In a influx of responses to the publication of the McLaren report which confirms the use of state-sponsored doping in Russia between 2010 and 2014, the United States Anti-Doping Agency has also responded.
USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart stated,
“The McLaren Report has concluded, beyond a reasonable doubt, a mind-blowing level of corruption within both Russian sport and government that goes right to the field of play… and most importantly, our hearts go out to athletes from all over the world who were robbed of their Olympic dreams. Looking forward, we must come together as an international community – comprised of those who truly believe in the spirit of Olympism – to ensure this unprecedented level of criminality never again threatens the sports we cherish.”
Tygart’s response to the publication of the report comes shortly after both he and the CEO of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports both signed a draft letter encouraging the IOC to ban Russia from the upcoming Olympic Games.
“The only appropriate, and permissible, course of action in these unprecedented circumstances is for the IOC to immediately suspend the Russian Olympic and Paralympic Committees from the Olympic Movement… and declare that no athlete can represent Russia at the Rio Olympic Games.”
Following the letter FINA, the governing body for swimming, responded with their concern that the letter was released prior to the results of the McLaren report being published.
Now that the report has been published, neither USADA or the CCES has released any further statement on their desire to have Russia banned from the Olympic Games.
The IOC executive board will be meeting tomorrow through a telephone conference to discuss immediate reaction to the results of the report. To read the IOC‘s full statement click here. The United States Olympic committee also released a statement which can be found here.
For more information on the McLaren report click here.
Barring athletes from competitions solely on the basis of one’s citizenship and without solid evidence of that specific individual’s violation of anti-doping rules is a form of discrimination, is unfair, and invites lawsuits that WADA and other organizations won’t be able to defend against. Welcome to the world of punitive damages.
And Vladimir, your solution is?? When an entire country including government ministers, the secret service, sports officials,athletes and testing labs are complicit and involved in promoting and covering up doping then the entire country gets a red card. End of discussion. Perhaps clean Russian athletes (if there are any) and concerned citizens of Russia should fight for free and fair competition by the Russian Sports System. BTW discrimination is not wrong, only unfair discrimination is and in this case the discrimination is entirely justified.
Perhaps the many athletes previously denied a podium or gold medals by this abomination of a Russian sports system should exercise their legal rights and launch a class action against Russia for real financial losses they… Read more »
I take it, you’ve put your trust in a system which condones secret evidence that can’t be examined and refuses to offer the accused a chance to be heard? Is that what America now believes?
You also missed the fact that collective punishment (punishing innocent people simply because they belong to a group) is illegal by international standards. Every country that belongs to the UN agreed not to do that.
Actually some Americans (some within USA Swimming for example) condone cheating. USA Swimming has even held corrupt board of review hearings so the innocent athlete gets no relief. USA Swimming ignores Rules and Regulations when its convenient for them. USA Swimming is good at protecting abusers. The U.S. can get on their high horse, but I agree with BoBO that Lance Armstrong was one of the biggest cheaters in Sports History.
BTW, I am not American but an Aussie. Statements like “some within within USA swimming condone cheating” or “ignores Rules”as simply throwaway comments that deserve no response. Not sure what you mean about USA protecting abusers?? maybe another comment you plucked out thin air…
Fact is Lance Armstrong was one of the biggest cheaters but ultimately the USA system pursed him relentlessly even when the UCI continued to support him, until his 7 TDF wins were stripped and he was banned from all sport. Well done to the USA, they got the cheater. That’s what promoting clean sport looks like. This is unlike Russia where the entire system from ministers, secret service, coaches and labs promote cheating. This is what… Read more »
First off, I was responding to James comment and not yours! It’s devastating for an athlete to be targeted and punished simply for belonging to the wrong group (first hand experience within the good old USA). I speak of USA Swimming because that is where the abuse was allowed to continue.
What – an Aussie who trains or resides in America. Why don’t you pull your head out of the sand. I’ve seen athletes used as pawns within USA Swimming (some former Olympians). Because of the State sponsored doping in Russia, perhaps the athletes have no choice.
If all official doping control in Russia is systematically corrupted, and it is clear that dopers were cleared, I don’t see how you can select can athletes because you can’t point to a series of true negative tests. It may be unfair to those Russian athletes who didn’t dope but their non-participation would not be the fault of the IOC or WADA but of their own government.
Tygart is the man who brought down Lance Armstrong, one of the biggest cheaters in sports history. Much respect for that.
But at the same time he was very nice with Tyson Gay in my opinion. Only because he admitted his fault and collaborated with USADA. Less respect for that. Steroids = 4 years of suspension. Not a gentleman agreement.