From Lausanne, SUI
Fallout of the second McLaren Report continues.
A few weeks ago, the IBSF voted to move the IBSF World Championships from Sochi to Königssee after the McLaren Report detailed a very deep doping scandal that, in part, affected the Russian Bobsleigh Federation. Now, just before the new year, Russian’s skeleton athletes have been suspended.
The December 30th announcement comes one week before the IBSF World Cup is set to start it’s second part of the season in Altenberg, Germany.
Because full proceedings regarding the suspended athletes haven’t been concluded, the IBSF hasn’t released the athletes names. Assuming that these anti-doping violations are directly related to athletes who competed in Sochi, the list can be narrowed to a few athletes: Elena Nikitina, Maria Orlova, and Olga Potylitsina on the women’s skeleton side, and Sergei Chudinov, Nikita Tregybov, and Alexander Tretiakov on the men’s side.
The suspensions come at a time where Russia is beginning to admit defeat in the doping case. In a New York Times article (found here), acting director of RUSADA Anna Antseliovich stated that Russia did run an “institutional conspiracy”, though Russian officials continue to deny that the doping was state-sponsored.
Because names haven’t been published, at the time of this posting there is no word as to who will be sliding for Russia in Altenberg.
The full IBSF press release:
The IBSF has been informed by the IOC that investigations into alleged anti-doping rule violations in connection with the Olympic Winter Games 2014 in Sochi (RUS) have been opened.
The IBSF in accordance with the IBSF Anti-Doping Rules, Art. 7.9, therefore provisionally suspends four Russian Skeleton athletes as of 30 December 2016. The athletes and the Russian Bobsleigh Federation have been informed about the provisional suspension accordingly. In accordance with the provisions of the World Anti-Doping Code the IBSF is not in the position to
communicate the athletes´names before the proceedings have been concluded.
The IOC Disciplinary Commission will be responsible for the investigation of the alleged anti-doping rule violations during the Olympic Winter Games as the results and case management authority whereas a provisional suspension outside of the Olympic Winter Games is within the IBSF´s competence.
All parties involved have committed themselves to cooperate on all levels and support the investigation by the IOC.
IBSF President Ivo Ferriani stated: “It has been a hard time for all of us in Sports after the publication of the McLaren Report. The IBSF is fully commited to ensure all necessary steps will be taken to gain back the integrity of Sport – this will require joint efforts by all stakeholders. The Russian Bobsleigh Federation confirmed its full support to clarify the matter related to the allegations.”
