In May, The New York Times quoted Grigory Rodchenkov, the former director of the Russian antidoping laboratory, as saying that at least 15 Russian athletes-medal winners at the Winter Olympics 2014 in Sochi were part of a state-run doping program, aimed at country's dominance at the Games.
"We need to admit that there are defects in the existing anti-doping system. As IOC President Thomas Bach said, we should figure out how to create a [better] doping control system… so that no one could manipulate it. The country [Russia] cannot manipulate it, as we don't control and check tests," Mutko told R-Sport.
On June 17, the IAAF officially announced the decision to uphold RUSAF ban for association's membership, which means that Russian athletes cannot participate in international competitions under IAAF aegis. On June 18, the IOC Executive Board said it supported the anti-doping position of the IAAF.