Russian Olympic Committee to Work With WADA, IAAF on Doping Probe

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia’s Olympic Committee (ROC) promised on Saturday to coordinate its probe into the doping scandal with the International Association of Athletics Federations and the World Anti-Doping Agency.

"The Russian Olympic Committee will ensure the coordination of the already ongoing thorough investigation by the national authorities in Russia with respective international organisations, including WADA and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)," ROC said in a statement.

On Monday, a WADA-initiated independent investigative commission presented a report accusing Russia of numerous violations of global anti-doping codes and recommended suspending it from international athletics, including the 2016 Olympics. On Friday, Russia was provisionally suspended from track and field.

ROC President Alexander Zhukov also pledged to reform the National Athletics Federation (ARAF) at the heart of the scandal. This will include penalizing all officials, coaches and athletes that will be found to have cheated at drug tests, while protecting clean athletes.

"The Russian Olympic Committee is determined that the clean athletes should compete in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Anyone found guilty of using illegal drugs or anyone who facilitated or was complicit in their use must be punished," ROC President Zhukov said.