MOSCOW (Sputnik) – According to Rodchenkov, the bribes were passed on to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
"Certain people were involved in the substitution of positive test results. I know it from the London Olympiad. Back then, it cost $500,000 to ‘free’ an athlete who was doping – for one person," Rodchenkov said in a video recording presented in German journalist Hajo Seppelt’s new film.
The former director of the Russia-based anti-doping laboratory accused Natalya Zhelanova, an adviser to Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, of concealing Russian athletes’ positive doping test results and pressuring the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to stop investigating alleged doping violations on the part of Russia. He also claimed that Zhelanova was involved in the passing of bribes to IAAF.
On Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is not prepared to accept doping cover-up allegations against the Russian sports minister by the German ARD broadcaster.
Mutko pointed out in May that ARD’s new documentary was being prepared ahead of the forthcoming IAAF Council Meeting, scheduled to take place in the Austrian capital of Vienna on June 17.
Following the release of the film, WADA launched an investigation into the allegations of doping abuse in Russian sports. In November 2015, WADA's Independent Commission issued a report accusing Russia of numerous breaches of global anti-doping regulations. As a result, the IAAF temporarily suspended the Russian Athletic Federation's membership.
The Russian authorities have promised to carry out a clean-up program to fulfill the WADA demands in order for the country's athletes to be allowed to participate in the 2016 Olympics.
