whole Olympic movement. Through the voice of Dick Pound, WADA suggests life in suspension of five Russian coaches and five athletes, all medalists at the London Games: Olympic champion in the 800m , the bronze medalist in the same distance Yekaterina Poistogova The walker Olga Kaniskina (2nd at 20 km), the Olympic champion in the 50km walk Sergey Kirdyapkin, Asli Cakir Alptekin the Turkish victorious in London on 1500 m. It also calls for the withdrawal of accreditation of anti-doping laboratory in Moscow.
Especially, WADA surprises everyone by asking the IAAF to suspend Russia from all international competitions, beginning with the Rio Games in 2016. Possible? Realistic? The IAAF announced on Monday, by the voice of Sebastian Coe, waiting for explanations from the Russian Athletics Federation “before the end of the week.” The International Federation has also indicated that it was taking very seriously “these alarming revelations” that its Board would discuss in very quickly and it would take all the measures that will be required, starting with a possible suspension, partial or total , Russia. The IAAF Council will meet on 26 and 27 November in Monaco. The fate of Russia should be sealed by the end of these two days.
In sporting terms, the absence of Russian athletes at the Rio Games in 2016 gives little upset. In London, in 2012, the Russian delegation had won 17 medals, including 15 in the women’s events.But since the revelations of the German ARD, its performance rate has melted like snow in the sun: only 4 medals at the Beijing World in 2015, including 2 gold. Normal.
However, the political impact would be devastating. The suspension of the Russian athletics would not spare his National Olympic Committee, considered one of the richest and most powerful in the world. He received last month, with great fanfare, the 1st World Forum of Olympians, the Ritz-Carlton Moscow. The Russian cities of Kazan and Sochi are competing to organize the second edition of the European Games in 2019. Russia will host this year’s Winter Universiade. The international sports movement can happen, even a year or two, Russia? Not sure. —- FRANCS
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