FOOTLOOSE AND…
The World Anti-Doping Agency has accused Russia of “running a widespread doping program.” It lathered the Russians with specifics and asked for the suspension of the Russians from the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Guess what: Russian President Vladimir Putin offered a weak “it’s unfounded” rejoinder.
Let us see what the World’s Anti-Doping Agency specifically ran up the flagpole on the Russians. They targeted Moscow’s chief laboratory director for the malicious destruction of 1,407 blood and urine samples three days before investigators arrived for a look-see. The head of the lab then resigned on Nov. 11, a short time afterward.
The accusatory report called for lifetime bans on five Russian runners. This included Mariya Savinova, the 800-meter Olympic gold medalist. Also in the group were four coaches, plus a team doctor! Further, the targeted report found that undercover agents from the Russian secret police “intimidated” doping officers and infiltrated anti-drug activists at the Sochi Winter Olympics. Wow!
Handcuffed along with Russia’s athletic organizations were the National Association of Athletics Federation officials who are accused of being inexplicably lax in pursuing suspicious samples.
There seems little doubt that at least some, if not most, of the 2016 Russian Olympic team will be banned. Putin’s “unfounded” response to this pinpointed indictment sounds pretty “founded” to me!
