IOC not to blame for WADA’s lack of action, ignorance of previous doping reports – Olympic president

July 31, 2016 at 14:13

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) had nothing to do with the timing and reasons for the publication of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s McLaren report, which led to over a hundred Russian athletes being banned from the Olympics, IOC president Thomas Bach said.

When asked if the IOC is responsible for the lack of clarity about the Russia’s participation ahead of the upcoming games, Bach’s reply was: “No, and it is for objective reasons."

He explained that his organization was not responsible for the timing of Richard McLaren’s report, claiming that a large scale doping program, which involved security services, was carried out by Russia.

“The IOC report isn’t responsible for the fact that the information, which was presented to WADA several years ago, did not lead to any action,” he said, adding that the accreditation of anti-doping laboratories also not among the IOC’s responsibilities.

“Therefore, the IOC can’t be responsible for the timing and reason of what we we’re facing. Because we’re facing this with just a few days before the Olympic games," Bach stressed.

Earlier on Saturday, the IOC announced that a special three-member commission would have the final say in determining which individual Russian athletes would be eligible for the Rio Olympics. The panel will look into the case of each athlete already cleared to compete.

Bach said that the commission on the Russian team’s participation, headed by Dr. Ugur Erdener, has already begun its work.

Juan Antonio Samaranch, son of the seventh president of the IOC, and IOC Athletes’ Commission Chair Claudia Bokel were also included in the commission.

Press conference of the IOC President Thomas Bach https://t.co/DFOAobAodX
— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) July 31, 2016

According to Bach, the athletes on the Russian Olympic team have to pass a three admission requirements to make it to the Olympic Games in Brazil.

The first step is being cleared by their individual sport’s international federation, the second is that they have never violated anti-doping rules, while the third, and final, hurdle, is that they must be approved by the three-member IOC commission, whose decision is to be based on the opinion of independent experts and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), he explained.

“Now is the time to resolve this situation. Before the Games start, and then after the Olympic Games, there will be more time to carefully analyze the whole situation, and I would advise everybody… to study this situation with a certain distance and not under this moment of very emotional and passionate debates,” Bach stressed.

The Olympic Games in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro are scheduled to take place between August 5 and 21.

Bach was put under severe pressure during the media-conference on Sunday, with many critics still dissatisfied with the IOC’s decision not to impose a blanket ban on Team Russia.

According to the Olympic president, his organization has done everything possible to protect clean athletes.

“Imagine the situation if we would not have taken the decision [to admit Russian team]... I trust the people that they will realize the difficulties we are in, they will realize that we did our best to address this situation in a way which allows protecting all clean athletes all over the world,” he said.

Bach expressed hope that the scandal surrounding Team Russia won’t affect the Rio Games in a negative way.

He was also asked if he had had any contact with Russian government officials after the publication of the McLaren report.

“No, I haven’t been talking to any Russian government official since the publication of the McLaren report and not even in the... days or weeks preceding,” the IOC president answered.