Head of Russia's Anti-Doping Commission to Meet Int'l Anti-Doping Figures in Rio

Vitaly Smirnov, the chair of Russia’s newly established Anti-Doping Commission, said Tuesday he will hold a series of meetings with the heads of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), as well as leaders of international federations where Russian doping claims are most prevalent.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Smirnov was appointed to lead the commission on July 22 by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) executive committee approved Smirnov as head of the Anti-Doping Commission on Monday.

"As part of the IOC session in Rio I will definitely meet with Richard Pound [WADA independent commission chair], Craig Reedie [WADA president], Richard McLaren [author of WADA Independent Person report], IAAF President Sebastian Coe and heads of international federations of those sports where we have problems – weightlifting, rowing," Smirnov told R-Sport.