Russia Makes Rapid Progress to Prevent Use of Doping by Athletes

In four years, Russia completed the same amount of work to counter the use of doping that takes decades for other countries, Russian Minister of Sport Vitaly Mutko said.

MOSCOW, (Sputnik) — Russia has progressed in preventing violations of doping regulations by professional and amateur athletes much more rapidly than many other nations, Russian Minister of Sport Vitaly Mutko said Tuesday.

"Russia has always been and always will be the country that conducts a serious and consistent fight against doping. In four years we have done the same amount of work that other countries do for decades,” Mutko told reporters.

Mutko, however, noted that the percentage of Russian athletes disqualified for violations of anti-doping rules is no higher than it is abroad.

“Around two percent [of athletes] gets disqualified in our country. It is just like in the United States, in England, and in any other country,” he said.

Mutko also said that Russia allocates large sums to counter doping and will continue its efforts to stem use of the unhealthy and illegal drugs in sports.

Earlier in January, Russian Anti-Doping Agency RUSADA disqualified a number of athletes for violations of anti-doping rules. The list includes Olympic champions in racewalking Sergei Kirdyapkin, Valery Borchin and Olga Kaniskina, as well as world champion in racewalking Sergei Bakulin. In addition, 2012 London Olympic 3,000 meter steeplechase champion, Yulia Zaripova, and Olympic bronze medalist in hepathlon, Tatyana Chernova were also disqualified.