Russian Sports Ministry Denies Reports on 'State-Run Doping Program'

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Thursday, New York Times reported, citing former director of the Russia-based anti-doping laboratory Grigory Rodchenkov, that dozens of Russian athletes at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, including at least 15 medal winners and the entire women’s hockey team, were doping throughout the Games as part of a "state-run program."

"US media are trying to impose on us an idea that there is a doping program, allegedly run by the state. We do not want to make excuses in any case, we have nothing to make excuse for. Once again, we want to say to all: no doping program in the Russian sports in the Russian Federation has ever existed," Nagornykh said at a press conference.

Following media reports on Rodchenkov's statement, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said that the claims about Russian athletes doping at the 2014 Olympics were "absurd," adding that the detailed official response was yet to come.

In November 2015, the World Anti-Doping Agency's Independent Commission issued a report accusing Russia of numerous breaches of global anti-doping regulations, and recommended banning Russia from international athletics competitions.

The Russian authorities have promised to carry out a clean-up program to fulfill the WADA demands in order for country's athletes to be allowed to participate in the 2016 Olympics.