The Russian Prosecutor General's Office has launched an investigation into recent allegations of doping by Russian athletes during the Olympics in Beijing, London and Sochi, the Interfax news agency reported Thursday.
The checks will be carried out together with other law enforcement agencies, the Sports Ministry and the Russian Olympic Committee, Interfax reported, citing Alexander Kurennoi, a spokesman for the Prosecutor General's Office.
According to Kurennoi, the supervisory authority is planning to send requests to the United States and other countries' competent authorities as well as to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in order to exchange information on the doping allegations that have appeared in the media.
In a story published last week by The New York Times, Grigory Rodchenkov, the former head of the Russian anti-doping laboratory, described how dozens of Russian athletes were involved in a state-run doping program during the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
WADA immediately opened an investigation into the allegations.
President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach told the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) that the Russian national team could be banned from participating in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro if allegations of a state-run doping scheme are verified, the RIA Novosti news agency reported Wednesday.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
