IOC move to make Russian bans stick

On the eve of the release of a new report into Russian doping, the IOC has extended its provisional sanctions.

Russia appointed former Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva to chair the new supervisory board of the tainted Russian anti-doping agency.

On the eve of the ­release of a report into Russian doping, the IOC has extended the provisional sanctions imposed on the country over allegations of ­systematic cheating and cover-ups. The IOC executive board said measures imposed on July 19 had been extended “until further notice”.

The sanctions, originally to apply until the end of this year, were put into place following the first report by World Anti-Doping Agency investigator Richard McLaren that alleged state-­sponsored doping in Russia. Under the measures, the IOC will not organise or “give patronage” to any sports events or meetings in ­Russia.

In addition, the IOC urges all Olympic winter sports federations to “freeze their preparations for major events in Russia”, including world championships and World Cups and “to actively look for alternative organisers”.

McLaren’s second and final report into the Russian scandal will be released in London late tonight, Australian time. The Canadian lawyer’s first report, issued in July, led WADA to recommend Russia’s exclusion from the Rio Olympics. The IOC rejected the call, instead allowing international federations to decide which Russians could compete.

The second report is expected to focus on evidence of organised Russian doping centred on the Sochi Games, including alle­gations that tainted samples from Russian athletes — including medallists — were swapped for clean ones through a concealed hole in the wall of the drug-testing lab.

In a statement timed to precede the release of the report, the IOC said the allegations “go to the heart of the Olympic Games and are a fundamental attack on their integrity”.

The committee said due process must be followed, meaning McLaren’s evidence must be evaluated and those implicated — including athletes and the Russian Sports Ministry — “have to be given the right to be heard”.

Once the investigations are complete, the IOC will “take all the appropriate measures and sanctions”, including disqualification of athletes from the Games and exclusion of implicated officials, entourage or government officials from the Olympics.

Outside of the Olympics, international federations have the authority to sanction athletes and their entourage and potentially suspend national federations.

McLaren’s report will be sent to two separate IOC inquiry commissions. One is looking into the allegations of Russian state involvement in doping, the other is investigating the athletes and the doping samples.

News of the extension of sanctions comes on the same day that Russia appointed former Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva to chair the new supervisory board of the tainted Russian anti-doping agency.

The agency, known as Rusada, said Isinbayeva would head a 10-person board.

Isinbayeva was part of the Russian athletics team that was banned from the Rio Games, although she has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

Her appointment could cause tension with the WADA, which she has sharply criticised, saying its accusations against Russia are unproven, and calling for athlete-turned-whistleblower Yulia Stepanova to be banned for life.

Agencies