IOC Responds to WADA Independent Commission Report

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has now officially commented on the 323-page WADA Independent Commission (IC) Report, published today, that details systematic doping, cover-ups, extortion and intimidation within the Russian Athletics Federation. (See our coverage of the IC’s report here and here.)

In its statement the IOC called the report “deeply shocking” and “very saddening for the world of sport” and vowed to “take whatever measures needed to safeguard clean athletes.” The IC report suggests that the 2012 Olympic Games in London were “sabotaged” by allowing athletes with “suspicious profiles” to compete. The IOC said that if this is true, it would react with its “zero tolerance policy,” meaning it would strip tainted athletes of their medals.

The IOC also announced that former International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) president Lamine Diack would be provisionally suspended as an honorary member of the International Olympics Committee. Diack is under investigation by French police for allegedly receiving bribes to cover up doping cases.

The IOC stated that it had faith in the IAAF’s new president, Sebastian Coe, who has vowed to get to the bottom of the allegations. He has given the Russian Federation until the end of the week to respond to the accusations in the report. IAAF’s council is gathering on Friday to review Russia’s response, and could possibly suspend the Russian Federation, effectively keeping Russian track and field athletes out of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The IOC has called for drug testing to be taken out of the hands of sports federations and turned over to the independent World Anti-Doping Agency. WADA leaders will discuss the issue at a meeting next week in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

For its part, FINA, the international governing body for aquatic sports, has not responded to a request for comment, nor have they acknowledged that request.