MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia refuses to be wiped out from the global athletics map, and denies claims that the country does not meet the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) codex, Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said Friday.
"We will do what IAAF [International Association of Athletics Federations] tells us. But don't want Russian athletics to be removed from the world map, we will not agree with such a decision," Mutko told reporters.
WADA advised the IAAF to disqualify Russian athletes from taking part the 2016 Olympic games, as well as the federation's competitions. Mutko and Russia's intelligence bureau, the FSB, were accused of doping cover-ups.
"Today, the All-Russia Athletic Federation provided explanations regarding the [WADA] commission's work. I signed an address, stating that we are ready to help ensure that our athletics are up to the standards they offer. We are ready for any means. I do not wish to publish the government's plan of action yet, while the IAAF decision is still unknown, but I like that they give us a chance to speak," he continued.
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has been keeping back the results of doping tests of sportsmen for years, he said.
"It is not our problem, that the IAAF has been concealing test results not only of Russian sportsmen but of other countries since 2008 and 2009. There were 155 cases, only 15 of which were ours. Of course we asked a rightful question: where have they been all this time?" Mutko told reporters.
The minister noted that Russia is ready to allow international experts to be present at the most important stages of anti-doping testing, or appoint a foreigner to head the Moscow laboratory.
The Russian sports minister said Friday he was not considering resigning amid the doping scandal, but admitted he was personally responsible for it.
"I am not thinking about it [resignation]," Mutko told journalists.
"Yes, I carry personal responsibility, I did not work enough in some areas, in some areas I could have kept track more…. But the resignation is not the point, the essence of the issue is [the point]. Show me what we did wrong, what should the resignation be for?," the minister added.
On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Mutko to conduct an internal investigation into accusations of widespread doping practices among Russian athletes.
