Moscow: Claims About Putin's Alleged Involvement in Doping Situation 'Slander'

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) informant and ex-head of the Moscow Anti-Doping Laboratory Grigory Rodchenkov has earlier claimed that the Russian President was aware of what he described as the state-run doping system that was allegedly run ahead of the 2014 Winter Sochi Olympics.

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said to reporters on Tuesday that Rodchenkov's allegations were baseless "slander," adding that there was no evidence of his claims whatsoever.

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The statement comes as German TV channel ARD on Monday released a documentary about doping abuse in Russia, announcing an interview with the former director turned US-based WADA informer Grigory Rodchenkov. The informant claimed in the film that President Putin could have known about the doping scheme, receiving information from the Minister of Sports Vitaly Mutko, who in turn was informed by former deputy Yuri Nagornykh.

Peskov noted that Rodchenkov was under investigation in Russia, describing the informant as a "morally unstable person," who has previously had run-ins with the law. He stressed that the ex-head of the Moscow Anti-Doping Laboratory cannot be viewed as a reliable source.

The spokesman went on to say that the "maniacal commitment" to Rodchenkov's allegations causes nothing but a misunderstanding in Moscow, as mainstream journalists who covered WADA informant's claims hadn't verified the information and hadn't taken into account other sources of information.

"This is the way of covering news that inflicts irreparable damage to the image and reputation of the media because several alternative sources are usually used in the preparation of news stories," he pointed out.

Rodchenkov is being investigated in Russia over the abuse of power during his term as the director of the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) in 2009-2013. According to the Russian Investigative Committee (RIC), Rodchenkov gave illegal substances to athletes disguised as vitamins.