Russia vows to act on athletics anti-doping after IAAF ban
Last Updated: 19/11/15 11:47am
Russia's sports minister has vowed to overhaul the country's anti-doping body (RUSADA) after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) suspended their athletics team over non-compliance with international regulations.
A report, published by WADA last week, accused Russia of a state-sponsored doping programme in track and field that effectively "sabotaged" the London 2012 Olympics.
Speaking on Thursday, Vitaly Mutko said: "We are ready to promptly, effectively and conscientiously cooperate with WADA,
"The decision was expected. We are ready to rebuild our whole anti-doping system."
RUSADA was accused of "routinely" violating testing standards, as well as allowing banned athletes to compete despite being suspended from competition.
That prompted the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) to provisionally suspend Russia from international events - with many within Russia now fearing their track stars could miss next summer's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Mutko, however, was open to working with WADA to form a viable solution for anti-doping in future, but stated the suspension of an anti-doping laboratory in Moscow could jeopardise that.
He added: "By stopping the activities of our anti-doping bodies, we are ceasing all kinds of work to fight doping on Russian territory."
Other countries deemed "non-compliant" in the report were Argentina, Ukraine, Bolivia, Andorra and Israel, with European nations including Belgium, France, Greece and Spain also placed on a "watch list".
