USADA Asks IOC to Suspend Russia From 2016 Olympic Games in Rio

Head of the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) Travis Tygart sent a letter to president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach in which he requested to remove Russian athletes from the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, prior to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report being published.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Saturday, a copy of the letter from Tygart was obtained by the R-Sport agency.

"Consistent with the Principles, Charter and Code we request that the IOC Executive Board take the action to suspend the Russian Olympic and Paralympic Committee from participating in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio," the letter read.

In May, US media reported, citing former director of the Russia-based anti-doping laboratory Grigory Rodchenkov, that dozens of Russian athletes at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, including at least 15 medal winners, were using doping throughout the Games as part of a "state-run program." World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has launched a probe into the claims under the lead of Richard McLaren who has already investigated reports of Russian athletes using doping.

McLaren will present his report on July 18 in Toronto.