Kremlin Unaware of Grounds For New WADA Doping Allegations - Spokesman

© Sputnik / Valeriy Melnikov / Go to the mediabankDoping laboratory. File photo
Doping laboratory. File photo - Sputnik International
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The Kremlin is unaware of the foundations for allegations made by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regarding obstructions to anti-doping officials and the withholding of some doping test results being committed in Russia, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday.

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MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Late on Wednesday, WADA released a report alleging that a number of athletes' doping tests could not be collected by anti-doping officials, hundreds of tests were canceled or declined, over 20 tests were missed and over 50 were found to contain banned substances.

The report also alleged that some Russian athletes have actively avoided taking tests, while anti-doping officials have been threatened by security personnel and Olympic qualifier events have been held in restricted access areas.

"I am not familiar with the details of the report and I do not know what these assertions are based on. Of course, this needs a thorough investigation by our sports authorities, and until this analysis is complete, I do not think that I can say anything insightful as it is unclear what WADA bases on," Peskov told reporters.

The WADA report comes just days before the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) June 17 decision on Russian athletes' participation in the upcoming 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Peskov did not comment on Russia's possible moves in case the national athletics team is banned from the Games.

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"I want to avoid making any comments on this matter. This is a sensitive issue. The report was published yesterday, but we did not notice it. That is why I would not make any conclusions in the regard," he said.

In December 2014, German ARD channel released a film titled "The Doping Secret: How Russia Creates Champions" on alleged doping abuse and corruption in Russian sports. The film was followed up by documentaries with further allegations.

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. The IAAF temporarily suspended the Russian Athletic Federation's membership as a result.

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.

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