ROC Head Says No Doping Cases Among Russians at Games as Result of Recent Years' Work

TOKYO (Sputnik) - The absence of doping cases involving Russian athletes at the Tokyo Olympics is the result of the work of recent years, Stanislav Pozdnyakov, the president of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), said on Saturday.

"The absence of doping cases in our team is the result of the work that has been done in recent years. I congratulate the sports community on this — the Ministry of Sports, RUSADA [the Russian Anti-Doping Agency] ... that throughout this period, has fought with negative manifestations in our sport to the best of their ability", Pozdnyakov told reporters.

Commenting on the recent calls by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) chief for harsher punishment for Russian athletes, Pozdnyakov noted that neither the IOC, nor the Tokyo Games organising committee, nor the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had complaints regarding the way the Russian delegation fulfilled the verdict of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) during the Olympics in Tokyo.

"The CAS ruling was fully complied with by all members of the delegation. An hour ago, there was a meeting with the representative of the IOC, we discussed this situation. Neither IOC, nor the organising committee, nor WADA had claims regarding the execution of a CAS decision on the performance of our team at the Olympics," he said.

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Basketball 3x3 - Women - Medal Ceremony - Aomi Urban Sports Park, Tokyo Japan - July 28, 2021. Silver medallists Anastasiia Logunova of the Russian Olympic Committee, Evgeniia Frolkina of the Russian Olympic Committee, Olga Frolkina of the Russian Olympic Committee, Yulia Kozik of the Russian Olympic Committee pose for a picture as they wear face masks.

© REUTERS / ANDREW BOYERS

Earlier this week, International Olympic Committee (IOC) spokesman Mark Adams told reporters that the committee did not find any positive doping tests among Russian athletes at the Tokyo Games.

Back in August, ESADA head Travis Tygart called for making the results of doping testing of all athletes participating in the Tokyo Games, especially from Russia, public and criticised the IOC, as he considered the punishment of the Russians not harsh enough.

Last year, the CAS ruled Russian athletes cannot compete in major international competitions under the national flag until December 16, 2022, over alleged violation of the anti-doping code.