Russia to set up anti-doping commission

  • 23/07/2016
Russian President Vladimir Putin (AAP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin (AAP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for a new anti-doping commission to be created to shape Russia's future strategy, saying there is "no place" for cheating in sport.

The leader did not directly address allegations that Russian government officials helped to cover up hundreds of doping cases, but said the state was resolutely opposed to performance-enhancing drug use.

"In sport there is not and cannot be a place for any doping. Sport must be clean, and an athlete's health must be properly protected," said Mr Putin.

He added there was a need to "cooperate closely" on doping with the International Olympic Committee and the World Anti-Doping Agency, the latter of which welcomed the recent ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to uphold a ban on Russia's scandal-hit track and field team.

The commission would be "independent", said Mr Putin, comprised of Russians and foreigners in the fields of medicine, law and sports administration.

He proposed 81-year-old Vitaly Smirnov, an honorary member of the International Olympic Committee member and a veteran of Russian and Soviet sports administration, to lead the panel.

Mr Smirnov has said he will "eliminate the problem" of Russian doping, though he also reduced the controversy to a series of "misunderstandings".

Mr Putin says Mr Smirnov has "an absolutely unimpeachable reputation" and "the trust and respect of the Olympic family".

Mr Smirnov is a former IOC vice president, once served as the Soviet Union's deputy sports minister and helped to organise the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.

Newshub. / APTN