Russia hit back at drug cheat allegations by slamming London 2012 anti-doping system

Vitaly Mutko has hit out after being accused of being involved in a cover-up

RUSSIA'S sports minister Vitaly Mutko has accused Britain's anti-doping system during the London 2012 Olympic Games of being "even worse than" Russia's and having "zero value".

 

A report by a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) independent commission claims Russia has run a programme of "state-supported" doping cover-ups. The IAAF, the sport's world governing body, is expected to provisionally suspend Russian athletics during a formal council disciplinary hearing tomorrow.

Mutko, who was described by WADA commission chairman Dick Pound of being "complicit" in the scandal, criticised the competence of Britain's anti-doping system if it failed to catch Russian athletes with alleged suspicious test results.

Mutko, who denied all the allegations, said: "We're hearing that medals won by our athletes in London must be taken away. But it's the British system of doping control that operated there.

 

"It was Britain's anti-doping organisation under the leadership of the International Olympic Committee.

"Each medal winner was tested for doping and received their medal only after having tested negative."

Last night a spokesperson for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport responded to Mutko's claims, saying that their systems are "robust".

In a statement, they said: "We believe Britain's anti-doping system is robust. UKAD act upon intelligence alongside law enforcement agencies and this complements their rigorous testing and education programmes for athletes. It is a system that is highly valued by Britain's sports governing bodies and our clean athletes." 

 

Lamine Diack has resigned his position on the IOC

Mutko has pledged to adopt new measures in Russia to clamp down on doping including devising new testing methods and possibly opening criminal cases against athletes suspected of cheating.

Meanwhile, Lamine Diack, the former IAAF president, resigned from his position as an honorary member of the International Olympic Committee.

He had been provisionally suspended by the IOC while being investigated by French police over allegations he took bribes to cover up positive drugs tests.